Article VI Blog

…Religion and politics will be argued forever.  Watching the news channels last night was an amazing journey through a maze of debates on the role of religion in American culture.  In some cases the debaters were of questionable value, but being Holy Week, every one  is talking about it.

Well, we do print here and a couple of interesting print pieces did appear.  On Monday we talked about the waning of evangelical political influence.  We talked about the fact that Evangelicalism is shallow as a theology movement and insufficient to call itself church, which is a large part of what is really going on.  Some say Evangelicalism is dying.  Whether it is dying or not, I am not prepared to say, but it sure is changing.

In that same Monday piece we talked about the greater depth Roman Catholics bring to the table.  Well, some are now saying that it is the age of Catholicism in the conservative movement.  Where are the mainline protestant denominations?  Most write them off as dead since they have been declining for several decades, but they are where I live.  They do indeed have a liberal bent, and some are now claiming them as natural allies to the current administration.

There are a couple of things going on here that deserve brief comment.  First, I look for a resurgence in the mainlines and I look for them to move to the right at the same time.  I do think Evangelicalism is changing and a lot of people are going to have to find somewhere to go, and it will not be to the Catholic church.   If the main lines have a brain in their heads (which is questionable at times) they will move to capture that migration.  I know one PC(USA) congregation that will be moving in that direction….

But more importantly all this discussion and all these stories this week are really about the press not understanding religion.  In the press’ mind, religion has  become nothing more than a political demographic.  None of this coverage, press, or TV, is about faith, or morality, or other social aspects of religion.  It’s about religion’s political influence.

But that said, it also mean that religion has punted on its own independent authority.  And this is where Catholicism finds its greatest strength.  They understand that they are an authority.  The mainlines long ago started trying to derive authority from political activity, instead of exercise it as their own.  When it comes to moral and social matters the church IS the authority, not the government.

Change is afoot, and if you ask this protestant what the primary change should be – it would be for the church to reclaim its authority.  Evangelicalism lacks sufficient depth to do so.  Protestantism must reform to be able to do so.  Only Catholicism has held its authority, but it has done so largely, in America, by moving to the sidelines.  The CJCLDS has potential, but remains too much of a minority at this point in time.

It is an interesting time in American history, and for the role that religion plays in it.

But all that said, it is Holy Week.  Tonight we celebrate our Lord’s Last Supper with His disciples, and we remember His betrayal by one of His own – Tomorrow His Crucifixion – Sunday His Resurrection.  In the end, these things mattter so much more than any political influence.  They are where I hope to concentrate for the remainder of the week.  I hope you will join me.

Lowell adds:

Amen to that last paragraph, John. All doctrinal debates aside, Mormons, Evangelicals, and Catholics (to name a few) all believe that He is risen.. That means something in the context of getting along – and, of course, to the believer it means everything.

I can report from the Prop 8 experience that the Catholic role was huge, and probably under-appreciated. The Catholic Church brought an institutional and theological gravitas to the effort that no one else can. I think that’s part of what John is talking about. Orthodox Catholics, committed, church-going Evangelicals, and active Mormons very likely will be teaming up again, whether formally or informally, many times in the years to come.

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