Many people believe that the move towards right-wing religion is something new to our country, when, in fact, it is part of a conflict that has been with us for over 100 years. Fundamentalism, prosperity religion, and the charismatic movement all began to flourish around the late 1800’s/early 1900’s. The attached sketch comes from the 1920’s and was included by the editors of La Civilta Cattolica, a Jesuit journal uniquely allied to the papacy, in one of their issues. The fear of progress has always existed in the practice of religion – the last words of the church – “We’ve never done it that way before” – are spoken regularly in clergy conversations. The Scopes trial became indicative of Christianity’s aversion to science.
It is often said that religion answers the questions that cannot be answered until science figures it out, and as science has marched forward, religion has lost control of the conversation. There was power in the mystery; there was also control given to the clergy that elevated them above all others. We were, after all, seen as shaman – purveyors of sacramental magic and God’s absolution. When we see the secrets behind the magic tricks, we give less to God and more to progress. Instead of having the answers to the most profound questions, we have become largely irrelevant. This is a difficult reality to embrace.
Many ancient cultures believed that women were vessels of the human being that was completely controlled and created by the male. If the entire human came from the man and percolated in the woman, the woman became a thing – a tool – and the man the creator. Science cured us of this misconception; women were the ones with the power to create. In too many places, men are trying to wrest back that control by denying women freedom over their bodies. Men continually seem to be working to force women into submission, something Jesus, certainly, did not approve of.
As a progressive Christian, I do not see God as a deity to do my bidding or as a being in control of my life. I don’t search for miracles, even though I feel like I have seen some in my lifetime. I do not think God likes me or my religion any better than any other; God has created all of us as beautiful creations with exceptional possibilities. We have been called to serve, not to be served. For me, real faithfulness is not about marching lockstep to a creed or list of religious demands. Real faithfulness lives in the midst of the unknown – it strives to love God, neighbor, and self. Keep your concerns about slippery slopes and true belief systems to yourself; my relationship with God is bigger than that.
Prayer – Holy God, open our hearts, minds, and spirits to Your overwhelming love. Help us to see You as more than we have been led to believe. Amen.