On Being One and Why it is Unlikely
James Alexander, MaTheol, MA, PhD
I’m praying not only for them
But also for those who will believe in me
Because of them and their witness about me.
The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind —
Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
So they might be one heart and mind with us.
Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.
(From John 17, The Message)
So, that is Jesus’ prayer. I am not optimistic about getting it answered. I mean, I guess that by some miracle of God it could happen. But, I don’t see it. The Theological Left and the Theological Right are too many miles apart. And, let’s face it, that spills over into politics as well.
Recently, I watched a video with a preacher talking about Democrats. He made it quite clear that no Christian would ever vote for a Democrat. He called Democratic voters demons. Baby killers. Perverts. Lots of things along that line. He made it clear he didn’t want them in his church, and he told them to get out. He even threatened violence.
The Way it Was
I write as someone who was very much steeped in Evangelicalism. I had a born-again experience in the early 70s through the Jesus Movement. Moved in a Christian commune. Spent my days street preaching. Was zapped with the Holy Spirit. Spoke in tongues. Got slain in the Spirit. The whole nine yards.
But I never could envision that the church and the country would be so divided. When you are in an insular world, you don’t know about the rest of the world. I mean the world “out there.” In those days, even the Southern Baptist Convention maintained an open view towards abortion. The Christian world went on. I never thought a lot about it.
In 1980, the Moral Majority formed. At that point, it’s goals were as follows:
Promotion of traditional family values
Opposition to media outlets accused of promoting an anti-family agenda
Opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment and Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
Opposition to state recognition or acceptance of homosexual acts
Prohibition of abortion, including in cases involving incest or rape
Support for Christian prayers in schools
Proselytizing to Jews and other non-Christians for conversion to Christianity
In 1980, that sounded well, sort of, okay to me- though I had my questions. What I didn’t know was the real roots of the movement were racist. It all began when the Supreme Court abolished “separate but equal.” This opened public schools to all races. White Southern Christians didn’t like it. That hate ended up in the creation of the Christian Right (and later Christian Nationalism).
Over the next few years, after reading The Cost of Discipleship, I re-evaluated my faith. I could see Christians called to a life of social justice and peace. It was a very traumatic time for me. My whole life revolved around my Jesus Freak family and friends. But at last, the call to radical, peacemaking discipleship won out. I had to leave.
They weren’t sorry to see me go. They had grown tired of my questions. They viewed me as a troublemaker.
Then, I went to seminary. I begin to see that the “Faith once for all delivered,” wasn’t the only game in town. The literal meaning of heresy is choice. There were many and varied choices throughout the history of the church. You might argue if it was ever unified.
Fast forward to the current situation
Is a pro-choice person ever going to find acceptance from those who call them baby killers? The Mainline Churches see the gospel in social terms. At least to some degree. Will they ever find common ground with those who see it all about heaven and hell? Those seeing social justice as a distraction? Are “The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it” believers going to find common ground with the Jesus Seminar?
I say no. For all involved the stakes are too high. Those on the right (theologically) think that compromise is a sin. Those on the left (theologically) think a lot of the Evangelical credo is nonsense. Too far apart. Isn’t going to happen.
When this drifts over to politics with 80% of Evangelicals being Trumpies, the problem is more complicated. My neighbor had up a flag that illustrates this well: “Pro God, Pro Life, Pro Gun, Pro Trump.”
I once heard Bono say, “compromise is not a dirty word.” Or, you could say, “You’re unhappy. I’m unhappy too. A good compromise is when both parties are dissatisfied, and I think that’s what we have here.” (HubSE). That was Henry Clay. In this case, it decidedly is not what we have here. We have something else.
Divorce is not a good thing. But there is such a thing as irreconcilable differences. When I was a young minister, I didn’t think that way. But, as parishioners started coming to me with their problems, I decided there was. The two sides cannot compromise. The differences are too great.
When is it time to get a divorce? I decided to see what I could see. There are many lists. Here is a short one. Search the question, When is it time to get a divorce? You can see that we qualify.
The main issue is irreconcilable differences. This is a good definition: “Any sort of difference between parties that either cannot or will not change is an irreconcilable difference. A difference could be that in character, personality, belief, or some other personality trait.”
It appears we are different, opposing religions. I’m always hearing that diversity is good and we can dialogue. Somehow, I think that dialogue would only make things worse.
It’s sad, you know, that we can’t find a way to be one. One on at least some level. I hope I am wrong. I hope we can find a way. I am not optimistic. I don’t know what it means. I do know it is not good.
And the prayer?? I guess it is time to say “Sorry Jesus. We couldn’t do it.” I can’t foresee an answer. As I said, I suppose a miracle could occur. God, it is said, is in the miracle business. I shudder to think of the results in society if we can’t. You can already see it in society and religion on the evening news. An omen of worse things to come?
It occupies my mind a lot. Makes me want to cry.
