Christmas Connectionalism

In the United Methodist Church there is a concept called "connectionalism."  The idea is that every congregation is connected to each other -- not just as part of the same denomination, or even in a broadly Christian kind of way, but in a deeper way.  It harkens back, in some ways to the circuit rider days on the American frontier (when ordained ministers were in short supply, but congregations were springing up in every new community it seemed).  It also has deeper, Biblical roots (see I Corinthians 12:12, where St. Paul compares the human body to the church/body of Christ).

I thought about this today because, for a variety of reasons, in the past five years, we as a family have attended Christmas Eve services at five different Methodist churches.  For our part, it isn't because we've moved five times in five years, or indulged in something I talk about in The Mainline (church shopping), or had a falling out with minister or congregations, or anything like that.  It is just how it worked out.  One year was at our current home church, one year it was because we were visiting relatives out of town, one year we went back to the church we were married in, and twice it was because friends or family had invited us to worship with them.  All five of those services were fine in their own right, and all added to our family's preparation for celebrating Christmas.

The reason I bring it up on Christmas Eve, is that even within a denomination so devoted (on some level) to this concept of connection, there can be division.  At this time of year, we don't want to dwell on such things of course.  We should want to focus on those things that bind us together in that connection, not that which divides us (even if those issues aren't likely to go away and are very important ones to discuss).  Interestingly enough, one of the other common things that connects my personal Christmas Eves of the recent past (and for several years beyond the last five actually) has been watching the Christmas Mass from St. Peter's Basilica.  This year, was Pope Francis's first, and Time magazine's "Person of the Year" did not disappoint.

And maybe there is something to all that.  Maybe if Christians listened to the Church's various branches (whether Protestant or Catholic, connected within the same denomination or not), it would act more and more like the Body of Christ.  Maybe that would make us more willing to speak out on behalf of our fellow Christians who aren't just seeing some form of secularism or cultural apathetic persecution, but actual life and death persecution.  And perhaps, on a night like tonight, if we aren't able to listen to each other, perhaps we'll listen (in good Methodist fashion) to the angels:

Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Tides of Time

 

Vacation is a time of rest, relaxation, reflection, and re-invigoration.  But that doesn't stop relevant stories from popping up, just me from commentating on them.  While I was enjoying good times with good friends and family "Up North" in Michigan (see above), the following came my way -- I was just delayed in offering my two cents.  So, here some ramblings from one who is "tanned, rested, and ready" to engage once again!

The first article that came my way was by Rachel Held Evans about why Millennials are leaving churches.  Let me start by saying that I enjoy reading her stuff, whether I always agree with it or not.  She often asks good questions about American evangelicalism and raises good points that contribute to conversation and soul searching.  That being said, and I won't rehash the (at times I think devastating) critiques offered here or here about her article, I will say that I really don't think we know enough about Millennials and their habits/feelings about faith, religion (organized or not), and what not to be writing to deeply about them.  Perhaps, that is because (I guess) I am a member of Generation X -- and don't feel all that ready to talk to much about my generation, let alone the one my younger sister, brother, and cousins (again, I guess) belong to.  But in our media driven society, I can't say that I'm surprised that based on a few polls and blog posts, this kind of article could be written or have gotten the attention that it has.  If you don't believe me, just take the time to read or look at the comments in the three articles linked above.  And yet the thing that jumped out at me the most about RHE's article was something I've talked about before when it comes to some in the Emergent Church and their critique of the Religious Right:  A surprising amount of naivete when it comes to politics and the culture wars.  One of the points RHE makes is that Millennials have been turned off by the culture wars of their parents, but at the same time, she asserts that Millennials want the Church to be active in the pursuit of "social justice."  Her chief example of working for social justice (as I read her article) is pushing for the rights of the LGBT community.  The problem is that the moment laws become involved or become the goal, you have entered into the world of politics, and hence the very culture war that RHE claims Millennials want no part of.  It is, at best, an ill conceived argument, or at least a very under developed one.  

The second article that caught my eye was also over a debate, this one over a hymn.  The Presbyterian Church (USA) is currently working on a new hymnal and was considering including a song by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend entitled "In Christ Alone."  The problem for some members of the committee was a line in which Getty and Townend talk about Christ's death on the cross appeasing the wrath of God for sinners.  You can take a look at the full lyrics here.  Wanting to include the popular praise and worship song in the hymnal, the committee proposed changing the lyrics to talking about God's love instead.  The songwriters said no, word leaked out, and controversy ensued (you can read more here and here).  One can see it as either a major change (and thus an attack on the theological message of the song) or a minor one.  Either way, the story is a reminder of two major problems for the Mainline of the Seven Sisters:  The first is that the inclusion of the song (altered or not) might be seen as an attempt at a "cosmetic change" to attract younger people (such as the Millennials RHE talks about) -- perhaps in a genuine attempt at outreach, perhaps in a somewhat cynical one.  The other is that the entire debate speaks (as the linked articles argue) the theological "wishy- washy-ness" of the Seven Sisters, in particular the Presbyterian Church (USA) in this case (one wonders what they would omit if the Westminster Shorter Catechism was proposed today).  Or, perhaps John Turner's call to "end the hymnal wars" with the recognition that serving on such a committee to begin with is sure to be a thankless job no matter what your theology is what we should take away from this dust up.

The final article was an interesting one about Pope Francis and the Press.  Is it possible, in this day and age to get a religious message out through the secular press?  Pope Francis seems to think so.  How long this will continue remains to be seen.  After all, the press seemed initially reluctant to comment on how many young people showed up for World Youth Day in Brazil.  The figure that is now coming out in reports is 3 million.  Not to bad for his first such event -- and one that could be even more important in the years to come, not just for Roman Catholicism but also for Christians of whatever denomination.