Here's this week's Dialogue column. It continues the subject I spoke about on Sunday: "Giving Up Bad Theology for Lent." What spurred me into writing this column was a letter written by James Dobson of Focus on the Family and other leaders in the Religious Right opposing the work of another conservative religious group seeking to stop the genocide in Darfur and global warming. Here's the information I read and listened to about the subject:- "Evangelical Environmentalism"--editorial in the NY Times
- "Dr. Dobson, Let's Have a Real Debate"--column by Jim Wallis at sojo.net
- "The 'Jesus Machine' Tracks James Dobson's Rise"--Fresh Air interview with journalist Dan Gilgoff who has written a new book on Dobson
This past Sunday my sermon was entitled “Giving Up Bad Theology for Lent.” I cited two examples of what I consider bad theology: 1. interpreting painful and bad events that befall people as punishment from God for sinful behavior, and 2. the so-called “prosperity Gospel” which equates financial rewards with spiritual obedience. I believe these two viewpoints are bad theology, because of my own experience of God and because of my reading of Luke 13:1-9. In this passage Jesus refutes the connection between tragedy and sin, but he also says that nonetheless we must turn away from actions that hurt others and God. I read Jesus as saying, “Quit focusing on bad theology and put your energy towards what really is important: YOUR OWN relationship with God.
To my list of bad theology I could have also added the wrong move of singling out certain kinds of sinful behavior above others. This type of bad theology came to my mind this past week when I read about a letter written by James Dobson and other powerful members of the Religious Right. The letter was addressed to the policy director of the National Association of Evangelicals who directs that large conservative organization’s lobbying efforts. In the letter, Dobson and the others criticized the NAE for working to stop the spread of global warming and the genocide in Darfur. The critics charged that emphasizing these political issues was detracting from the efforts to deal with “true moral issues” like abortion, gay marriage and pre-marital sex by teens. I was not surprised to read about this stance by the elite of the Religious Right, but I continue to be saddened that so many Christians have such a judgmental and limited understanding of morality. I believe that Jesus would be saying to them, “Repent of your own sins before you spend your time and money focusing upon the sins of others.”
I have no great affection for people like James Dobson, Gary Bauer, Jerry Falwell and other members of the Religious Right. For that matter, I’m not a big fan of the National Association of Evangelicals either, but I always respected this somewhat less conservative group, because in addition to their stands on issues like abortion and homosexuality, they also took stands on things like the environment and human rights. At least they understood Christian morality as being about more than just a few controversial social issues.
Dobson and his friends are right, however, about one thing: if conservative Christians enlarge their understanding of what it means to be “pro-life” then they risk losing their base of support and their political power. Focusing on a few select issues and demonizing minorities without political power is a cheap way to gain your own clout in the political arena. By keeping things simple and not asking too many questions, they do not have to think about the complicated questions that arise once you start respecting all life. If you are “pro-life” doesn’t that mean you should be against violence, torture and war? If you are “pro-life” doesn’t that mean you should be against capital punishment? If you are “pro-life” doesn’t that mean you should be against policies that harm the environment including human lives? If you are “pro-life” doesn’t that mean you should work to eliminate hunger and poverty around the world, since these two factors kill more human lives each day than anything else? I could go on.
The leaders of the Religious Right along with their followers do not want to think about these issues, because doing so might mean they would have to repent. I fear that such humility is not in their nature. It is easier to demonize women who make the difficult decision to have an abortion than to work to eliminate the societal factors that make such a painful choice an option in the first place. It is easier to condemn homosexuals than to actually listen to their life stories and reevaluate whether or not being gay really is a sin. It is easier to preach abstinence and spread fear among young people than it is to teach them to respect their own bodies and to prepare them for all eventualities. It is easier to condemn than to treat those with whom you disagree with respect.
This Lenten season, Jesus is calling us to examine our own lives rather than finding ways to single out and judge others. He calls us to give up bad theology and focus on the good theology of personal humility and repentance (turning away from) the behaviors and actions that isolate us from each other and from God. Let us be loving towards ourselves as we do our spiritual examination and loving towards each other as we support one another in the process. Together, let us give up bad theology for Lent.
Grace and Peace,
Chase
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