I am working on my thesis for my masters degree in conflict resolution. My topic is the role/characteristics of the local church in Nazi Germany and Apartheid era South Africa. I am interested in looking at the characteristics, specifically the rhetoric and theology of the churches that acquiesced to the cultural evils and those that stood against it... Needless to say it can be a rather depressing topic considering there were way more people that simply let the evil happen (or in some cases they led the charge in doing the evil). As I read stuff I will probably write more on it but for now I have one thing I want to talk about....
In regards to the churches that perpetrated the evil in Nazi Germany and Apartheid era South Africa, there are several similarities. I will emphasize one of them...
The local church lost its salt and light. How did that happen... they failed to seperate themselves from their own culture. The glory of Germany became wrapped up in the glory of the church... The glory of the Afrikaners (the historically Dutch people that ruled South Africa and implemented apartheid) became wrapped up in the the glory of the church. Their identity as Germans became the same as Christian.
When someones identity is attacked it grows in significance (think about it... when someone attacks you for something, you want to defend that attribute... like baseball fans... if someone says, "baseball is not a real sport." You feel even more attatched to your identity as a baseball fan and you feel the need to defend yourself). Their identity as Germans and Afrikaners became so important that they began to fit their theology to fit their national goals.
Both groups viewed their nation as having a divine purpose (interestingly, I have read studies that show that every culture, people group, etc. throughout history views their own group as having a divine purpose and being special and set apart). The logic goes... if my nation has a divine purpose, I will do whatever it takes to further that purpose because that is God's purpose. Notice... the national purposes became the "purpose" of God (instead of VICE VERSA!!!).
So what does this mean for us in our context... Now, you are probably thinking... Uh oh... he is going to talk about how evil America is and how we need to hate our country... blah blah blah blah...
No, that is not what I am going to say. To show you where I am coming from let me take a quote from this really cool missionary/lawyer guy named Paul:
"If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:
5(I)circumcised the eighth day, of the (J)nation of Israel, of the (K)tribe of Benjamin, a (L)Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, (M)a Pharisee;
6as to zeal, (N)a persecutor of the church; as to the (O)righteousness which is in the Law, found (P)blameless.
7But (Q)whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. "
5(I)circumcised the eighth day, of the (J)nation of Israel, of the (K)tribe of Benjamin, a (L)Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, (M)a Pharisee;
6as to zeal, (N)a persecutor of the church; as to the (O)righteousness which is in the Law, found (P)blameless.
7But (Q)whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. "
-Phillipians 4b-7
Many times I have read this passage and thought that Paul was simply relativizing his Jewish faith in comparison to Christ. But, those things that he is talking about is his ethnic and national identity also. As Miraslov Volf talks about in his excellent book, "Exclusion and Embrace", we should have one foot in our culture and the other firmly planted in the identity of Jesus Christ.
So, what am I trying to say with all of this... Let us be wary when we assume that my nation's interests are the interests of God... Instead let us build God's Kingdom... lets do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God... and He will bless us for that (he might even bless our nation too...). We need to love our nation enough to hold her to a standard of justice and righteousness.
Tell me what you guys think...
2 comments:
Good thoughts my friend. It is true that nations often believe that it is their divine right to fulfill the will of God. Colonization is a consumptive idea that enabled Europeans to kill Native Americans and enslave Africans. American colonialism held to a millennial ideal that believed that they would usher in the kingdom of God through Christendom. It would not be a far stretch to say that they believed that they were a “chosen people” or a “new Israel” sent to divinely conquer and Christianize the land. When national identity gets too wrapped up in divine ordination, the consequences can and usually do work against a biblical worldview.
I believe that it is time to see ourselves as post-colonial. As white Americans, we have a lot of healing that needs to take place for the wrongs imposed by our fathers. Whether Native or African decedents, we ought to not only seek reconciliation… but seek justice for those people who still live with the consequences of the unjust acts of our colonial past. What I mean is that colonialism is a root cause of systemic poverty in the black community and the Native communities of this country, and my guess is that it is the same way in South Africa. We can’t rewrite history, but perhaps we can draft a story that takes us to a better tomorrow for everyone.
Amen.
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