Many in the Church feel there is
really only one of two options. We either give in to the political and philosophical
ideas of the right-wing in order to pursue God’s call for the Church. Others
feel to give into the political and philosophical ideas of the left-wing as the
way to pursue God’s call for the Church. What’s crazy about all of this is that
for those on both sides (myself included) we often don’t even realize that we
are doing it!
For the right it’s the presupposition that
most evangelicals who presume the American dream is an extension of the Gospel if
our nation follows God, waiting to be raptured from trouble. For the left, it’s
the idea that the liberation the Gospel speaks of needs to be exerted
politically for the oppressed using any means necessary to bring in the New
Heavens and the New Earth. Is there some truth contained in both sides. Sure.
But both sides are often taken too far into error that loses the saltiness that
Christ’s followers are supposed to have, trading it in for dichotomy of
politically exclusive choices.
Liberation is certainly a theme in the
Scriptures. God leads His chosen people from Egypt. Once slaves, they were
taught how to be free people, being distinct from the nations around them.
Likewise, the Gospel provides us with liberation from the powers of sin and hell,
giving us the freedom to live truly as God intended us to. But what we
unfortunately see from many of the ideas espoused by those in the Liberation
theology camp is a dangerous blend of Christianity’s call to pursue justice and
help for the needy into a Marxist infused political machine that doesn’t
distinguish itself from the excesses of the political left. Justice without
truth isn’t really justice at all.
Likewise, the far right gives into its
own excesses by shrugging its shoulders much of the time at pain and suffering,
expecting to be whisked away from tribulation at any moment. So often the
vision is really focused inwards, not paying attention to the ways the Church
has historically served as a demonstration of the love of Christ. There has
been no greater witness of the Gospel throughout history than the physical ways
Christians have put themselves out of comfort to work for others good, in the
same way Christ did for us. Often, the issues our society is facing are dealt
with suspicion and fear, rather than understanding and love that leads to
truth. Justice without love isn’t really justice at all.
All of this means living life in
tension. To not give into the ever-encompassing ideas of one side exclusively makes
you a target for both sides. But to do so is to deny dividing points the world
gives us, and instead shows the third way that Christ offers. When we start
with the cross, we know that all of us are guilty. We are all oppressors who
will sin against another image bearer of God. There are no exceptions. And at
the same time we are all under the thumb of sin, desperately in need of
liberation and freedom that is only found in Christ.
The only truly innocent victim was Christ; the only unredeemable
oppressor is the devil; and the only perfect liberator is God. – Biblical
Critical Theory, Christopher Watkin