The visit of Chinese president Hu Jintao to the United States this
week was widely covered in the media. Hu was feted, praised, cajoled,
and criticized by interested parties, and he acknowledged publicly,
probably for the first time, China's need to pay attention to the issue
of human rights (though these remarks were censored in Chinese
broadcasts of his remarks). What was especially striking to me wasn't
the pomp or the posturing but rather the back story. Unlike previous
visits of Chinese leaders, which were generally treated as something
less than full state visits, and which were associated with Chinese
requests for help--for example, in gaining entry into the World Trade
Organization--Hu's visit was accorded full recognition that goes with
the leader of a major world power coming to the U.S. This was
especially important since it is now the U.S. that is asking China for
help, with trade imbalances and currency exchange rates. I was reminded
of the image that some British colonists had of their settlement in the
New World being "a light on a hill," sentiments echoed by President
Ronald Reagan and many of his successors. It is an image, however, that
seems more aspirational than actual at the present, as the U.S.'s
self-designated identity as the world's sole remaining superpower is
more and more obviously fallacious. Proponents of the doctrine of
American Exceptionalism may continue to claim that the U.S. is God's
chosen city on a hill, but those who read the prophets, understand world
history, and examine current events critically understand that neither
the U.S. nor any other temporal power can continue to exert its
influence forever. Military might fades, economic power is surpassed by
others, and moral influence is corrupted from within by futile attempts
to exert authority that no longer exists. The prophet understood that
great empires wield ephemeral power at best. "The people who walked in
darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep
darkness on them light has shined." The hope of the world doesn't lie
in the actions of a geographically and chronologically constrained
empire, whether Assyrian or Roman or British or American, but in the
living God and those whose lives reflect God's concerns for justice,
love, and community. Many, particularly outside the U.S., are saying
that the American century is past. If that's true, and I suspect that
it is, then that's a good thing, because it means that the U.S. will
have to work with other nations to bring about positive change in the
world and will lose the unsustainable notion that it can impose its will
on others. In the end, of course, it is not the U.S., China, Russia,
India, Brazil, or any other powerful country that can bring light to the
world. That light is the sole property of the creator of the world, who
grants it willingly to all those who selflessly strive to share the
light with their neighbors and to turn their enemies into friends.
Psalm 27:1, 4-9 (first published 23 January 2005)
One of the primary differences between fundamentalist and progressive
Christians is the attitude toward theology, or knowledge of God.
Fundamentalists believe that there is a set of propositional truths that
cannot be questioned if one is to remain a true Christian. Christians are
urged, or sometimes required, to pledge allegiance to these truths, and
their acceptance is a measure of faithfulness to God. Progressive
Christians, on the other hand, reject a fixed set of propositional truths
that must be accepted by all. Individual Christians or congregations may
well have a set of beliefs to which they adhere, but they do not make
acceptance of their particular set of beliefs a requirement for being
recognized as a Christian. The difference between these two approaches to
theology is apparent in the contrasting terminology: fundamentalists talk
about truths; progressives talk about beliefs. It is not that progressive
Christians don't believe in truth, it is just that they are skeptical that
their understanding of the truth is complete or universal, either
geographically or chronologically. The psalmist describes his chief
desire as being allowed to abide in God's house all the days of his life,
to behold the beauty of God, and to inquire in God's temple. The word
translated "inquire" could also be rendered "examine," "investigate," or
"consider." Whatever the exact nature of the psalmist's desire, it
involves using the mind to approach God. There is no implication that the
psalmist has a fixed list of truths to which he wants to pay homage in the
temple. On the contrary, he portrays himself as one who does not already
have all the answers to life's questions. In this week's Christian
Century, the editors discuss the theological implications of last
month's disastrous tsunami in the Indian Ocean. "To say the event reminds
us of our finitude or our inability to control nature is to mumble
platitudes. To say God willed such devastation for some greater reason is
to administer a theological slap to the tear-stained faces of all who
mourn, especially the parents who mourn their drowned children. To say
God was powerless to do anything to stop the disaster may make the divine
seem less monstrous, but it leaves us with no God worthy of the name."
Spouting "propositional truths" like "God is omnipotent" and "God is love"
in response to the big question--WHY?--reveals the shallowness of such an
approach to the divine. Real life isn't black or white, good or evil,
right or wrong. Real life is shades of gray and ambiguity, and any
theology that doesn't recognize that is both simpleminded and impotent.
Christians should always be seeking to know God better, seeking to
understand the ways of God more fully. However, we should also realize
that our understanding of God will always be clouded by our limited
intellects and our blinkered worldviews. We can grow in our understanding
of God not by accepting some predefined, cookie-cutter theology, but only
by intense reflection, contemplation, and inquiry. Understanding of the
divine comes not through memorization of statements about God but through
prayerful consideration of God's world and God's work in that world.
1 Corinthians 1:10-18 (first published 23 January 2005)
Suicide car bombers today in Iraq killed more than 20 people. Since most of the victims were Shiites, it is likely that the bombers were Sunnis. Iraq is a land that has been ruled by Sunnis for centuries, even though the majority of the population, like its neighbor Iran, is Shiite. One sect of the religion making war on another is not limited to Islam. Catholic and Protestant Christians have been killing each other for years in Northern Ireland, although a tenuous peace is now in place and may finally be taking hold. Factional differences don't always lead to war, of course. Often differences between two groups of the same religion lead "merely" to oppression, prejudice, or excommunication. Christian factions go back at least as far as the mid-fifties of the first century, when they were present in the church in Corinth. Immediately after the opening greetings to the church, Paul admonishes the members not to divide into warring factions. There were apparently two main groups, those allied to Paul on the one hand and Apollos on the other. Whether there were also "Cephas" and "Jesus" groups, or whether Paul invented these merely for the sake of rhetoric, is debatable. The origins of the first two groups is easy to trace. Paul himself was one of the founders of the church in Corinth, and he stayed in the city for a year and half after his arrival. Later, an Alexandrian Christian named Apollos came to Corinth and helped lead the church. The nature of the differences between Paul's and Apollos's teachings are never specified, but one can imagine that Paul, who thought of himself as "a Pharisee of the Pharisees" and was a disciple of the eminent Palestinian rabbi Gamaliel might have had several differences in doctrine or approach from the Alexandrian Jew Apollos, who was likely schooled in the allegorical approach to scripture of Philo of Alexandria. It is instructive to note that Paul does not try to refute the teachings or methodology of Apollos, though he was undoubtedly aware of the specifics of their differences of opinion. Instead, he urges the Corinthian Christians to embrace one another and focus on their shared faith. Regardless of our differences, Paul says, we have more in common with one another than we have differences, "for the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." Paul had strong opinions, but he knew how to focus on what was most important. For the early church to survive, differences of opinion would have to be tolerated, and Christians with different approaches would have to be accepted as fellow believers; otherwise, the church would founder and cease to exist. Two thousand years later, Christianity is the largest religion in the world, with perhaps two billion adherents. We have divided into dozens of major groups, with hundreds of minor divisions among them. In and of itself this isn't bad. It is natural for individuals who share a common set of beliefs, a common interest in a particular style of worship, or a common worldview to want to worship together. The problem comes when one group decides that its own set of beliefs and practices is normative and that others are less authentic Christians, or perhaps they are not really Christians at all. I see this frequently with my students, some of whom like to distinguish between "Catholics" and "Christians" (they seem to be unfamiliar with the term "Protestant"). Paul admonishes us to respect one another and recognize those with whom we differ as legitimate followers of Christ. Yes, we worship differently. Some prefer a solemn, contemplative worship service, while others stand up and shout and raise their hands in praise. Yes, we organize our church years differently. Some follow the traditional seasons of the Christian year--Advent, Lent, Pentecost, and so forth--while others treat every Sunday (or Saturday) the same. Yes, we have different beliefs. Some take the Bible very literally, believing in a literal Adam and Eve and flood, while others see many biblical stories as religious literature akin to other similar ancient writings. Some insist on the Chalcedonian formula for describing the person of Christ and the essence of the Trinity, while others use the language of symbol and speak of the mystery of the Incarnation. In spite of all these differences, we have one very central thing in common. We all accept the centrality of the cross in both the life of Jesus and in the individual Christian experience. We accept Jesus as Lord and try to emulate him in our lives today. With Paul, let us embrace our brothers and sisters who belong to different factions. Let us share fellowship with them if they are willing. Finally, let us worship together and celebrate our common faith. That which identifies us as Christians is more important than those things that divide us.
Editor's note: Though this commentary was written six years ago, car bombings and suicide attacks in Iraq continue more or less unabated, including some this past week. Factionalism continues to destroy lives and divide those who have much in common. Just ask the new governor of Alabama, who insulted Jews, Muslims, and all other non-Christians during his swearing in ceremony this week. He later apologized for his remarks.
This January, like many previous Januaries, is a time of new beginnings, some good, some bad. New leadership in the House of Representatives has started its two-year campaign to roll back the rather modest gains in health care from the past two years. Potential presidential candidates are beginning to test the waters in Iowa, New Hampshire, and elsewhere, even though the first primaries are another year away. New semesters are starting, and though we're in the depths of winter in the northern hemisphere, the days are starting to get longer. Today's reading from Matthew describes the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, and I'm struck by several things in the story. The first is Jesus' message to the world: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Echoing the language of John the Baptist, Jesus calls his contemporaries to examine their lives, identify the encumbrances that tether them to the oppressive world, and break free to make a difference in their own lives and in the lives of others. Second, Jesus recognizes that he cannot accomplish his goal on his own. As I had occasion to say to a colleague this week, the best managers are those who understand the necessity of delegating. If Jesus couldn't accomplish all his goals by himself, but needed the assistance of his disciples, then why do we think we can do great things for God on our own? Third, Jesus' ministry was characterized by both teaching and action, by word and deed. The pen may be mightier than the sword, but words unaccompanied by works do not attain their full potential. Another was to say it: talk is cheap. Jesus backed up his words with actions. He didn't just say that he loved other people, he healed them and met their needs to prove it. He didn't just say that God calls everyone to be part of the family of God, he actively sought to expand God's family by reaching out to those in greatest need of family. The season of Lent will soon be upon us, and we will be thinking about the last days of Jesus' public ministry, which ended in the tragedy and triumph of the cross. If Jesus had known exactly what lay ahead when he started his ministry, would he have ever started? If the disciples had know, would they have come aboard anyway? These questions are both historical and theological, but from our perspective the important point is to recognize that Jesus did in fact begin his ministry in this way, and the disciples did follow, regardless of their precise expectations. As Lao Tzu said, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Or, as I was reminded this week when I saw the first leaves of bluebonnet plants emerging from the soil in my front yard, in the midst of death, life emerges, and in the midst of winter, spring is already making plans to erupt into glorious beauty. It's time to begin something new!