A Necessary Pandemic Fatality?

(Updated 10/9/20 — Link to a kindred blog and sentiment by Jayson Bradley at the end of this post)

A segment of the evangelical church IS indeed, under attack – but not by anyone or anything outside the church.

Like a snake that has begun to consume its own tail, astoundingly and against all rational thought and empirical evidence, this segment of the church has convinced itself that they are in the fight of their lives against a ruthless enemy and, in one sense, they are not wrong. They are in a fight for their lives and their enemy is, indeed, ruthless.

This segment of the evangelical church IS under attack.

Believers in the United States have always lived between two tensions – aspiring to live and reflect the life of Jesus (discipleship) and engaging a culture whose political structure is predicated on participation (politics). This is nothing new. Living a life that reflects the high calling of God in the midst of the politics – those activities associated with the governance of a country – has been the reality of godly people from the beginning and not unique to any single, particular political ideology. Whether it was the emerging Hebrew nation and the political structures of Egypt, the emerging followers of Jesus and the political structures of the Roman Empire or those individuals of faith who founded and framed what emerged as the United States amid the politics of Great Britain during the era of colonialism, the faithful have always had to negotiate being called to live a life reflective of God; reflective of Jesus (discipleship) amidst the reality of those activities associated with the governance of the country in which they lived (politics). Regardless of the political system – whether it be democracy, socialism, communism and so on – the struggle between discipleship and politics has been, and always will be, the reality for a person of faith.

How do we be faithful and reflective of God’s call embodied in the life and ministry of Jesus while existing amid activities associated with the governance of the given country in which we live? The written and historical testimony bear witness that there has been almost unanimous affirmation that living in reflection of God; that following the call of Christ (discipleship) takes precedence over anything else – loyalty first to God.  Logically, this means those activities associated with the governing of the country in which we live (politics) is subservient to living a life reflective of Christ. If that is true, then logically, living a life like Jesus (discipleship) may run contrary to the manner and activities associated with governing a country (politics) — maybe even fatally so (martyrdom).

Discipleship supersedes politics.

Engaging an action that reflects the heart of God and Jesus – what would Jesus do minus all the rationalizations about how this instance, circumstance, inconvenience, sacrifice are so different from the time of Jesus that we get a “pass” – supersedes political ideology, regardless of consequences, personal or otherwise. This is where this segment of the church has failed — and failed miserably. They have created a complex perversion of perspective where discipleship and politics; where the understanding of the heart of God and the call to be like Jesus is the same as, or subverted to, politics and political ideology. To love God and be like Jesus is to hold this political ideology and this political ideology is the embodiment of loving God and being like Christ. Within this perversion of perspective, to be deemed faithful is to hold this political ideology and by logical extension, any indication that someone of professed faith is in disagreement, opposition to and/or questions the political ideology, they are deemed — whether overtly stated or not — of questionable faith at best, or at worst, in opposition to, and rejection of Jesus, God and the faith.

In today’s political landscape in the United States, this segment of the church has, at best equated discipleship with the ideology of one political party or at worst, subverted discipleship to it resulting in adding the litmus test of patriotism to the equation. To question, disagree or oppose this political ideology is to not have a “true faith” or no faith at all, even if it is faith in Jesus that compels the question, disagreement or opposition. Notably, in doing so they’ve discounted, dismissed and even demeaned others who profess the same love of God and who desire to emulate Jesus — in other words, most of Christendom. Tragically, they have done so in the belief that they are in fact, reflecting the heart and actions of Jesus and convinced themselves that they are, in some way, the last remnant of the faithful; the proverbial hunkered down defenders of the Alamo who are going to fight to the death against those whom they believe are attacking and seeking to destroy them and, by extension their segment of the church.

That enemy doesn’t exist because the enemy is not political ideology. The enemy is the subversion of discipleship to a political ideology. So, this segment of the church IS indeed, under attack, but not from the outside. It is under attack from within and killing new life in Christ through actions and attitudes that are in such absolute contrast to the heart, call and actions of Jesus as to be worthy of being deemed anti-Christ.

They engage this fight against the backdrop of Jesus’ own words “‘For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” (Matthew 25:35-40, NLT)

They engage this fight against the backdrop of the apostle Paul’s admonition – “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is beneficial. Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.” (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)

Permit me to share two glaring examples in our present circumstance that illustrate this subversion of discipleship to politics:

• Refusing to wear a mask amid a global pandemic when in public settings or gatherings – regardless if one believes it to be a hoax or “blown out of proportion” – citing, in some form or other, government overreach, imposition on personal rights and/or individual choice.  This elevates one’s rights and freedoms (political ideology) over the possibility that in doing so, we may save even one person from being potentially infected by us (discipleship)
• Remaining silent and thus complicit against the demonization of a people – over the last four years, Mexican and Muslim immigrants in particular – citing how we as a country can’t be “taken advantage of” (political ideology) versus speaking out about prioritizing the poor and disenfranchised as did Jesus (discipleship)

Though these are just two examples of many, I already hear the rationalizations, protests, sighs of condescension, and huffs of indignation.

This truth remains – there is only one choice in each of these two examples that is loving and sacrificial; that are the stuff of Jesus (Discipleship) – and all the attempts to diminish that truth are nothing more than elaborate spiritualized justifications of our selfish unwillingness to be directly impacted, convincing ourselves instead that our comfort is what God desires. Dietrich Bonhoeffer would call this the self-vesting of “cheap grace” over engaging the real “cost of discipleship.”

The result?

A segment of the church under attack from within – not from the outside.

A cycle of subverting discipleship for political ideology, then spiritualizing that subversion thereby vesting it with a form of divine approval that confirms and impassions even further subversion of discipleship for political ideology.

The cycle continues to the point where there is a pharisee-like seamlessness between political ideology and a reframed understanding of discipleship. The end result is the spiritualization of thoughts, actions and convictions that are against Christ – that are arguably anti-Christ. When it becomes permissible (even encouraged) to engage in activities that are not like Christ, yet believe them to be “godly,” isn’t that evil in its most deceptive form? Would this not be the ultimate victory for the “Deceiver;” convincing the “righteous” that evil attitudes and actions are not only good, but godly?

“But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)

Though this segment of the church currently controls many of our country’s mechanisms of power, the reality is that it is a small segment of the church compared to the whole of Christendom. This will change as many people of Christian faith (and those who are not of faith) are understandably stepping back or moving away as this segment slowly devours itself.

I don’t wish for the death of many things, and certainly not when it comes to people created in the image of God or other living things that reflect the Creator. So, the loss of human life during this global pandemic has been heart-breaking, especially because thousands didn’t have to die had modest preventative steps been taken and people shown a modicum of selflessness.

There is one aspect of this pandemic however, that reared its ugly head and yes, may (should?) become a fatality of this pandemic — the subversion of discipleship to political ideology and its devastating, spiritualized consequences.

Note: Check out this blog by Jayson Bradley for a corroborating sentiment: “How a Plague Exposed the Christian Nation Myth”