Beyond Religion

When a national Christian-owned retail business ran a full-page newspaper ad on July 4 titled "One Nation Under God" and essentially argued that America should be led solely by Christians, a backlash on social media questioned the company's intent. While vitriol on social media is rarely newsworthy these days, the nature of the responses is worth noting: One friend of mine posted the ad and concluded the following when she pondered a nation led by Christians: "Absolutely frightening."

While a full-page newspaper ad is worthy of a WWJD eyebrow raise, her conclusion has been troubling me this week (WWJD = What Would Jesus Do = not engage politically!). What is frightening is how far afield we have strayed from Jesus' message of love. Yes, there will always be individuals who disagree with the choices we make and the principles we stand for, but when the overall nonbeliever response to Christianity is fear and disdain, we have a responsibility to at least ponder why. Are we so mired in religion that we can no longer lean into the truth of our faith?

Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer argued that religion complicates our ability to truly see the Christ of the Bible: "The Christian is not a homo religious but simply a human being, in the same way that Jesus was a human being," he wrote. And in a response to a New York church service where he encountered "a discreet, opulent, self-satisfied celebration of religion," Bonhoeffer questioned the religious blinders that prevented the church-goers from seeing their impact on those around them: "Do the people really not know that one can do as well or better without religion?"

Theologian J. I. Packer similarly bemoaned our mission drift:

When Christians meet, they talk to each other about their Christian work and Christian interests, their Christian acquaintances, the state of the churches, and the problems of theology -- but rarely of their daily experience of God.

Modern Christian books and magazines contain much about Christian doctrine, Christian standards, problems of Christian conduct, techniques of Christian service -- but little about the inner realities of fellowship with God.

Our sermons contain much sound doctrine -- but little relating to the converse between the soul and the Saviour.

We do not spend much time, alone or together, in dwelling on the wonder of the fact that God and sinners have communion at all; no, we just take that for granted, and give our minds to other matters.

Thus we make it plain that communion with God is a small thing to us.

Brennan Manning, a writer and speaker best known for his book The Ragamuffin Gospel, placed the onus for the world's disdain squarely in our hands: "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians: who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."

What can you do this week to ensure that the life you are leading aligns with Jesus rather than some human-designed religiosity? How can we be a church that rewrites the ills of the Christian religion, instead seeking the truth of Jesus' humble example?

Christ's peace to you this week,

Jennie