The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Over centuries, Christendom has cast itself in many roles; protector of faith, guardian of the masses, religious surrogate, zealous recruiter. To say it has been completely above board in accomplishing those aims would be a stretch. Like other components of today’s grand society, elements of victimhood creep into the equation in alarming proportion. Begin with a need, open the door to identifying fear associated with that need, dress it up as cause celebre, wrap it in nationalistic fervor, then propose a solution to allay the fear, It is a formula that is tried and true as evidenced by center stage politics. sadly, it is also the modus operandi for many religious groups.

Societal landscapes are littered with the detritus of victimhood. It is easy to be a victim, to transfer blame and responsibility, and to pretend that all is in hand. The yearning by many to return to a simpler, more unblemished time, and the notion that such backward movement will somehow, in some manner, solve our church woes (primarily seen as attendance issues) is misguided. The church that Jesus never intended is responsible for the mess it finds itself in, although it is much easier to lay it at the feet of someone else. Hence, four myths of Christian experience.

Myth 1. We do what the Bible tells us to do. Whose Bible copy or translation or paraphrase among hundreds shall we pin our hopes to? While revered by many, most capable theologians regard the King James Version as one of the least reliable sources for scholastic review of scripture. Who gets to tell the story of the people of God? Progressives, conservatives, fundamentalists, charismatics? Where do Catholics and mainline reformation protestants fall?

Myth 2. Christianity is simply about imagining what Jesus would do. That would be a worthy task if we could bring Jesus forward into the present age and seek his counsel. However, twenty-some centuries have passed since the time of Christ. While many of his teachings are timeless, others do not begin to address the complexity of features that constitute today’s daily life and health and being. If the only way to function as a church is to adhere to a list of ancient do’s and don’ts, then we have sadly missed the mark. Creedalism is no substitute for authentic faith.

Myth 3. Others are to blame for why churches have lost their way. This too often becomes an exercise in discrimination, bigotry, zealotry, and outright selfishness. We cherry pick what we like from scripture, use it to bolster our claims, declare close personal knowledge of the essence of God, and speak on behalf of The Divine in the most irresponsible of ways. Calls to compassion should supersede ignorance, especially willful ignorance.

Myth 4. The church has all the answers you need. Also known as the fallback position, this myth of the all-knowing church helps the institution retain its grip as a power in today’s society. Jesus would likely have fled from surveys and polling numbers, popular religious blogs, and the careless ways religion is tossed about.

We rarely are perfect within the walls of the church, let alone capable of serving as an example for those on the outside. It’s time for churches to stop claiming victimhood and begin living corporate lives of compassion and care. Actions speak louder than words.