TIME.com: My Problem with Christianism by Andrew Sullivan Please read this fine piece by Andrew Sullivan in Time. He is right to the point of several things I've been saying in this Blog. He just says it more eloquently and creatively.I'm intrigued with his coining of the word "Christianism," distinguishing a political ideology from a faith (Christianity). He has put his finger on why I was so angry with churches and church leaders on the day after the 2004 election. It was not the result of the election that angered me, although I confess to plenty of distress about that too.
But my real problem was the way in which organized religion and its leaders (I was one of those at the time) contributed to the divisiveness and polarization of our society. Instead of being voices of reason, reconciliation, and hope many so-called Christians were in the forefront of demagoguery and name-calling. Christian values of love and respect for the worth of persons were skewered by preachers with a political agenda that equated Christianity with one political party and confused inauguration with ordination.
I know it is unfair to paint all religious leaders with one brush. Many work tirelessly on behalf of peace and justice without embroiling themselves in partisan politics. Those are the ones who are targeted by the Religious Right and marginalized in their own communities. Since when is support for carrying handguns under one's jacket considered a mark of theological faithfulness? Since when does favoring tax cuts for the most wealthy of our citizens demonstrate one's fidelity to Christian values? Since when does opposition to war become heretical and incongruent with religious principles? Sometimes I feel like we're reading different Bibles.
It's time to take back the ground that has been lost. This country is in a tangled mess militarily, economically, and morally. The disparate voices of people of faith need to be heard, not as oracles of heaven but as purveyors of reason. Let those voices be joined by the richly diverse perspectives that are needed if we are to build a national consensus with the wisdom to govern.
The Founding Fathers wrote into the Constitution a "wall of separation" between church and state. That was not just to protect religion from the state, it was also to protect the state from religion. With the rise of Christianism we now see how insightful our founders were.
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Andrew Sullivan is one of my daily reads. He is great. I think the term "Christianist" does capture a significant portion of the Religous Right, however, not all.
ReplyDeleteMy wife heard Jim Wallis last week at a Habitat for Humanity Conference last week. As always, Wallis is right on the mark. He calls for Christians to take the Bible seriously and create a movement that transcends political right and left and is concerned about addressing the problems of the poor. Such a cause does seem almost impossible, but perhaps that is what the Spirit is there for to assist us.
Very well said!
ReplyDeleteNo doubt everybody has read Jim Wallis book by now. I might recommend another one:
"Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism," by Michelle Goldberg, senior political reporter for Salon.
I just bought the book today and haven't read it yet, but I'd guess "Christianism" is very akin to "Christian Nationalism."
A small quibble....there is no "wall of separation" between church and state written into the US Constitution. A fence perhaps, but not a wall.
ReplyDeleteOverall your points well taken. The rather incidious manner in which many USAmerican Christians are allowing themselves to be enmeshed in quite un-Christian political agendas is baffling...and hurts the witness of Church. Part of the problem is that the "Christian Right" is filling a political vacuum, namely the absense in USAmerica of the political expression of a genuine Christian public philosophy, most notably the right-left continuum defying Christian Democratic parties found all over Europe and Latin America.