Big Tent Christianity – A Place Without Fear
In about a month (Sept. 8-9), a national conference will take place in Raleigh, North Carolina, called Big Tent Christianity: Being and Becoming The Church. In the spirit of setting up revival tents to see where the Spirit is moving, this conference is gathering voices together to explore what it means to be the body of Christ – all of us under one big tent. And yes, I’ll be perfectly honest, there are a lot of Christian voices not represented (or woefully underrepresented) at this conference. I hope that at the conference the fact that not everyone is included under the big tent is humbly acknowledged. But the conversation is important nonetheless and holds the potential for helping the church as a whole embrace our diversity and differences.
This post is part of a Synchroblog meant to jumpstart the conversation regarding what this “big tent Christianity” looks like. Participants in this synchroblog were asked to reflect on – “what does “big tent Christianity” mean to you? What does it look like in your context? What are your hopes and dreams for the Church?” There are dozens of different ways I can think of to respond to those questions, but what really resonates the most with me is the idea that big tent Christianity holds no place for fear.
In Psalm 23, when David speaks of how God guides, protects, and comforts him, he mentions that God prepares a table for him in the presence of his enemies. This isn’t some twisted comfort through schadenfraude or mockery of others – this is being able to sit at a table with one’s enemies and share a meal in peace. This is an image of what it will be like in the New Heaven and the New Earth when the entire body of Christ sits down at the banquet table of the lamb. Unitarians and Baptists. Catholics and Fundamentalists. Emergents and Neo-reformed. We will all eventually sit next to each other in peace.
I don’t say that to imply that our differences are insignificant or our theologies unimportant, but to affirm that we have no reason to fear the presence of the other. We can exist under this tent together.
But all too often we avoid even listening to the voices of others for fear that they might corrupt us, or (worse) confuse us. We want to hold on so tightly to our little piece of the truth that we demonize everyone else and inoculate ourselves against their influence. So there are college students who are told (usually by their youth pastors) to stay far away from Bible and religion classes in college for fear that all that historical criticism will affect their faith. They fear any knowledge that might force them to change. Or there are the pastors who get fired from their church for having a book by an emergenty author on their shelves. Fear of new ideas creeping in shuts down the pursuit of knowledge or the ability to question. At our old church, we were taken to task for exposing the youth there to different Christian traditions because it might cause them to choose to be something other than Baptist. There was fear of anything but the known. And many fear listening to the voices of postcolonial, or liberation, or feminist theologians for fear these voices of the margins might challenge the way things have always been (as defined by one’s particular western tradition).
Instead of learning from each other and admitting that we all follow our own particular and highly imperfect cobbled-together streams of Christian tradition, we demonize each other out of fear. We make up words like heresy or syncretism to avoid having to actually listen to those around us. We have lost the ability to value what we value and yet still sit and break bread with those with whom we disagree. This Christianity looks like a bunch of small tents scattered across a plain, each trying to keep its distance from the other and to defend its territory at all costs.
So that’s why I love the idea of a big tent Christianity. It represents the place where we can come as we are (with beliefs fully intact yet held humbly) into a place where fear is banished and we can sit in peace with even our so-called enemies at the table of the Lord. It’s where we can be the body of Christ.
Trackbacks and Pingbacks
- Big Tent Christianity » Blog Archive » Big Tent Christianity Synchroblog
- Big Tent Synchroblog Aug 9-13
- Big Tent or Single Issue? | infinite subversive journey
- Kierkegaard on "What big tent Christianity is NOT" | Homebrewed Christianity
- Big Tent Synchroblog « Godspace
- Burnside Writers Collective » Blog Archive » Across the Universe – Friday, August 20
- Big Tents, small gods & Knotted Brides
julieclawson(at)gmail(dot)com 
Darn. I'm living in Raleigh at the moment, but I'll be in India during that time ><
Great post, Julie. Thanks so much for sharing your voice as part of this Synchroblog.
Great post, Julie. I think you nail it in your observation that fear keeps us in small, scattered tents.
Should we all wear our 'No Fear' t-shirts to the conference?
(I still own one. Shh)
Julie, thanks for calling it like it is! Fear is something that definitely keeps us scattered. I know for myself there was a period of time when I found those of different traditions were "scary" or just "wrong". It's been amazing as I have entered into dialogue with different folks how we are able to inform one another and shape our perspective of mission and even our own traditions.
It is not clear to me what you mean by "Big Tent Christianity" but it sounds as if you are saying that being a "Christian" in "Big Tent Christianty" is redefining "Christian." I understand that we all struggle with fears, that is the condition of humankind. However, people can disagree with a movement toward a watered down Christianity without being motivated by fear.
For example if football players disagreed with changing the game of football into a less violent game useing a round ball and no padded gear etc (basicly completely changing it into something others call soccer) no one would label the players protest a protest of fear. Most people would consider their protest reasonable… because the changes would change it into a completely different game.
Likewise saying we can all "sit together" under one tent is fine if that tent does not redefine what a Christian is. We already have hundreds of different denominations all "Christian" and all based on fundamental Biblical criteria. Each denomination is a representation of our differences as humans. The fundamentals are what all individuals must submit to or be in agreement with in order to be defined as "Christian".
If people do not want to submit to those beliefs they are free to embrace a different religion or faith or no faith at all. They can say I am a Muslim, or an Athiest or??…. and we can sit together for a meal…and we can be neighbors or friends but not all be covered by the same tent of "Christianity" none of us three would want that umbrella to define us as one.
The same is true of putting a Unitarian under the tent of Biblical Christianity. They do not embrace the fundamental truths so why would they want to be under the same tent? If Big Tent Christianity does not submit to Biblical truths then why call it Christianity… give it a name of its own because it is an entity all its own and leave Christianty just as it is. If someone does not like the beliefs they are not obligated to become a Christian. Why change Christianity?
We can live together on this planet in love and respect without changeing the Christian faith into something it is not. I am a follower of Christ. I love people, even those who dont love me because I am a fundamental. Even those who would rather I say that we are all going to heaven. But I can only say and believe what God says in His word. He said all are welcome and wanted with Him in eternity, but only those who accept the sacrafice of Jesus Christ will be there. Jesus said I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me… and scripture says that in the last days people will do what seems right in their own eyes… they will be lovers of self… they will call good, evil and evil, good….etc etc…
I stand firm on the word of God who loves us, and loves us enough to set clear boundaries
Thank you, Julie
Last month I posted something similar, commenting on political discourse in the U.S. Some radio and TV entertainers out there are driving fear in many Christian communities that we are being taken over by socialism. I said something like: 'News Flash! We are already a mixed economy, with plenty of socialist solutions to capitalist problems and capitalist solutions to socialist problems, etc.'
Christians often fear what they already often hold in common without even realizing it, I think. If we listened to each other we might discover that. Enjoy the conference and make some friends for the driving out of fear. God bless.
like this "Instead of learning from each other and admitting that we all follow our own particular and highly imperfect cobbled-together streams of Christian tradition, we demonize each other out of fear." Check out "True Believers" by Eric Hoffer from 1951—we always have a devil.
stupid
How is this relevant to the common and daunting issues facing mankind? What is purpose of Big Tent Christianity if these issues are not a central focus?
Julie – I've enjoyed reading all the posts in this synchroblog. You echoed my core thoughts about Big Tent Christianity when you said "I don’t say that to imply that our differences are insignificant or our theologies unimportant, but to affirm that we have no reason to fear the presence of the other. We can exist under this tent together."
I hope you are able to participate in the upcoming synchroblog "Christians and The Immigration Issue"
Here's the info:
CHRISTIANS AND THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE – 9/8/2010 (second Wednesday of the month) As Congress debates how to handle undocumented aliens already within U.S. borders and how to more effectively handle hopeful immigrants in the future, Christians will need to consider what it means to love these new neighbors in our midst.
Please email your name, name of blog, title of post and link to: Sonja Andrews at synchroblog@gmail.com by close of business CST on 9/7/2010 if you would like to be included in this synchroblog.
Here's a link to help keep up with monthly synchroblog themes and dates:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=150485758312726&ref=mf