Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones...

The Religious Right is not always wrong. That admission makes me squirm. In the coming week, I have been given an assignment in my Public Theology class to listen to some of those voices from the "other side" that, quite honestly, raise my "hackles", whatever that means. Perhaps I'll just say they raise my blood pressure and leave it at that. But nothing gets me madder than when I agree with them!


So, when I read articles by progressive Christians lobbing hardballs at the evangelical conservative Christians, I am sometimes uncomfortable when they begin using the same kind of name-calling and negative labeling as the conservative side. (Oh, the language may be slightly higher brow, but the intent to sling mud is just as real.)


Marilynn Robinson in Hallowed Be Your Name" seems to be indicating that the current evangelical movement is totally devoid of care for social justice and welfare issues. "For a self-declared Christian movement, it shows startlingly little sense of responsibility for the vulnerable in society." She goes on to lift up the Matthew 25 passages in which Jesus likens himself to the poor and vulnerable, as if to say that the evangelicals are not caring for the poor.


I would not be so quick to point fingers. I would propose that many evangelicals, as well as progressive Christians fall into the category of thinking that they ARE caring for the poor. They contribute to food banks, participate in CROP walks, donate to Church World Service or other faith-based charities. True, those progressives who would also wear the label of "social activist" would argue, quite correctly, that these are short-term solutions that do not address the long-term problems of poverty.


True, this method often keeps the giver in an elevated position "over" those who are "less-fortunate", and the giving probably makes the giver feel better about themselves, elevating that position even higher. But unless that person, church or organization is actively working against those who are actively working to reduce poverty, knowing that this is what they are doing, I think I would have a difficult time in calling them... what?


People who only claim to be Christians? Neofundamentalist frauds?

Not every conservative Christian is "demon spawn", nor are they always completely off base in their positions. Mis-guided, perhaps... probably... and sometimes downright wrong. But not always.

In coming blogs, I will write to some of these issues where there IS common ground, shaky as it may be. Phrases such as "pro-life" and "family values" have been claimed by the Religious Right, and I will argue that they do not have exclusive rights to them. On the other hand, the phrase "Open and Affirming" has been pidgeon-holed in the United Church of Christ to mean only one thing, when I believe it belongs to more than just the LGBT issues.

Maybe, just maybe, we can find a way to raise our voices in commonality and find our way to God's Truth as revealed in the life and person of Jesus, the Christ.

And maybe, just maybe we can find our way to recognizing the Christ in each other on both sides of each issue and everywhere in between.

And may, just maybe, we can stop calling each other names and begin calling each other brothers and sisters in Christ.