01 03 11 Between Diversity and Like-Mindedness

There has been a lot of talk about whether or not the Presbyterian Church (USA) should reorganize its institutional structure according to theology. The issue can, perhaps, be described by asking two questions:

1. Which should be more valued in the church: diversity or like-mindedness?
   
2. How are these two values to be understood through the eyes of Christian faith?
   
   

Of course, in the wake of the civil rights movement, anti-war sentiment, and other issues of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, diversity became the more valued, and holding to “like-minded” thinking was seen as regressive. Since then technology has made sharing diverse thoughts so pervasive that it many people even resist being called “liberal” or “conservative.” Instead, such people, many of them of the younger generations, find that they have begun to fashion something of their own blend of thoughts, a blend that defies easy categorization.

In the church many believe this is the very reason for defining how groups of Christians are like-minded. There is great concern among some that the current age in tempts people to lose an integrated belief structure. That is, there is the worry that people believe a little of this and a little of that without understanding either how these various strands of understanding conflict, or even how these beliefs are changing the shape our churches and human societies.

We are therefore living in two movements. The first is the movement of increasing personal connections with diverse people and attitudes from across the world through social media, etc. Some in Christian circles recognize that this is the trend of the immediate future, which they believe means we need to help disciples to develop eyes that see how God is at work in a time of such fluid change to reshape human society for the future. Such eyes look for the Spirit’s movement to lift up the poor, the downtrodden and the outcast, and to connect peoples with different insights and giftedness. The point is to discern God’s new possibilities for today and tomorrow.

The second movement among Christian people looks for ways to assure that all this networking is not causing us to lose our moorings to Jesus Christ. Sometimes people talk about this concern in terms of the need to remain attached to proper authority for our faith, and the authority I have heard Christians name most often has been the authority of scripture. This group makes the point that the scriptures and the Holy Spirit are not at odds with each other.

Over the next weeks I want to reflect more on these movements, and especially on how they are affecting the Presbytery of Yukon. We have long been aware that Christianity must embrace diversity. The presbytery enjoys large participation from the St. Lawrence Island Yupik and the Iñupiaq Native Americans, from Koreans, and from the mostly-anglo cultures. We have long understood that variance of worship styles and cultural shapings of churches are essential to authentic faith life. Any development in the understanding and practice of ministry must continue to recognize that diversity really is a must for the Christian church.

Yet, a religious body needs to be able to describe the faith that the body holds in common, because that commonality is what will hold it together. Similarly, a religious body needs to be able to theologize together, which means the ability to prayerfully seek God’s guidance about changes that are underway in the world and how the church should engage those changes. Such theologizing needs to be characterized by mature Christian leadership. It is elder work, and must be characterized by prayerful openness to God and honest Christian love.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts through this blog. I am also hopeful that readers will take advantage of the blog venue, and will add their own thoughts and responses. By reflecting together, and by remaining in an attitude of prayer, this could be a very helpful next few weeks.