One my the continuing frustrations I experience in seminary is the built up tension between dichotomous points of view (i.e. liberal and conservative, progressive and evangelical, yadda yadda yadda...) At times it makes my head split in half. We live in a world that wants to things black and white, but perhaps its much more grey than we want to give it credit for. Or at least, our ability to fully understand it is much more grey than we think.
These contrived categories love to butt heads and draw lines in the sand. Every now and then I'll meet someone that breaks the boundaries but most often people are joining one team or the other. In a country in which partisanship seems to be the norm and genuine cooperation is not, I find myself often so discouraged by the church. Is this a matter of tolerance? Is this just a matter of us all holding hand and being friends? Is this really that big of a deal?
No.
No.
Yes.
Difference is natural. From the start of creation, there has been difference and uniqueness all over the universe. It was part of what God called "good". And where there is difference, there will be conflict. Conflict is ok. In fact, it might even be good. I value the diversity of the body of Christ. From our so-called "liberal" to "conservative" view points, I see a wide range of God that is so completely diverse and unique that there is no way anyone or any group of people could ever fully know or understand God's greatness. This isn't a matter of just tolerating each other. Toleration does not equal cooperation. I don't think the hand just tolerates the head, neither does the foot despise the ear, but rather they cooperate. Maybe not always do they directly work together, but definitely they do cooperate.
As I look at the Church today, I often grieve over our partisanship and hate for one another. (Yes, unfortunately I do think hate is a justifiable word to use). I grieve because I imagine a reign of God that doesn't work like that. In this reign, our diversity is our strength and love is the laminin. Will there be conflict? Well of course. Conflict is good because it helps us move forward. Does conflict hold the potential to harm us? Yes, but conflict handled well is productive. Perhaps we could all take a long, hard, grey look at things. That doesn't mean we have to live without strongly held values. It just means we don't hold so tightly to our doctrine at the sake of loving God and each other well. Don't think so black and white, us versus them, right and wrong. God is too big for that. God is much too diverse for any of us to claim any ownership to who God is and how God works. If my seminary experience has taught me anything it is this. I don't wander in a place or moral ambiguity, but I do hold more respect and value to those that don't think like me. Why? For God's sake, love.
These contrived categories love to butt heads and draw lines in the sand. Every now and then I'll meet someone that breaks the boundaries but most often people are joining one team or the other. In a country in which partisanship seems to be the norm and genuine cooperation is not, I find myself often so discouraged by the church. Is this a matter of tolerance? Is this just a matter of us all holding hand and being friends? Is this really that big of a deal?
No.
No.
Yes.
Difference is natural. From the start of creation, there has been difference and uniqueness all over the universe. It was part of what God called "good". And where there is difference, there will be conflict. Conflict is ok. In fact, it might even be good. I value the diversity of the body of Christ. From our so-called "liberal" to "conservative" view points, I see a wide range of God that is so completely diverse and unique that there is no way anyone or any group of people could ever fully know or understand God's greatness. This isn't a matter of just tolerating each other. Toleration does not equal cooperation. I don't think the hand just tolerates the head, neither does the foot despise the ear, but rather they cooperate. Maybe not always do they directly work together, but definitely they do cooperate.
As I look at the Church today, I often grieve over our partisanship and hate for one another. (Yes, unfortunately I do think hate is a justifiable word to use). I grieve because I imagine a reign of God that doesn't work like that. In this reign, our diversity is our strength and love is the laminin. Will there be conflict? Well of course. Conflict is good because it helps us move forward. Does conflict hold the potential to harm us? Yes, but conflict handled well is productive. Perhaps we could all take a long, hard, grey look at things. That doesn't mean we have to live without strongly held values. It just means we don't hold so tightly to our doctrine at the sake of loving God and each other well. Don't think so black and white, us versus them, right and wrong. God is too big for that. God is much too diverse for any of us to claim any ownership to who God is and how God works. If my seminary experience has taught me anything it is this. I don't wander in a place or moral ambiguity, but I do hold more respect and value to those that don't think like me. Why? For God's sake, love.
Comments
Post a Comment