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Permitting the polarization to polarize us

Guest commentary from Todd McCoy

Perhaps many of you have been pondering the same question I have: “Given the ongoing polarization of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), what does the denomination’s future look like?”

Hopefully we can all somewhat agree about where we are: in many respects, we have become a polarized denomination reflecting the growing polarization and even radicalization of our society and culture – and indeed, a rising polarization and radicalization occurring globally.

If we can but stop the ongoing battle of polarization long enough to see the relational and institutional destruction resulting from the insistence that the church carries the banner, uses the language and totes the ideology of one side over another, then perhaps the church can begin the process of healing and can once again see clearly the unity that is ours in Jesus Christ.

The life or death of the church, as well as our own spiritual life and death, isn’t determined by the positions taken by the church on social and cultural issues that rise, fall and radically change over the course of time.

Rather, as Paul notes in his letter to the church in Rome, only one thing is necessary. “…If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

We are spending too much time, energy, creativity and resources to make the PC(USA) look and sound either conservative or progressive on issues that are important to one side or the other. We all may perhaps be a little too sure of ourselves and perhaps have even become arrogant and hardened in our positions.

In short, in at least one area of our corporate lives together, we have begun to look too much like the world around us: we have allowed the polarization around us to also polarize us. Our disagreements and fights and struggles and positioning for power and voice looks and sounds exactly like what we see around us. We have forgotten who and what it is that unites us. Our identity ultimately doesn’t rest on conservative or progressive views and positions. It rests on Jesus Christ.

This isn’t to say that the positions we take as the church are unimportant. What the church says is highly important. For when we speak it is to be with the voice of Christ. That should give us all great pause to consider not only what we are saying, but how we are saying it.

Part of what is causing such polarization within the church has to do with the idolizing of our own views and positions. Each side is sure that their views are more faithful to Christ, the interpretation of Scripture, and the living out of the gospel in terms of answering the great social and cultural issues of our own generation.

This, combined with our form of government in which a majority (50% +1) takes all, has led to the same types of cultural and social battles within the church that we see in our society. The culture wars have divided the church because we have turned our cultural positions into idols.

In the end, there is only one hope for the church. That hope isn’t that we look and sound more conservative, evangelical, progressive, liberal, etc. Our hope is in Jesus Christ.

In discussing all of this with a friend, recently, I made the comment that what we need in the church is for all sides to declare a “cease fire.” My friend quickly replied, “No. What is needed is a mutual surrender.”

In a season in which we have been trained to mistrust, to demonize, to radicalize, to box in, to shout down and to win over at least a bare majority, is there any way for all sides to mutually surrender to one another?

Paul’s words to the church in Philippi are as fresh and contemporary today as they were nearly 2,000 years ago: “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).

So while we should discuss cultural and social positions looking to bring truth and righteousness to bear on these things, we should be careful about “absolutizing” social and cultural positions. If the church rises or falls on your position, please take time to pray.

If you desire to send an overture to the General Assembly or if you serve at the next General Assembly and have to vote on overtures, please, for the sake of our unity in Christ ask yourselves if by sending a particular overture or approving an overture you are violating all the language about mutual forbearance in the constitution and the vow about seeking the peace, unity and purity of the church for the sake of your own conscience above a brother or sister’s.

So what is the future of the PC(USA)? That depends on how we decide to start living together and whether or not we change our tone. My prayer is that we all can find truth to move forward on from some of Paul’s words to the church in Philippi:

“…This one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. Only let us hold fast to what we have attained” (Philippians 3:13b-16).

Todd McCoy

TODD MCCOY has served for the last 10 years as pastor of Louisa Presbyterian Church in Louisa, Virginia.  He has co-moderated a small church ministry team for the Presbytery of the James and now serves as moderator of the Committee on Ministry.  Todd, his wife Xen, and their two sons Collin and Alex live in Louisa where they are active members of their community.

 

 

 

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