Winning the Culture War

While I was growing up in Oklahoma, I used to frequent Christian bookstores and if you ever go to them yourself, you know there is a kind of "underground" world that evangelicals move in. I was never made more aware of this fact than when I first moved to Texas and went to one of the largest Christian bookstores in the world, literally. Beside the little Testamints that I found at the check out counter, there was a little telephone directory of places owned and operated by evangelicals. It was touted as a wonderful tool for all believers to use in order to help fellow believers who were in business. I picked it up and took it home with me and never really used it. It struck me--When did it become necessary for Christians to completely shun going into the world? I remember asking an older colleague of mine who was reared in a very strict Pentecostal home why she never went to sporting events when I knew she kept up with all the local high school scores. She told me that, though she did not think it was wrong to attend, she did not because while she was growing up, Pentecostals just did not do anything that the world liked to do. I always wanted to say, "Well, the world eats chocolate. Did you refrain from eating chocolate because it was too worldly? I digress.

When did it become necessary for evangelicals to completely separate from the world? Jesus told us to be in the world, but not of it. I know this is a difficult balance, but we have to be in the world in order to minister to the world. I recall discussing this issue in a class I taught on worship in the church. The discussion would go something like: "We speak a language that the world does not understand. We expect that a sinner who comes to the Lord will automatically stop all their vices and wear the same clothes that we do, our we question the authenticity of their salvation experience. We only go to stores and restaurants that are owned or operated by Christians. And we spend a whole lot of time in our churches feeling very good about ourselves and talking about how we need to touch the world, but we never come into contact with any one who does not know the Lord. How can we reach the world if we are not ever in it?"

And, another thing, when did Jesus become a Republican? I grew up in the Reagan era and, as I recall, this was about the time that I started hearing stirrings from the "religious right" and this always meant conservative Republicans. I remember my grandfather was a staunch Democrat, but had been reared in a pastor's home and was a lay leader in his church for many years. I always wondered how he could justify being a Democrat when all Democrats stood for evil--like abortion, homosexuality, riotous living, etc. My mother once told him that he would vote for the Devil himself if he was a Democrat. I thought it was funny that he told her he would have to think about that.

Well, there was this interesting article in the New York Times yesterday called "Disowning Conservative Politics, Evangelical Pastor Rattles Flock." The article was about an evangelical minister from Minnesota who became aggravated by certain members of his congregation who wanted him to announce a rally against gay marriage, or introduce a politician visiting the church, or to allow them to set up an anti-abortion table in the lobby, you get the idea. The minister concluded that when Christians win the culture war we inevitably lose because we, in fact, become the world. Jesus Christ, not America, is the light of the world and the hope for the world.

He discusses further significant concerns that the church in general really needs to come to terms with. How can we be salt and light if we are totally removed from the world? I think Boyd is correct in warning that when the church wins the culture war against the world it becomes the world. And, when our political agendas fall so heavily on one or two key issues (abortion or homosexual marriage) and forget other, sometimes greater issues, like hungry children, a better educational system, etc., who is to blame when these issues are not met? The early church filled a need in the society of its day by starting hospitals and caring for widow and orphans. One of the reasons that Christianity won out and became the official religion of the Roman Empire was that they were so heavily involved in the political system that the government and social services stopped whenever there was any kind of anti-Christian persecution. Now, history knows what happened when the early Christians won their culture war. It led to a period Protestants consider one of the darkest times in church history.

How far have we come from the lofty pursuit of "doing justice, and loving kindness, and walking humbly with our God" (Micah 6:8 paraphrase) when we feel like we are serving God's purpose by sitting in our churches and proclaiming our love for the world from a safe distance. It is hard to love people when we are so angry with their state of life. It is impossible to win the world without bumping into it, making a mess of our easy answers. We are meant to be agents of change in our world, but can't we do this without giving up our compassion, our humanity? I want to be just, and love kindness, and walk humbly with God without being judgmental. I want to be less judgmental and more compassionate with every person I meet. I want to be Christ to the world, so I guess I'm going to have to embrace the world as Christ did. I guess I will be calling all my "sinner" friends to go out to dinner. It's what Jesus would do!