Dare We Call Them Christians?

Last updated on: June 25, 2010 at 2:59 pm by Guest Contributor

606 Comments

Dare We Call Them Christians? 2010-06-25T14:59:01+00:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

by Bruce G. Epperly

As a progressive and ecumenical Christian, I am always hesitant to excommunicate a fellow Christian, call someone a heretic, or question people’s religious sincerity. As a progressive Christian, my theology has been defined as heretical by fundamentalists and conservative Christians who deem any deviation from biblical literalism or openness to pluralism and universal salvation, however well-intended, as half-way down the slippery-slope toward apostasy and damnation. Further, I take seriously the growing theological affirmation of “polydoxy,” that is, the recognition of multiple truth perspectives within and beyond Christianity. From this perspective, there are many orthodoxies or paths of being Christian, theologically, liturgically, experientially, and spiritually.

Still, the theology and practices of groups such as the Hutaree or Westboro Baptist Churcg stretches my progressive inclusivism. Sure, they claim to be Christians and I don’t doubt that claim, any more than I doubt confusing a belt for a snake can be an honest mistake that leads to a fearful response. I believe that they are earnest in their faith. But, I also believe that we belong to different tribes, if not different faiths. While hatred, scapegoating, violence, and crusade have been part of virtually every major religious tradition at one time or another and some Christians too closely identify God and country, I believe that groups motivated by hate and violence – who see hatred as a necessary aspect of fidelity – follow a different faith and a different god than the God I experience in Jesus Christ, the healer whose hospitality embraced everyone and whose social action was aimed at transformation rather than polarization.

Hutaree and Westboro Bapist affirm the vision of a god known primarily by judgment and not love. God punishes America through the gulf oil catastrophe, the World Trade Center bombings, and the Katrina disaster. God destroys the innocent as well as the guilty. God hates homosexuals and people who love them and big governments and people who support them. In the case of Hutaree, God wants us to arm ourselves in preparation for killing the infidel, the homosexual, the police, and military, and preparing for the “last days.” The end time is upon us and God will come with a sword to destroy atheists, homosexuals, Muslims, and presumably progressive, moderate, and open-minded evangelicals. These groups believe that the world is split between good and evil, right and wrong, and black and white. God makes no compromises with falsehood and neither should we. In their own way, Hutaree and Westborn Baptist resemble the Muslim terrorists they hate – there is no middle ground, the infidel deserves death, and we are God’s chosen instruments of vengeance.

I will claim only this in regard to such groups – that we clearly follow two different divinities. Does that mean we call ourselves by different faith names? Well, I’m not sure. But, I am sure that we need to claim the “Christian” with as much boldness as those whose faith is violent and exclusive.

Perhaps, we need to focus more fully on the relationship between theology and practice in proclaiming our own progressive and moderate vision. I believe that God is ultimately loving, embracing, transforming, and liberating. God is present moving through every life and every moment, seeking salvation and wholeness for all. While we may see ourselves as God’s enemies, God has no enemies. Judgment occurs, but not the judgment of destruction but the judgment of healing and salvation. All are saved eventually, even the Hutarees and Westboro folk, who may surprisingly find themselves in the afterlife, growing beside homosexuals, Hindus, and liberals. I believe God desires that we save rather destroy this good earth, and God wants us to be partners in creation and not destruction.

There is no one response to such groups, but our own polarization and hatred is not the answer. Our task is to love, but also to affirm our contrasting vision. Polarizing religiosity calls progressives and moderates to boldly and lovingly present an alternative vision of God and Christianity. Progressive and moderate Christians need to adopt a peace-oriented “moral equivalent of war” (William James) in which we enter the marketplace of ideas, the pluralism of religious possibilities, and the political realm with a robust, life-transforming, and world-affirming vision of positive spiritual and institutional healing and wholeness.

Read more articles on Fundamentalism at the Patheos Public Square.

Bruce Epperly is a professor and administrator at Lancaster Theological Seminary and co-pastor Disciples United Community Church in Lancaster, PA (www.ducc.us). He is the author of seventeen books, including Holy Adventure: 41 Days of Audacious Living, a progressive theological and spiritual response to Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life. A Reiki master/teacher for over twenty years, he is the author of Reiki Healing Touch and the Way of Jesus (with Kate Epperly). Email Bruce at [email protected].

Uncategorized

fundamentalism

progressive inclusivism

Previous Post

June 25, 2010

Simplicity & Transformation: Lectionary Reflections for July 4th

Next Post

June 28, 2010 A Gateway and a Path: More on Summer Reading

Recent Comments

606 Comments | Leave a Comment

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Author Interviews Battle Over the Body and Blood of Christ Bearing Beauty Book Reviews Christian Education christian spirituallity christianity Christmas Church Church Leadership Contemplation Creation Care Death and Dying Death Penalty Disruptive Change Disruptors Series Easter Education Evolution and Faith Future of Progressive Christianity Gun Violence Health & Wellness Holy Week Interfaith Israel-Palestine Leading Differently Lent LGBTQ Living with Cancer Meditations on the Cross Mental Illness millennials Mimetic Mondays Monday Meditations Movie Reviews New Monasticism Pando Populus Parenting Patheos 10+1 Q&A Series PC(USA) Politics Pop Culture Practical Theology Series Prayer progressive christian Race Relations Reformation religion Religion and Politics Religion in America Rethink Church Social Justice Spirituality Spirituality of the Body Stump a Scholar Technology and Faith Thanksgiving Theodicy Trust Me Church Uncategorized Why I'm Still Christian Youth Ministry

Select a Month December 2025 April 2025 January 2025 September 2023 September 2022 May 2022 February 2022 January 2022 November 2021 October 2021 May 2021 February 2021 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 June 2020 May 2020 March 2020 June 2019 March 2019 January 2019 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did the wise men follow to find Jesus?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A map A prophet An angel A star