One of the flaws in the foundation of evangelicalism gone wrong is the idea that Christian faith can be understood as sin management.
Morality is an important aspect of all of our lives. We depend on the moral lives of others in order to have a functioning society. Christianity, though, is at its heart not a religion centred on morality. It is as religion centred on forgiveness and humanity. Christian faith says that in Jesus Christ God turns towards humanity, and that in Jesus Christ humanity turns towards God. This means that we cannot get closer to God by turning away from people. We are to prayerfully seek to recognize and respond to the humanity in everyone, even in those who are dehumanizing themselves and others. This does not mean ignorance of wrong. It does not mean excusing violence and hatred and culpability. What it means is that we are called to see the humanity of all.
One of the pieces in what I take “Evangelically Departed” to mean, is the movement away from moralism towards recognition of humanity. I offer a stark example with two recent “news” items. The first is the story of the death of thousands of babies in Irish “Homes for Mothers and Babies” that operated for much of the twentieth century. These homes were set up as an attempt to cover up the cultural disgrace around a woman being pregnant outside of marriage. The church that maintained the homes also maintained the presence of the disgracing and shaming of these young women. The homes were maintained by a religious approach which identified, called out and shamed “sin”. Generally, the person or people were secondary, the transgression was primary. This way of thinking always leads to death. In this horrific case, thousands of lives were destroyed. Many are buried on the grounds of the homes. Many more are forever weighed down by the dehumanization that they suffered.
The second piece is an interview on CNN with Cornel West. Cornel West is a Christian in the tradition of prophetic (speak truth to power) faith rather than Constantinian (maintain the status quo) faith. He is speaking to Don Lemon about the insurrection on Capitol Hill that took place on January 6, 2021. Listen to how West speaks about others. He calls Donald Trump, “Brother” Trump. He says that “Brother Trump is spiritually sick and morally decrepit”, but he is still “Brother Trump”.
It is perhaps one of the secrets of all wise and true spiritual traditions: Never Dehumanize People.
The young women who the church was purporting to help in those homes were being dehumanized. Their supposed wrongdoing was seen instead of their humanity. Those who victimized them thought that is was more important to protect a religious norm rather than protect human beings. This was done in the name of Jesus who in the Gospels never ever did such a thing.
We ought to weep when we see horror like this. Terror and evil is almost always accomplished in the guise of good. Once you dehumanize someone, even “Brother Trump”, well then, any terrible thing is possible.
Sadly not much has changed. My daughter was very recently shamed from attending a church because she is living, unmarried, with her partner.