Lately I have been a little discouraged with the division that exists in churches today, across denominations, and within the same basic belief system. Friendships ruined, families divided, institutions polarized, and nations at war. There are many causes of division which can range from major doctrinal disagreements to slight Biblical interpretations including practice and even human behavior. Color of carpet, size of sound systems, organ, piano, drums, guitar, screen, teenagers, children, older adults and the list goes on and on with division leading the way.
I as a classic moderate seeking after divine truth but open to Biblical interpretation with application today, continually marvel at how a simple, personal belief can wreak havoc on relationships, severing them completely and irrevocably. It is just downright sad. Yet it is also understandable when we consider the human spirit. So many things in life are simply preference of the individual from the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the music we hear, the relationships we build, all help shape the idea of individuality over collectivism.
But it seems that the more we establish a standard of beliefs, practice, or acceptance, the more likely we are to exclude an individual or group. For example, if a person only likes chicken and does not like hamburgers, then he casts a net of rejection over all cafes serving hamburgers. He may then, inadvertently, extend that rejection to anyone frequenting those establishments serving hamburgers. In his rejection of a person's preference, he focuses on the individual, grouping that person in the "other" camp, thereby polarizing the position of chicken versus hamburgers. All rather silly since it simply involves taste, but it is real nevertheless.
Obviously food preference should not be compared with Kingdom issues and yet there is a correlation in that a person's taste or preference simply defines the individual. In religion however, we attempt to serve the individual and create the collective at the same time, wanting to group together the individual choices made and call them denominations, reject those who don't think like we do. Silly yes, but real nevertheless.
While I do not wish to water down the value of the spiritual or get mired into the mediocrity of the lower common denominator, at the same time I do desire for our faith to unify us, not separate us. To that end, I will choose my own theology based on study, prayer, knowledge, and teaching. In doing so, I will reject the theology that is different, but I will NOT reject the people taking a different road to the same goal. Perhaps I will be the rejected one, but regardless, let it not be said that I did the rejecting of the person. Authoring peace and harmony, I may be accused of flexible standards occasionally or of embracing love over war or of accepting those who are missing the mark or of rejoicing over the consonance rather than the voluminous dissonance, disagreements are usually louder than agreements. But if I am accused of such things, then may I indeed be guilty, for division in religion cannot be healthy.
I preach and teach harmony as a result of many congruent melodies operating within a social context. To my friends and family who practice and believe something slightly different I say yes we have our preferences, but let's continue to make music!
2 comments:
So you're a cake eater? You want your cake and to be able to eat it too? The bad news Dr. Tucker is that human beings, especially late 20th century North American human beings, are prone to division in a culture that emphasizes individuality and consumerism. We want what we want and we want it our way. Until NACS - North American Christians - realize that the Christian faith is as much an ethos as it is a system of dogma, it will continue to experience catastrophic division. Sadly, there are some NACS that have been codependent upon the infighting!
The good news is that there are smaller churches out there that put love first and doctrine second, refusing to count the feathers in angels wings as a test of fellowship! These churches have agreed to live in love and allow the finer points of doctrinal agreement to become matters of prayer rather than fellowship breakers. Good luck!
Well said Sojourner! I recently went to a Sunday school class at a church I was visiting and can relate. The subject of debate was over whether humans can resist the call of the Holy Spirit; are we predestined to choose?; heavenly treasures, crowns and so forth.
My personal experience has been that those "deeply devout" spend a vast amount of time on studying and getting in the minute details of 'things'. The crazy part to me is that those details, such as in the Sunday school class, will never be resolved in this life or even matter as far as salvation goes.
My fiance and I left that morning wondering how those topics of study would enrich us or help us to enrich others. I wish I could find one of those small churches you speak of.
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