Answer #3

“What's the most influential problem affecting contemporary Christianity?”

I can only speak about Christianity in the US, and though I have a fairly wide sampling I don't imagine my assessment will be complete. There are plenty of problems to address, but to choose one? I find myself trying to find a name that will encompass what always threatens to become a tidal wave of bitterness. My position is unique in that I formally speak from outside the church, though my path is very similar, because I found that the church would not have me. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

To begin, I must define my own terms. When I say “Christianity” I am referring to the religious group, members of a religion. I am including in my umbrella the people who say “I don't call myself a Christian; I'm a follower of Jesus” generally because they adhere to similar theologies. However, in order to speak from less ignorance, I'm going to limit my assessment to the Protestant Evangelical branches of this religion, and all things that resemble them in form, since that's where my experience lies.

I expect the church to be riddled with holes. Let's take the Christian position and say that the church is divinely ordained, but administrated by humans. In that case, it's going to be imperfect, just as anything done by people is going to be imperfect. That is all right with me – provided that the church recognizes its own imperfection.

I once heard a quote that has followed me since -- “You are not God. Therefore, some of the things that you believe to be true will be wrong.” That means dearly-held religious beliefs as well as little things like I Know I Left My Keys Here. Maybe your keys aren't there, and it's possible that you made a mistake about the specific interpretation of the Bible too.

Like many people before me, I am of the belief that the Bible should be treated as a historical document. I will confess that it is my primary religious text – but not because I think not a word could fall amiss. It's because I think the Bible tells the truth about the meaning of existence. Its historical accuracy is questionable – as is the assertion that it was intended to be about historical facts in the first place. My saying this offends the sensibilities of my Christian acquaintances, whose first question is, “But you believe in Jesus, right?”

Just once, I would like someone concerned about my soul to say “But you're concerned with loving others first and foremost, right?” Or “But you are trying to spread the truth and beauty of God with your life, right?” No one ever asks that; they want to know my position on a historical event. This is what we call missing the forest for the trees. Jesus didn't become the center of the religious group that is now Christianity because he existed. While you may deem that important, Biblical texts don't show him saying, “You see me standing here, right? Good, then it's Heaven for you.” That wasn't the question then, but somehow it's become the question now.

In fact, the Biblical Jesus I see has very little concern with theological details. The disciples were not fit to follow him because they agreed about the trinity being a three-part divine figure; he only asked that they drop their concern for themselves. Forget fishing – don't worry about providing for yourself – just come with me, because I have work for you, work that's more important than catching fish. Jesus was not negating material goods; he was saying that looking out for yourself isn't the highest goal any more. It's not a question of theoretics so much as a shift in the way the world functions.

In this new order, what's important is love. By his terms, love is selflessness, is doing the best for others regardless of whether it's looking out for you. This is not the world order we've grown up in, where you have to take care of yourself because no one will do it for you, because they're all taking care of their own selves. This new order is fluid, ever-changing to meet the changes that will inevitably come to the world.

It is a revolution. Not only does this sort of thinking rearrange the way individual lifestyles look, but it begins to make larger shifts. Relationships look different when you're not trying to find someone right for you and you're trying to figure out how to best look after someone else. Political systems change when the primary goal of the society is service, not self-preservation.

But the people of this campus say to me, “You believe in Jesus, right?” That's their revolution, a catching historical theory.

With no bitterness, with no malice, I have to say that I hope you're wrong. I hope that salvation and redemption aren't about recruiting more theorists to your story. I hope there is a tectonic rumbling beneath us when the idea of love digs in and makes roots.

Answer #2

The biggest problem with Christianity is the people who sit around discussing the biggest problems in Christianity but then do nothing about it.

So sit and read this paper.

And when you’re done, move on to homework.

Then go hang out with friends.

Sleep.

Class.

Homework.

Eat.

Chill.

Repeat.

Then read this:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” -Jesus

Answer #1

There was a tangible tension in the air as we entered the bar that night. I suppose the word had spread that the pastor of this “church” had decided to tackle the more controversial issues surrounding Christianity in today’s context; I didn’t see an open seat around. Tonight, of all nights, seemed to be the night to attend. Tonight the pastor was going to preach on homosexuality. For some, this sparked great interest, the mere mention of modern controversial issues was engaging for them. Not because they wanted to learn more about the subject itself but because of the true emotions that passionate disputes can draw out of people; sometimes its just fun to watch. Others were there with their senses peaked, ready to jump at the first sign of heresy. Still, others were there listening for a sign of hope, searching for an accepting church, with no expectation of finding love here; in this bar, in this church.

I had no idea what to expect, no idea of what I wanted to hear, and still found myself nervous and eager to hear what was about to be said. I was certain that the young pastor would not be able to please everyone tonight. Immediately, I was astonished at what he had to say. The first words out of his mouth as he stood up to the microphone called us all out, “Here is why this is not going to work”, he said, followed by a kind reproach to us all already waiting to hear whether or not his words confirmed or denied our already set beliefs. Tonight, we were told, we must face the bible from a different perspective. One that does not ask, “What does the bible have to say to homosexuals” but instead, “What does the bible have to say to me?” Right now. Tonight. What does God want me to hear?

This simple shift in perspective blew my mind. What was I being told about this issue? What did God have to say to me? Wow. I am not going to debate whether or not homosexuality is right or wrong or what the “appropriate Christian response” is to this specific issue but, I would like to ask for a shift in perspective. Homosexuality, abortion, immigration, and so many other controversial issues have become the forefront of the Christian faith in America. I believe these issues are suffocating, dividing, and limiting the Church. For some reason we have decided that it is more important for the world to know about their sins than about the unconditional love and grace of Christ. Families, churches, and homes are torn apart by are incessant arguments over these “gray issues” of faith. Gray issues, issues we will never understand in this world, they are worthy enough to divide the community of Christ? I would like to propose a different idea, nothing astounding or new but, a simple shift in perspective. Wouldn’t it be better to ask, in the midst of all these issues, what God is saying to us and not to “them”? Wouldn’t it be better to approach all things in love? If we are called to show Christ to the world, what does it look like to love as he loved? Another thought I heard that night; have you ever seen anyone standing in a picket line and thought, “Man, they look like Jesus”?