I promised more after the earlier post this week by Matt Wilber (fellow minister at Highland) and me. I’m working at home for now today and so these thoughts (including any of their insufficiencies) are mine alone. I have three things I consider especially pressing to write in further response to Bethke’s poetry.
First, following an interview in which the young poet was asked for clarification regarding the heart behind the now well-known poem (which you can read here), I feel the need to say something about the importance of our words. Bethke says his definition of “religion” is the one commonly used in the Mars Hill Church (a large contemporary mega-church) he attends. “Organized religion” has become a byword among some today. Some have simplified their dislike to the word “religion” itself. It seems the Mars Hill folks have adopted that rhetoric, and I would suppose, not having actually asked them, it’s because it appeals to a large number of people who think they want Jesus, but don’t think they want religion. This whole concept is based on misdefining the word and attaching things to it that never belonged there to begin with. True religion is the only purely good thing in this world, and with Christ as its all in all, is the deepest need of every man, woman, and child alive. For a preacher to latch on to the erroneous and disrespectful use of the word by its opponents in pop-culture, and thus to deny being what he actually is (i.e. religious) sounds to me like worldly compromise. The enemies of Jesus’ disciples seem to be the ones who created the label “Christian,” and probably not as a compliment, but Peter wrote, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name” (1Peter 4:16 ESV). Malign the “religious” if that makes you feel exalted or wise in some way, but I will glorify God as a deeply religious man! Say what you mean and mean what you say. Be careful to define your terms lest you become unwittingly deceptive and divisive as the seemingly well-meaning young poet did.
Second, at the heart of these criticisms against “organized religion” are age-old claims of hypocrisy: “The church ought to be a hospital for sinners, but we’ve made it a museum for the righteous… We’re focusing on matters of abstract theology and mere ecclesiastical concerns while the man in the pew languishes unaided in various forms of addicting sin… We’ve wed Christianity to politics…” The accusations are nearly endless. While no one can reasonably deny there are hypocrites in the church, my question is where else would they be? If they weren’t in the church they wouldn’t be hypocrites! Faithful church members are seldom any more pleased with the character of hypocrites among us than those outside the church are. That said, no group of people on the planet have started or labored in more benevolent or rehabilitative community service efforts than have religious people, especially Christians. Examine the last two millennia honestly and you’ll realize most of the humane changes that have affected the peace, comfort, stability, and general good-will of society have been the results of the lives and works of Christians. Of course, the work is never done and we need to advance in it. Some of our churches need to wake up and renew engaging the communities around them with the love and mercy of Christ for sure, but it’s unfair, maybe even dishonest to say the church is the problem. Folks leaving the church is a far greater problem. I could respond to all the criticisms, but I don’t want to write about this all day, so this will have to suffice.
“The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones.” So true, so true. The last thing I want to address is the tendency for each generation to exhibit arrogance toward those upon whose shoulders they’re blessed to stand. Bethke’s brashness, and the way he explained himself in the interview show me a very well-meaning young man who loves Jesus, but who didn’t think things through very well before opening his mouth. I sometimes (all too often, honestly) do the same thing. Young people aren’t always foolish, and certainly don’t have to be (Ecclesiastes 4:13; 1Timothy 4:12). However, it’s still true, “Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days” (Job 12:12 ESV). To question our elders as we age, weigh their decisions, practices, and beliefs critically, comparing them to the unchanging standard of God’s word, all the while continuing to respect their fading guidance is wise, wise indeed. To think those of previous generations are out of touch, hopelessly compromised by tradition, and that the new generation has finally figured this old world out is just so naive. In my humble opinion, that’s as much what all this Jesus vs. Religion controversy is about as anything! Because they’ve noticed a little ineffectiveness, maybe even hypocrisy in some cases in their parents and grandparents, some young people (and not a few old ones) want to sink the whole ship. Well, its unsinkable (Matthew 16:18), but we sure can knock holes in it if we’re so inclined. Let’s respect the good things we’ve inherited and continue to look for holes in the hull we can repair so we can leave things better than we found them for those sweet little critics we’re raising up to believe they know better than we do, and that they’ve finally figured this old world out once and for all. And if we simply must be critics, let’s try to be sweet ones! Our religion is never perfect, but Christ’s religion is absolutely perfect in every way!
“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless” (James 1:26 ESV).
I have found that if we examine a lot of these arguments against “religion” that they are based in many lies such as over-generalization, polarized thinking, labeling, and blaming just to name a few. It is funny that everyone I personally know who has explained to me they dislike organized religion and complains that the church is a museum do not lift a finger to make a difference in others lives. Many of these arguments sound good on the surface, but are full of cognitive distortions when they are really examined.