I recently hosted a book launch event for my book, What About the Children? 5 Values for Multiracial Families. It was a celebrative and emotional evening. I took questions at the end, and blithely said, “Lay it on me; I can handle tough questions!” I shouldn’t have been so cocky because a stream of hard questions followed. Perhaps the toughest came from a dear friend who essentially asked, “With all the (political) controversy and hate coming out of the church right now, do you feel discouraged?”
I think I did a decent job commenting off the cuff on such tricky matters, but I realized I had more to say.
From the genesis of the church there have been those who became caught up in the culture’s pull to bigotry and those who bravely resisted it.
Some in the early church didn’t want to worship alongside gentiles; they felt they were inferior and too culturally different. Others, including the Apostle Paul, advocated for their inclusion.
During that time, a group embraced self-centered Gnostic beliefs, while others rescued babies abandoned and left to die of exposure by the Romans. These faithful ones believed in the value of life and the importance of caring for the vulnerable.
In medieval Europe, the Emperor Charlemagne killed thousands who didn’t convert to Christianity and the medieval church brimmed with corruption like the sale of indulgences (paying money to receive forgiveness), simony (the buying and selling of church positions) and nepotism.
Yet other medieval Christians established hospitals and orphanages. St Francis of Assisi nursed lepers and lived amidst the poor (even though he was born into wealth). He was known for his kindness and taught followers to care for the sick, which took tremendous courage given the virulence of medieval plagues. Also during this time, African Christians in Africa established schools teaching not only religion, but also mathematics and philosophy.
Eighteenth century England ruthlessly, brutally colonized most of the world – sometimes “in the name of the Lord.” Yet in the aftermath of the Wesleyan revivals, Christians brought radical reform to prisons and orphanages, making them more humane, and newly converted William Wilberforce led the charge in ending the British slave trade.
In 19th century America while some Christians defended American slavery, others risked their lives harboring escaped slaves, helping them to freedom and then joining the movement to abolish this evil practice.
In 20th century Germany, while the conservative church embraced Nazism and the liberal church sat too impotent to stop it, other Christians bravely hid Jews and gave their lives resisting Hitler. These Christians formed the Confessing Church which was notably inspired by Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s visit to the Black church in America.
In 20th century America, while some white pastors attended lynchings, other Black pastors tirelessly fought for human dignity. Some rallied for racial segregation, and others took blows on bridges to secure basic civil rights. To be clear, the entire Gospel ethic is opposed to mistreating people who were made in God’s image. While some ignored this, others were so convinced of it, that they dedicated their lives standing up for it.
And now in the 21st century, some Christians have abandoned empathy for refugees, viewing it as weakness, and rationalizing cruelty. Yet other Christians work tirelessly to find homes for those who have taken refuge here; they raise funds for rent, food, and clothing. They provide tutoring in English and help them to fill out important but confusing forms. Christian organizations like Project Hospitality rightly recognize that the Biblical command to show hospitality to strangers still resounds today.
And some feel no urgency for the wealthiest country on earth to provide vaccinations, food, and clothing to the world’s poorest children. They believe that because the money is sometimes mishandled, that is justification for callously giving no money at all. Yet historically Christian charities have often led the way providing education, food, medicine, and clean water to some of the most remote places on earth.
In short, there have always been two Christianities; one which embraces insularity, partiality, and heartlessness. And another which believes that God is radically impartial, merciful, and generous, and His followers should try to be that way too.
Frederick Douglass spoke of this bifurcation:
… for, between the Christianity of this land, and the Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference – so wide, that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to reject the other as bad, corrupt, and wicked… I love the pure, peaceable, impartial Christianity of Christ; I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land. I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity.
I am not discouraged because I am still captivated by Christ and what I see in much of the global church. There has always been a large segment of people which uses scripture to oppress and control and a remnant which recognizes what is required of us: “to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with [our] God.” (Micah 6:8)
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