1/Quite a few ppl asked questions that I didn’t get to answer on my “How did we get here” thread I posted last week. By “here,” I mean the public vitriol within the church over the issue of race and justice. I want to address a deeper reason for what happened, starting from ‘08.
2/At T4G ‘08 Thabiti, the only black pastor in the speaking group, gave a sermon on the issue of race. But it wasn’t a white privilege sermon. In fact, he taught that race, as we knew it at that time, was not a biblical concept. Ethnicity was the point of Genesis 10, not race.
3/And that race has been used sinfully to create division when, biblically speaking, there is only 1 race. The human race. That audience had 7,000 white pastors in it. Many applauded his perspective. But a lot of black dudes that were there didn’t. They misunderstood his point.
4/They felt like it gave white pastors an out on black struggles in their churches. So, at a black reformed pastors conference in Miami ‘09, the who’s who of black reformed pastors came. Voddie was there. Tony Carter was there too. And there were some heated discussions over race
5/Mainly about not minimizing the sacrifices that black ppl make when we go to predominantly white reformed churches, due to the historical baggage between white and black ppl. Again, a lot of us had to accept a new way of interacting with God. It wasn’t bad tho. It was beautiful
6/By beautiful I mean it was for the gospel. Diversity is, in fact, biblical. And it was happening. However, there were some issues coming to light. One, was that blacks wanted a bit more representation in churches we were were minorities in. Song choices, leadership roles, etc.
7/It wasn’t divisive or some power structure pushback. Some of it was the response when being asked by white church leadership, “How can we grow to serve you better in our church.” In many cases, it was the humility of white leaders asking. The problem, though, was the doing.
8/Not much of anything was changing. I’m sure guys meant well by asking. And I’m sure it was difficult to cater to a minority in the church, when the majority is used to a certain way of doing things. It was more ignorance than arrogance. But arrogance was definitely there too
9/Regardless, it started to seem like a hustle. Ask for input. But then there was little to no output. So once 2012 hit with Trayvon’s killing, and Props “Precious Puritans” song, tensions started rising to the surface. And a much deeper issue than race began to reveal itself
10/After John Piper dropped Bloodlines in 2011, convos on the issue of race within the church were more prominent. As were differences between whites and blacks on the issue. In 2013, a very public discourse between Doug Wilson and Thabiti happened over Wilson’s book Black & Tan.
11/I, and others that I knew, had never heard of Black & Tan. So I was a bit thrown off by what I was reading, but was glad that Doug Wilson was able to see some of the insensitivity of his comments in the book. Then 2014 hit, and that, I believe, is when the deeper issue came
12/Underneath the growing issue of race, a phraseology had an exacerbated impact on believers. It was the phrase “Gospel Centered.” Everything from gospel centered living, preaching, parenting, swimming, driving etc, had by 2014, become gospel centered confusion.
13/Though well meaning, the emphasis on that phrase, fragmented believers even more. And laid the groundwork for believers to see Christianity, primarily, as a worldview. The problem though, is Christianity is not a worldview. And this clashed head on with the issue of race
14/A worldview is a conceptual framework of how society functions/should function. It’s a philosophy. But it has no real moral intrinsic value. Nor does it have any real claim when this life is over. It’s just a way to see things. And it’s primary function is to prove it’s better
15/The goal of a worldview is adherence. And it’s ethic is contrarian. It doesn’t necessarily have morals on how to prove it’s better. Just, prove it’s better than other worldviews. Christianity is different. It’s goal is salvation. It’s ethic is love. And it’s not a worldview
16/When Christianity is seen primarily as a worldview, the ethic is unnecessary. Love becomes an optional, but oftentimes, weak assertion to disproving other worldviews. A person can believe in the Messiah, the message, the mission, but not the morality, and be seen as mature.
17/Maturity is measured by Pauline precision of the scriptures, despite that Jesus said,“Whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them. For this is the Law and the Prophets.” The morality of Christianity is mainly how we prove it’s true. That morality is love
18/And not just tough love that admonishes everything “unbiblical.” Jesus didn’t do that. Paul didn’t do that. In 1 Cor 1:4-9, he gave confidence that they were saved. Then, spent 90% of the rest of the letter correcting serious sinful behavior. Today, we’d say they’re not saved
19/The other day I searched on Amazon and other Christian book sites. And I asked fellow pastors who are their go to theologians and what books they have read on loving neighbors. The answer was shocking. Scarce. A sermon or two here and there. Yet, Jesus said it was primary.
20/So how does all this connect to the race & justice issue in the church? As these issues started to rise, they became worldviews that need to be opposed. Instead of real hurts that ppl were experiencing. And bcuz there is no tradition of love, it became war with real casualties
21/It wasn’t that ppl weren’t trying. Of course some weren’t. But It was more the lack of experience, and at times the lack of humility to say, “I don’t know how to love you. And my favorite theologians from the past haven’t equipped me as well as on Justification, & Election”
22/Because of this, Christianity the worldview, needs to defend itself against every opposing worldview, at all cost. But the cost has costed all of us. As we look to our Platform Epistemologians to lead us, many of them lead us ethically astray. Bcuz they don’t know how to love
23/So now we’re more divided and offended than ever. “Defending biblical truth” with an unbiblical ethic. Jude says, “Contend for the faith.” Not be contentious for the faith. Matthew 7:12 is the way. But sadly, many see it as a weakness instead of the strength we need to grow.
24/Anyway, what do I know? I’ve failed miserably at love most of my Christian life. But by his grace, I am seriously trying. I know some will be offended by this. That was not my heart. But I get it. We’re all jaded. We’re all hurt. And we’re all, often, too proud to admit it.
@threadreaderapp unroll please
