With Your Feet Fitted with the Readiness that Comes from the Gospel of Peace
This series is exploring the similarities of the methods used by evangelicals to form Christians to the reform thought tactics used by Communism to brainwash subjects. With that in mind, we reconsider Paul’s language of spiritual forces found in Ephesians and how that may have been a recognition of the sorts of psychologically manipulative tactics that wicked people use to gain control. Paul encouraged us to put on the “Armor of God” as a defense against these forces of wickedness. What if he was on to something?
This is part three. Read the Introduction to this series here, part one here, and part two here.
Who is a Christian?
The demand for purity is one of the tactics used in thought reform.
“Thought reform bears witness to its more malignant consequences: for by defining and manipulating the criteria of purity, and then by conducting an all-out war upon impurity, the ideological totalists create a narrow world of guilt and shame.” (Lifton, p. 424)
It’s fancy language that explains how bullying works.
Throughout the 4th century, groups of bishops gathered together to define Christianity. The Nicene Creed formalized beliefs around the relationship of the trinity, which had been in some dispute.
Teaching outside this doctrinal framework was heresy, punishable by excommunication or death. The purification of Christianity had begun and the Church became a bully.
Over a thousand years later, the Reformation was a swing against a powerful bully.
In 1978, some of the heirs of the Reformation created a purity test for evangelicalism when a group of evangelicals gathered together and developed that Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy.
Note the final article, Article XIX:
WE AFFIRM that a confession of the full authority, infallibility, and inerrancy of Scripture is vital to a sound understanding of the whole of the Christian faith. We further affirm that such confession should lead to increasing conformity to the image of Christ.
WE DENY that such confession is necessary for salvation. However, we further deny that inerrancy can be rejected without grave consequences, both to the individual and to the Church.
In the decades that followed, this group took over the Southern Baptist Convention and spread this purity test throughout evangelicalism. Then, somewhere along the way, it became a purity test for Christianity as biblical inerrancy became the backbone of the culture wars that have divided us (to be explored further in the next two essays).
Last year, we heard the Speaker of the House and the Vice President try to lecture the Pope on the Bible. In the run up to the election, evangelical leaders claimed that Adam Hamilton and James Talarico are not “real” Christians, because of their political and social positions.
It is the demand for purity on social issues, ethnicity, and sexuality that defines White Christian Nationalism and the reason why so many people view evangelicals as bullies.
Defining who is and who is not a Christian has been a challenge from the beginning. It was part of the debate of the Council of Jerusalem (c. AD 48-50) and it never really ended.
In the late AD 50s, Paul wrote a letter to the Christians in Rome, encouraging different sides to get along. Although it is often his words that are used to establish purity tests, most of his work was done to warn against them and encourage unity.
As we contemplate which piece of the Armor of God to use against purity tests perhaps is it the gospel of peace.
“…and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace…”
Unity is about making the choice to live together in peace, despite our differences, as Paul told the church in Rome, “If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:18, NRSVue)
Ironically, it is the pursuit of unity and peace that often drives us to accept the demand for purity.
The bully uses the language of unity when what they actually demand is conformity to their reality. They use deception and manipulation (thought reform) and it is their corruption that causes the dissent.
The dissenters are labeled as the troublemakers, and in name of “seeking peace,” must be driven out or silenced.
This story has played out across evangelicalism as self-appointed gatekeepers (bullies) demanded ideological purity in local churches, at denominational levels, and then into the broader culture.
Meanwhile, the mainline churches have remained the bulwarks of Protestant dissent. No longer dissenting against Catholics, but for 50 years against the demand for purity found in evangelicalism. The mainlines have continued to widen the tent by seeking to live at peace with all.
The challenge of our era has been what to do with the self-appointed gatekeepers who cause harm and division.
Jesus and Paul would both agree that we are to love them and welcome them into the tent, if they want to come, but we do not have to give them power. We must remember that they do not have any power to keep the gate closed to anyone and neither do we.
That is the story we saw during this election cycle as the “big tent” people had enough of the gatekeepers and bullies and began naming the corruption and harm.
Jesus opened the gate. We need good shoes, the gospel of peace, because the role of the Jesus follower is to stand at the gate not to keep people out, but to welcome them in. But when we see people blocking the gate, sometimes our job is to confront them, which I think is what Paul was doing in his letters more often than we realize.
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal; be ardent in spirit; serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; pursue hospitality to strangers.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be arrogant, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” Instead, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink, for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:9-21, NRSVue)
This is part three. Read the Introduction to this series here, part one here, and part two here.
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