In 1951, Samuel Lubell invented the concept of the political solar system. At any moment, he wrote, there is a Sun Party (the majority party, which drives the agenda) and a Moon Party (the minority party, which shines by reflecting the solar rays).Brooks goes on to theorize that we don't have a "Sun Party" today. Both political parties are equal.
In these circumstances, both parties have developed minority mentalities. The Republicans feel oppressed by the cultural establishment, and Democrats feel oppressed by the corporate establishment. They embrace the mental habits that have always been adopted by those who feel themselves resisting the onslaught of a dominant culture.
Their main fear is that they will lose their identity and cohesion if their members compromise with the larger world. They erect clear and rigid boundaries separating themselves from their enemies. In a hostile world, they erect rules and pledges and become hypervigilant about deviationism. They are more interested in protecting their special interests than converting outsiders. They slowly encase themselves in an epistemic cocoon.Sometimes we take a path in life and then we watch our behaviors change. Other times we look at behaviors and recognize we have changed paths. I am looking at the behaviors of the church of Jesus Christ, and what I see is a path reflecting two moons. I am not sure what the moons are, but I'm thinking churches are caught up in reflecting each other.
Churches apparently fear a "[loss of] identity and cohesion if their members compromise with the larger world" so scientific understandings of why people are gay are ignored and condemnation practiced for their "choice" of lifestyle...then attempts to exclude them from church...then, exclusion of anyone who doesn't exclude them...and so on....This also holds for ordination of women, literal interpretation of the Bible, and other issues.
Fear leads to erecting clear and rigid boundaries separating themselves from their enemies...their perceived enemies...all those they decide are their enemies. The fellowship group...the churches moving to other denominations...ones perceived to be on the "right side" of the issue. Conservative churches, progressive churches, white churches, black churches...we choose our side and dig in our heels.
If a church doesn't leave the denomination as their attempt to define boundaries, they get really concerned about "rules and pledges and become hypervigilant about deviationism." One church I know gives their inquirers a list of questions that they must answer correctly before they can be approved. Most of those questions aren't studied until our second year of seminary. Many focused on controversial issues that if answered "wrong" would disqualify a person from approval. All this for what is supposed to be a process of "beginning to explore a call to ministry." Fear insists that no one who "deviates" in the slightest from what the church has determined "orthodoxy" can be allowed to serve as a minister of Word and Sacrament.
Churches more interested in protecting their special interests than converting outsiders? That speaks for itself. Encased in an epistemic cocoon? Totally concerned about what they think...what is "right and wrong"...a tightly wrapped enclosure of correct beliefs and thoughts...determined completely by the organization. What would Jesus do? I think do is the operative word. Jesus might stick around to challenge the status quo. He might ask us if we are feeding hungry, clothing naked, bring the Kingdom of God into our here and now. Or he might just shake the dust off his sandals and leave the American church to its own insanity.
As a child, I was taught that we "Christians" didn't shine our own light, we reflected the light of God. We did a lot of Bible study to understand who God was, especially God in Jesus, so that we could know who we were supposed to be...so that we could reflect God's light in the world. And if we are looking at Jesus to understand who God is and how we are expected to live, we see loving our neighbor as ourselves as our highest priority...and no exclusions apply. We don't get to love only the straight, the conservative, the progressive, the nice. We are invited into the difficulty of being and living together, seeking the path that invites people into the Kingdom. That requires Bible study together. That requires patience and struggle. Most of all, that requires us to let go of fear...to let God be God.
As we begin the Advent season, we cry out to God to fix us. Things have to be better. Things used to be better. So we are looking forward to this little baby to come. We love Christmas. That little baby fits neatly into our lives...sweet, cuddly, not threatening, not demanding. We are so desperate for help that we hurry Christmas...singing a token Advent hymn but including Christmas music so we don't have to stay in the dark places.
Perhaps the gift of Advent--the search for hope in despair, life in death--is the practice of not giving in to the fear that inevitably arises when we pause in the darkness. But as much as we would like the baby Jesus to be our Sun, it's the adult Jesus that teaches us what we need to do to reflect the light of God. We can't lay around and look cute and expect people to come in and commit. We have to live in a different way...a difficult way that requires everything of us.
The world needs a sun. The world needs a Son.
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