When I was a teenager, I had a very distinct idea of what a Christian was. I had an idea about what a Christian looked like, what a Christian wore, how a Christian spoke, what a Christian ate and/or drank, what political views a Christian had, how a Christian disciplined his or her children, what activities a Christian engaged in, and where a Christian lived. I lived in a small, fairly homogenous town, and everywhere I looked, my ideas were reinforced. I saw ads about “Christian candidates” and “Christian businesses.” I went to a “Christian school” and belonged to “Christian clubs.” If people didn’t go to church, they didn’t advertise it. Christianity was culturally applauded.
And then my world was turned upside down one Sunday morning when my Sunday School teacher, the pastor’s wife, began to ask our small senior high class questions about policy and politics. I don’t remember the exact questions she asked, but I remember raising my hand and giving her the “Good Christian Answer,” sure I would get some version of an A+ and positive affirmation.
But this time, instead of a pat on the head, I got a funny look in response. “You know,” she said. “You are mixing politics and religion . . . are you sure that is what you want to do?”
I was not used to being wrong, so I pushed back. “But, but . . . we know in the Bible it is wrong to (insert issue of choice), so of course we should vote against it. Isn’t it our job as Christians to make sure our country follows God’s commands? After all, we are “one nation, under God,” aren’t we?”
If I hadn’t proved my point with my first response, I was sure my follow up comments would hit the target. If I was clear on anything, it was that “Good Christians” promoted “Good Christian Values” in our private lives, the voting booth, and beyond. It was our JOB, I was positive, to steer our country in the right way . . . and, of course, there could be only one right way.
But – to my shock – my teacher did not give in. Instead, she asked some hard questions. I can’t remember them all verbatim, but they were something along the lines of:
- Do all Christians think the same?
- Do all Christians have the same experiences?
- Does every Christian read a Bible verse and end up with the same conclusion?
- Do all Christians apply their conclusions in the same way?
- What about non-Christians? Is it right for Christians to impose their values on them if they don’t believe in God? Is that the Christian thing to do?
Finally, she concluded: “. . . there is a separation of church and state for a reason. You might want to think on that some more.”
I left church that day absolutely sure my Sunday School teacher was deeply confused. My world was black and white, and I could not fathom the idea that people who followed Jesus might have diverse interpretations of what that looked like. Furthermore, the world as I knew it consisted of two types of people: Christians and people who wanted to become Christians. Wasn’t it my job to legislate their behavior until they could help themselves? Wasn’t that kind?
And then . . . I grew up.
I left my small town and went to a large state university four hours away, and then to a law school in another state. I moved from law school to a big city, and from a big city to a more home-grown town. Along the way, I met lots of diverse Christians: liberals and conservatives, uber-educated professionals and high school dropouts, fancy dressers and “alternatives”, social activists (read: protesters) and confrontation avoiders. As I witnessed these Christians express their faith in beautiful and wildly diverse ways, I began to drop the idea that there was such a thing as a One Size Fits All Christian. As far as I could tell, there were no superficial similarities among many of the Christians I met other than the fact that they all acknowledged they were flawed sinners in desperate need of saving grace.
This, of course, was mind-boggling to a small town girl who thought there was one, and only one, way to vote and serve and follow Christ. Imagine my initial shock when I heard Christians make arguments for outwardly opposing political platforms and found both to be Biblically sound! At first this was intimidating, but gradually it became freeing. The idea that following Christ was a bigger calling than that of following a political party or social agenda or dress code was comforting and amazing and life-breathing!
In addition to meeting many diverse Christians, I also met and became friends with many non-Christians, including some who openly despised the name of Christ. As I began to know these people and their stories better, I started to understand their intense anger when Christianity was used as a political sledgehammer to curb their actions. Though in Christian churches we preach “Jesus, Gentleman: The One Who Never Forces His Way In” . . . outside the church I began to see how Christians use Jesus’s very name to condemn the behaviors of those who have never had an encounter with Jesus himself. What a contradiction! What a tragedy! What understandable anger this results in! As I watched Cultural Christianity and “Christian” politics alienate and enrage non-believers, I understood anew my Sunday School teacher’s probing questions about the separation of church and state. She wasn’t advocating for a non-Christian nation, she was simply advocating that we pursue people’s hearts instead of attempting to control their actions.
The past several months have been some of the most volatile I can remember in our country, and I have thought about my Sunday School lesson many times. As I watch various (and oftentimes opposing) “Christian” politics circulate online, many times with collateral damage . . . I can almost hear my Sunday School teacher asking: “Are you sure? Are you sure that is what you want to do?”
It’s a good question.
There’s a lot to consider when invoking the name of Christ.
Steve Pelton, Sr. says
Good comments, Melissa. In a similar vein, the questions of origins thinly veiled as the”science-faith debate” in some churches follows the same course. Those who hold for young earth 7 day creation cannot (wish not) to tolerate those of us who look at the science, particularly the genetic data, and understand that God used evolution to create living beings, including us. I have been called a heretic by some such people , despite my belief in the creeds. It is those of your generation who will carry such political and scientific enlightenment to the church, began, I suppose, by a few from my generation.
Melissa Lu says
I had not thought about the science-faith debate being a major divider before, but I can see quickly that it is. In my small, very conservative Christian high school our teacher taught evolution from a creationist perspective . . . perhaps that gives you hope? Thanks for reading and commenting.
Lydia says
That’s a pretty wise teacher! Glad you picked up and remembered her wisdom ? This also reminds me of a book I read recently called “Bold Love” by Dan Allender … Christ loved different people differently in His wisdom too.