Denominationalism is dead - long live denominations

Today's Thought - Denominationalism

It wasn't like I had said "God is dead!" or used a series of expletives in a sermon or told a bunch of "Yo Momma" jokes; all I said was that denominationalism was dead, and the church needed to find a better way to be the church. This was back in the mid-1980's, when we were still fooling ourselves into believing that it was still in the 1950's and the church was just fine. It wasn't. The cracks had begun to show in the 1960's, but our destructive behavior had been happening for a very long time. Today we point fingers at Evangelicals for their heinous misuse of theology to prop up nationalism, but we in the Mainline had perfected that abomination long ago. It was destroying our ability to live and share the Gospel, and it will do the same to churches doing it today.

Like nationalism, denominationalism is a perversion of a really important ideal. I am a patriot, and my love of country is carefully balanced with my acknowledgment that blind trust in America can (okay, is) destroying us. The same goes for denominationalism; thinking your flavor of Christianity - or any religion, for that matter - is the only or totally best - is the beginning of its death. Just as I am committed to my nation, I am committed to my denomination. That commitment - that allegiance - does not lead me to think that all other nations and denominations stink. As a person who appreciates the Emerging Church Movement, I see the beauty in every tradition and in every nation. Just because Putin is a madman doesn't mean Russians are bad people. Just because a denominational leader is sexist, racist, or otherwise bigoted doesn't mean the people in that denomination are bad. The fish might be rotten at the head, but it doesn't mean that the rest of it is worthless.

When I was a United Methodist, I had a great appreciation for the theology and practice of John Wesley, its founder (still do). I was what used to be called a "company man"; I attended all the meetings and cherished the work we did as a denomination. The reasons I left had nothing to do with the UMC's validity as a church; it had to do with a number of practices that had turned the church mean. As a United Church of Christ pastor, I am committed to the work we do at every level, but that doesn't mean I agree with all of the stances our national church takes. The difference, of course, is that the UCC is congregational, and therefore the power lies in the local church, not from the top down. This matters. It doesn't mean, however, that I think the UCC is the bee's knees and all the rest are stinky. That would be infantile and unproductive.

I am a follower of Jesus first and a member of the UCC second, and I believe that every person who says they are a Christian should be the same, regardless of their denomination. When we choose to defend the denomination rather than listen to the words of Jesus, we fall into the abyss, and it is really hard to climb out. We choose to complicate the fairly simple and straightforward teachings (or, in some cases, lack of teachings) that should lead us down a path of love and justice and fairness. When Jesus taught that all the laws hung on love of God and neighbor and self, I think He actually meant it. I think we should actually mean it too. If we let our flavor - our bias - our opinion - cloud that message, we are doomed.

Prayer - We are supposed to be one in the Spirit, God - help us be so. Amen.

Today's art is called "Fantay of Unity, Part II" by Christina Jarmolinski.