After Pentecost
What type of spirituality can it be when one can feel good in one’s spirit but still be a white racist, a sexist, a heterosexist, or an ignorer of the poor? Spirituality should make us feel so good that we cannot stand seeing the sins of the world. We would then be so filled with the Spirit that we would seek to change the world.” – Dwight Hopkins in Opting for the Margins
When I read that quote recently my first reaction was that in my experience the very opposite has been true. Apart from being the place where we are so filled with the Spirit that we have no choice but to spend our energy on creating a better world, it is actually in the church where I hear the most excuses as to why Christians shouldn’t get involved. It’s really a strange thing to think about. On one hand, it’s hard to argue with the sentiment expressed in this quote. If we are truly filled with the Spirit we will care so deeply about the things God cares about that we couldn’t help but devote ourselves to seeking to serve. In practicality, it is of course harder. I know I often fail miserably at the whole “devote my life to creating a better world” thing. But I at least do my best, or know that I should be doing more.
What really confuses me though are the Christians who find any excuse to not work for a better world. I couldn’t even begin to tell you the number of times I’ve heard the phrase “but Jesus said the poor will always be with us” used as a reason why Christians shouldn’t care for the poor and suffering. It’s not that the phrase is even used as comfort to those who feel like their efforts are not doing enough. It’s straight out used as a God-given reason to do nothing. And not just do nothing, but often to actively oppose or resist other Christians who are trying to do something. And it’s usually followed by some sermonette about how the poor are poor because of their own sinful choices. I even heard a pastor pray once after Katrina hit New Orleans for God to help the people there even though they don’t deserve it because they are such sinners.
Now, of course, it’s trendy in the church to label any sort of work that helps the poor as socialism. I read an article recently that said Christians who supported health care for all were in fact breaking the 8th Commandment. By saying that all people regardless of income level deserve basic health care we are stealing from the rich to give to the poor. Apparently the only time that’s acceptable is when it is in blockbuster form and includes lots of scenes of gratuitous violence. But in the day to day, “when I was hungry and you fed me, when I was sick and you took care of me” has been spun as actually being anti-Christian.
Far from being so filled with the Spirit that we want to act like Jesus and love our neighbor, Christians today are finding whatever way they can to twist the words of Jesus to mean the exact opposite. It’s hard to love our neighbors. It takes sacrifice. It takes empathy. It takes repentance of our own sins. It is a lot easier to simple pretend that Jesus said something else instead. Why care for the poor when it is easier to continue to make money off of their oppression and call it prosperity and blessing? Why be filled with the Spirit when the status quo is so much more attractive? Why listen to Jesus when the pundits just make so much more sense?
It is nice to have our Pentecost Sunday and marvel in the pyrotechnics of the event. It’s great to talk with longing about amazing church growth where thousands join in one day. But after Pentecost – then what? Does the body of Christ really want to be filled with the Spirit and see the world through the Spirit’s eyes? Are we ready for that? Or is it just easier to give lip-service to the event, re-interpret Jesus for our own benefit, and do nothing?
julieclawson(at)gmail(dot)com 
I'm really shocked that people can use what Jesus said to NOT help those in poverty… am I being really naive? It's bizarre to think that people are using the BIBLE to deny others health care… I guess though there is nothing new under the sun… people will do anything to protect themselves from a perceived threat and the poor will always been seen as a threat. It dismays me.
I read recently in one of John Macarthur's books that ecology is a waste of time because we live on a "disposable planet" that came into being 10,000 years ago and will be destroyed when Jesus comes. I was stunned!! Then I read in Eugene Peterson's "Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places" that Peterson valued the person who taught him the names of trees and birds just as much as the one who taught him about the Trinity.
Wordl-denying spirituality is gnosticism. I agree with you that Christian spirituality is that which rolls up its sleeves and gets involved with the world. That's what Jesus did. This is true incarnational spirituality.
Awesome post, Julie.
I'm always disheartened to hear "the poor will always be with us" excuse. Are they worshiping the same God? How could they not want to help the least of these?
It's great to meet you!
First, I would say that most Christians throw around the grand "ism"s (Marxism, feminism, socialism, etc) without any idea what those ideologies have to say or have read any of the associated works. The purpose is to engage in a rhetoric of fear rather than opening up a discursive space for rational discussion.
Secondly, Christians have falsely assumed that the Biblical economy policy is always capitalism–perhaps, a pragmatic capitalism. This allows Christians to believe that if they are prospering then the means by which they find economic success ( oppression of the poor) is negated by God's "blessing" or prosperity. I firmly believe that the Bible teaches stewardship of our resources rather than endorsing the rhetoric of capitalism. This is why I have a really hard time with the concept of a disposable earth, ignoring the poor's needs since we are called to use our resources as the vehicle to display Christ's love.
I am one of those your quote talks about. I believe poor is a state of mind and something only the person can correct. I believe in helping those less fortunate than oneself. I believe that this is the churches responsibility not the governments. I believe That God had given each of us the tools necessary to be successful in life, and it's up to us to find those skills and do what needs done. I believe we as Christians should be helping those find their skills. I believe it should be people helping people not bureaucracy helping groups of voters. The health care bill is socialism in infancy what you fail to realize is this is a fallen world and socialism will not work because the world is full of greed either in government or the corporations the perfect world where everybody loving and helping everyone and the government taking and dividing equally is all a pipe dream. The government steals money everyday and you say that it's great because they give it to someone who will take it cause they are lazy . but the corporation pays a hard worker less than what you think they should be paid then you demonize them. You should be advocating for individual freedoms and then the people can give freely of their own will to the poor and less fortunate. Thats what Jesus wanted for each of us to give freely to others to value people less than money. Liberty and freedom will bring some giving freely and some hoarding greedily because sin is rampant in this world thats what Jesus meant when he said the poor will always be here because he knew we humans could never car for others selflessly like he commanded us to. My final comment before i let you all tear me apart with your disagreement is that Government is not the answer to our social ills Jesus is we need to pray and be active in our communities but big government programs is not the answer it's people helping people if each one of us help one person everyday it might get better.
Roger – thanks for your honesty. My main question for you, is have you taken the time to study history? Do you understand how most worldwide poverty is related to years of oppression through colonialism and racism. Most white westerners are successful only because we have no problem using others and keeping them in poverty so we can gain. Of course there is sin and greed in this world – it would be naive to not admit that. Of course the government isn't the only answer to solving these problems. But it is just as naive to think that success comes from hard work when most people in poverty work far harder than most rich people I know. And it is naive to believe that anyone has the ability to succeed if they just get over their poor mindset – there are systemic injustices both historical and present that make it impossible for that to occur. So even if you want to completely ignore the command to love our neighbor, it would be helpful if you at least attempted to understand the actual causes of poverty.
I'm an atheist, and once had a Christian tell me that she was glad that she wasn't an atheist, because if she thought that her actions were responsible for changing the world, and thought about how many suffering people she could help by giving away all her money, and dedicating her life to helping people, she would have to do it. I agreed that that was a compelling argument, and one that I didn't live up to, but asked how the situation was different for her. She explained that she knew that God had a plan for everyone, including the people who were suffering, and that God's plan for her didn't involve her giving away all her money. That always stuck in my head as the most creative possible twist on the "atheists are inherently immoral" argument.
I understand that world wide poverty in other nations is caused by some imperial master who has kept those people in that case. I don't dispute that fact. i also know that in the USA for the better part of our 200 hundred year history we have kept people under the thumb of the rich for them to get richer and the poor stay poor. So let me make myself clear I feel that in the past 25 years in this country if you are poor and impoverished it's because you have not applied yourself or are lazy citizens and non citizens if they apply them self and are disciplined would not ever need a social program that the government offers. however they get wrapped into this pigeon hole society mindset that because they are black Mexican American Indian or any other oppressed race they can't succeed in white America this is no longer white America any one from any race can be successful if they put their mind to it
In my original statement I said Christianity is people helping people maybe that did not translate to you "lover your Neighbor" But in my mind it does if every one helped their neighbor daily this would be a better world. But just as a child needs tough love so does adults sometime the best results come from those who see no safety net available they must be successful on their own or die. i am ex military and i know what team work is I also know the team can only carry you so far you must put into the mission to get out of the mission alive same goes with life. I love my neighbor everyday I care for my fellow man i pray for my enemies both foreign and domestic I pray for President I pray for the poor I give to the poor i even sponsor a 5 year old Chinese girl Because i understand my money is really Gods money I don't worship money I also don't want the government telling me that i have to give my money to something i oppose or is sinful ………Sorry if i was long winded but I stand for liberty and freedom because you will answer to God for your choices no government should take the place of the creator
Autumnal Harvest, I respect you for being an atheist. It takes a lot to have faith in a creator I think it takes more faith to believe there is no God. that is the only difference i think there are plenty of moral people who believe there in no God or even worship Satan
Roger – as a Christian I don't believe in the same myth of the rugged individual that you do. I'm part of the body of Christ and will choose to live that way, even when that means caring for others, fighting racism and injustice, and when my neighbor is hungry, thirsty, or sick doing something to take care of her no matter what.
Ok so what your saying is that i am not part of the body of Christ because i choose to help the individual become independent and self sufficient of man and to depend on what God has given gifts to them to be successful . Once again you have chosen to make someone co-dependent on man and not on God I am dependent on God and my own abilities given by God to be successful. I believe everything is possible through God who strengthens me. To you that is a myth your verse would sound like this you are as strong as the person who helps you . This caused what we have right now a generation of people who's only concern is what can someone give me …….Unlike the generations before us who were go getter's who built this country up with God given intellect and talent . You ask what can the next person get me and with whom may i make dependent on me. Jesus did miracles based on faith remember even the touch of his garment healed a woman who had faith. If you only have faith that the man down the street will help you then where and how strong is your faith in Jesus for help. We should be teaching the unfortunate souls of this world about Jesus and his gifts he has given us and teaching them to use them gifts.
Loving others and being a community is hard work, something we often forget in our race to be self-sufficient. When people are using their gifts, working insanely hard and still not making it, then we have to ask why. What evils are in the way of their freedom and wellbeing?
Am I helping end those evils or am I helping those evils continue? Telling people to work harder is easy, but naive. It demonstrates that you don't know people, their story, or the history of economics, slavery, oppression, colonialism and racism. Ending injustice takes work, it takes compassion, and it takes sacrifice. That is what I am not seeing in most areas of the church.
Julie, very brave of you to tackle this topic. I often tell people that as American we forget how much we have adapted Christianity to fit out culture. We read scripture through a very American lens. Look at how we do hula hoops to reinterpret Acts 4:32-37 to fit our cultural expectations. Or reinterpret JC's healing and feeding of poor people. My own personal take is that if we're going to read scripture literally, we need to read the whole of scripture that way (not just the verses that fit our politics and culture) and if we do that i think we should bring back greeting each other with a Holy Kiss (with tongue for extra excitement!)
I always tell people that will listen that i think one of the biggest heresies to infect the American church is American Conservative Politics. One of your responders made this point (inadvertently) very clear. To assume that people can succeed in America if they wanted to is the Horatio Algers myth taken to its extreme. The reality is quite different, and to espouse that ideology is contrary to scripture. But that's a really ugly discussion that should be saved for a book. Though i did attempt to tackle it on my wee blog.
Kudo's for your courage here's a link to another courageous blogger: http://natlowe.com/