In my previous post, I spoke briefly about the thread of culture that runs through the tapestry of America. This thread was summarized by democratic and capitalistic values that create a rabid individualism. I want to address that there may be a response to this from the Church which is the Body of Christ.
Generally speaking, regardless of what cultures we are talking about, when they are found in America and the clashes are happening on this land, the basic presuppositions that they need to have is that basic democratic, capitalistic, individualism. Therefore, the clashes are really not clashes at all but a different way of articulating the same thing. Its six to one, half a dozen to another.
What I am saying is that the Church actually has the resources and story to overcome and become a real alternative to the democratic, capitalistic, individualism of America. Now, in my experience of overhearing conversations about such, there seems to be this lack of imagination among the participants of the conversation, namely the parties that may like being a democratic, capitalistic, individual. It seems that there are only two other options to being a democratic, capitalistic, individual; a socialist or a communist.
I am not saying that the Church needs to become either of these options and in fact, saying that these are the only two other options to a democratic, capitalistic, individualistic lifestyle exemplifies a lack of imagination. A lack of imagination that hinders people from seeing the Church as it really is, a political enterprise unto itself. I suppose the American Republicanism ideal has some of the blame for this, for the effects of this cause has blinded us. We no longer see the Church but as an aggregate of like-minded individuals, whereas the Bible story tells us something completely different. The Church is the Body of Christ (found in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12) where we come together as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, (the Church, not America for America did not exist during New Testament times) a people belonging to God. (1 Peter 2.9)
This means that we can come together and be a people together, a people that does not need to have "rights" to get along. For rights act as a trump in order to protect individuals who no longer can trust one another, in order to live in some sort of proximity of each other (this can be seen with the stories I have read about children divorcing from their parents through a system of rights). Likewise, being the Church gives us the resources that no longer have to force us to chase after the profits and gains of money. Money is still needed for life but it no longer needs to be my money and your money and his money but our money. It is not that we pool ALL of our money together but that we see our money as one avenue for the service of God. This does not mean some of our money but All of it. That means we give to the poor, and we give to those in the Body that need it. Likewise we can have other means for support and security, like depending upon the Body for support of the family and children (widows and orphans: James 1.27) as opposed to life insurances.
Yet, this can only begin to take shape when we gather not as democratic, capitalistic, individuals but as members of the Body of Christ and members of each other, carrying each others burdens (galations 6). Only then will we realize and remember our polity as the Church.
It will be only then that we will begin to find real communion in the midst of freedom.
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Chad - I wonder what your thoughts are on what this practically looks like? How does this effect our worship, our communities, our architecture, administration, staffing, volunteering and service, etc.? What does re-shaping our values in this way actually do, and what does it look like?
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