On “They” and “We”

October 17, 2006 by
Filed under: Religion 

The crisis in the Presbyterian Church (USA) is being fought by minorities from opposite ends of the conservative/liberal spectrum.  The fighters might not like us calling them conservative or liberal (though they don’t have a problem using those terms for the OTHER folks) – they prefer terms like “Biblically faithful” or “non-discriminatory”.  But the bottom line is that the noise is coming from those at the ends.

The folks at each end will tell you that THEY actually represent the silent majority.

From where I sit, it appears that perhaps 10% of the church represent the liberal activist point of view.  Another 20% represent the conservative activist point of view.  That leaves 70% in the middle.  (For the record – I consider myself to be part of that 70% but I lean towards beliefs congruent with the liberal activists.  I feel the need to compromise – the folks at the ends do not.)

What concerns me most is that the language used in the church today is increasingly “They” language.  “The liberals refuse to be faithful to Scripture.”  “Evangelicals continue to discriminate against gay people.”  We are all about THEY.
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What happened to WE?  We are the followers of Christ, in our sinfulness.  We are the joyful people of God, celebrating His majesty.

I got very close yesterday to e-mailing the church and cancelling my place in Saturday’s new member class after reading one of these divisive blog posts.  As someone returning to the church, I feel somewhat like a child being adopted.  Adoption agencies look at the stability of the family before allowing an adoption.  I feel a bit like the family that I’m about to join isn’t very stable, even though home life looks good on Sundays.

We all need a little more WE and a lot less THEY in the church.

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Comments

3 Comments on On “They” and “We”

  1. 274787 Blog Verification on Tue, 17th Oct 2006 1:18 pm

    2. 274787 Blog Verification

    274787

  2. Jodie on Tue, 17th Oct 2006 10:35 pm

    3. Mark,

    I think the church would be significantly poorer without your deep and thoughtful participation.

    You are spot on regarding left right and center.

    WE need you, and I hope you stay.

    Jodie

  3. Classical Presbyterian on Mon, 23rd Oct 2006 4:08 pm

    4. For me, I try to avoid the labels when speaking of specific people that I know. The designation of specific individuals into our own categories of ‘otherness’ is a dangerous business!

    But, within a limited scope, I think that it can indeed be fair to use the ‘we’ and ‘they’, ‘us’ and ‘them’ labels for groups and movements that have opposing ideas.

    Clearly, there are groups that are at work for such differing outcomes for the church that we have a duty to identify ourselves and where we stand in relation to the forces that seek either to hold doctrine where it is or change it.

    But as for the dehumanizing of others and the superficial categories that we all so often buy into, then yes I agree that we all need some reform on that issue!

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