I remember an epiphany I had while sitting in class one day when I was attending seminary. For me, seminary was mostly a grind so these moments of illumination were not common. We were discussing the church serving as a missional agent of change in human history. The professor asked a question, which wasn’t even his main point, but it struck me like a thunderbolt. He asked, what about the times when God has worked outside the church to bring about needed social change? It struck me because I had always had this suspicion that God’s work for justice and social transformation – or what can be best termed liberation – did not always come through the church. I had seen all too many times Christians who loudly proclaimed their faith while actively working against the realization of God’s justice and love on earth.

As I read and reflected more on this since then I have come to understand that my suspicions were well-founded. Sociologist Christian Smith wrote in his excellent book, Disruptive Religion, that throughout history the church has been both the greatest purveyor of oppression and injustice and the greatest force for the realization of love and liberation in the world. (p. 1) Indeed, as has been seen in the abolition movement, the civil rights movement, the worker rights movement, the farmworker movement, and so many more struggles for justice, the church is both actively engaged in upholding an unjust status quo while small numbers of Jesus’ followers are deeply incarnated and working in solidarity with those directly impacted by injustice. It is quite often the case that the institutional church benefits from and so upholds systemic injustice, often despite empty institutional statements, while small groups of people within the church, radicalized by their relationships among those on society’s margins, take Jesus’ teachings seriously and work towards actualizing his teachings on earth. 

Of course, we see this right now as many if not most of donald trump’s most passionate followers are evangelical Christians. Indeed, some of my former closest friends – friends who were in my wedding and whose wedding I was in – are firm believers that trump has been chosen by God and is doing God’s work. Last year, when ICE and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) began to join forces here in DC to abduct and kidnap DC residents creating terror in DC communities, I reached out to these evangelical friends to tell them what was happening and to ask them to pray for us and to share with their congregants about the terror that was being caused to so many. I had hoped that because of our friendship, they would have responded in love. They did not. Instead of responding compassionately and in a spirit of solidarity, they accused me of bringing politics into our relationship and one even said he was glad to see action being taken to rid cities of crime. These friends, once brothers of mine, are simply doing what so much of the church is doing these days, especially the evangelical church: they are either actively or indirectly supporting the injustices and corruption of this administration. It is so unfathomable to me, but it is true. 

On the other hand, most mainline denominations are moderately progressive and so they decry the obvious and most outlandish behavior of this administration, but their statements are simply words on a page as the denominations refuse to invest in resources to organize their people to make those words come to life. Denominational structures more often reflect unchecked capitalism and oppressive social, economic, and political hierarchies rather than transforming society’s obsession with wealth and power by modeling the Kingdom of God’s focus on service, love, and the passionate pursuit of justice for others ahead of our own. 

The United Methodist Church recently put out a call to its members to join them in DC to witness against this administration and the Republican Congress’ policies of state-sponsored terror against immigrants. Hundreds of United Methodists poured into the nation’s capital overwhelming the poorly planned gathering which, from every account I have heard, ended up being confusing and having way less impact than was possible. But beyond just poor management of the event, those attending went home with absolutely no plan for follow up; no plan to weave those who participated from all over the country together into long-lasting and supportive networks. There was no plan to take what could have been a significant moment – a beginning moment in the effort to build a movement among United Methodists to protect and defend the rights of immigrants. Instead, it was yet another time for denominational big-wigs to give sermons and make statements. This was a lost moment. 

Whether it is the betrayal of Jesus’ teachings by evangelicals or the misuse of gifts by mainlines, if there ever was a time when God is unable to achieve God’s ends through the established church, it is right now. 

So, what can God do when so many people who proclaim supposedly historically orthodox doctrines at the very same time use their power to further subjugate, dehumanize, and oppress people and all of God’s creation? Could it be that the doctrinal statements, theological tenants, and denominational structures that are all too often the center of our focus have so little to do with what God is truly focused on? If it is true that God’s redemptive and liberative work in the world is not limited to the work of the church; if there is even the remotest particle of truth in this premise, then should we rightly redirect much if not most of our energy from word-smithing statements, debating every word of theological treatises, and planning our next denominational power move and instead, pour ourselves into what Jesus directly commanded us to do: loving God and loving others? 

I think the answer to all of these questions is overwhelmingly yes. And for those who truly struggle for social transformation, for those incarnated among those directly impacted by injustice, the question of who can be used by God based on what creed they might belong to is simply ludicrous. I remember when I was in the seminary doctoral program I was asked by my mentor to co-teach a course on Urban Anthropology. During one of the classes when I was presenting we got into a discussion about whether urban churches should be in coalition with non-Christian faith communities. The class seemed to be coming to the conclusion that churches should not work closely with non-Christian communities unless they were evangelizing them and some even questioned if they should work with churches that did not hold to orthodox theologies. I let them discuss openly and freely and they inevitably asked me what I thought and I told them that if you see someone you love drowning, you do not ask the person who can throw them a flotation device whether they hold to orthodox Christian beliefs or not. You just hope they have compassion for your friend! 

And yes, for this comment, someone went to my mentor and complained to them that I was promoting other non-Christian beliefs! God forbid that our theological inclinations obscure our recognition of sincere love and care for people. Too often we are like the disciples in Mark and Luke’s gospels who, when they saw someone they did not know showing compassion to others, told Jesus to rebuke them because they were not in their group! Jesus rebuked the disciples then and I believe he is rebuking the established church now. When our theological absolutes and denominational allegiances blind us from seeing authentic love and compassion being directed towards others in need then we have left the way that Jesus is walking. 

But if you are in deep relationship with someone, or with a community of people, who are having their lives destroyed by the federal government, or a corporation, or some group of powers that are working to dehumanize people, then you frankly don’t give a damn if the person locking arms in solidarity with you shares your theological tenets or not. What you need are those willing to be in solidarity; willing to use their access to resources to gain that same access to those same resources for those whose access has been restricted or denied. 

I believe this is the essence of advocacy. I believe this is the essence of what Jesus did for the whole world through his life and teachings. And therefore, I believe that when we do this holy work we become the conduit for God’s Spirit to work through us. And I don’t think the Spirit gives much thought to what we believe or what position we occupy.