I asked for, and received, a subscription to Christianity Today for Christmas. I’m very glad I did, because I find it thought-provoking, uplifting and–especially this month–a good source for blog articles. At the risk of turning this blog into “One Woman’s Commentary On Each Issue Of CT”, I confess that I have yet another blog entry inspired by yet another shocking thing I read.
“Where’s the message of Jesus in all this social gospel stuff? The answer lies in the life story of David Miller. [Former Marine member of ACT UP and a suffer of AIDS for 20 years, now a Christian. Miller asked Rick Warren where the church was when Miller needed help.] Rick responded by asking for forgiveness, saying “I’m sorry for all the hurt and pain that has ever been caused to you in the name of Christians or Christ.”
–Kay Warren, “Wiping Out HIV”
As a Christian Libertarian, I find myself frequently a more vocal proponent of what some call “Social Gospel” and others call “Pinko Liberal Commie Collectivist Bull.” I believe that Christ has called his Church to minister to the Least of these, an umbrella which includes everyone from those stricken with AIDS to those who live next door to you and are too busy at work to mow their lawn. Where I differ from many folks is that I believe the Social Gospel is absoluletly not to be confused with political socialism and active redistribution of wealth through forced means such as taxation. We as a church are supposed to do the going us therefore into all the world on our own. But of course, I’ve said this before and there’s nothing new in that idea.
Christians preaching the Social Gospel are getting a lot more coverage these days because they make a good counterpoint story to the media’s portrayal of the Evangelicals as hamstrung prudes who hate sex, dancing and all babies the minute they are out of the womb. Folks like Rick Warren who stand to make a lot of coin off attracting people to the Gospel have a vested interest in making Church look attractive. In the words of a marketing pro, they’ve got to massage their brand a little. Oftentimes I read or hear what Warren, Osteen and other Professional Branded Gospel folks say and it comes out sounding like a commercial for their book or their church’s offering plate. “We’re not like those other Christians! Buy my book and see!”
Of course, I’m probably ascribing motives to them which exist only in my mind, and for that I’m sorry. But when I read a statement like the one Rick Warren made to David Miller I can only shake my head in wonder.
I, too, am very sorry for the pain Mr. Miller (and countless others) have experienced in the name of Christianity. It’s a terrible thing to think that something which brings me such joy and peace has been used to cause others shame and suffering. But to ask forgiveness on behalf of all other Christians is prideful beyond measure.
I’ve written about this before, and I’ve argued with friends over the matter on many occasions. But when I see someone like Rick Warren saying “Please forgive me for all of the sins committed against you” I see that person taking on sins they did not commit.
Only one person in history has ever enjoyed that unique burden. For anyone else to do so is for that person to climb upon the cross of Christ and take the mantle of Saviour upon himself–a mantle none of us have come close to qualifying for.
That’s the problem many Christians have with the Social Gospel, and that’s the danger I see whenever we address it amongst ourselves. It’s very easy to make yourself feel like a Super Christian. There is no small amount of “look at how great I am as I’m here feeding these widows and orphans and hugging all these poor emaciated AIDS victims!! I’m doing just what Jesus commanded!” Buried silently within the same mind is the equal thought that all those who AREN’T at the Widow’s Soup Kitchen And AIDS Hospice are falling short of Jesus’ mandate. It’s an insidious way in which Satan uses our good works to cause judgment and dissention within the Church. Any way you look at it, it’s pride–the personal sin of Lucifer.
Kay Warren concludes her essay with a very good thought:
Our task is to make the invisible God visible. By opening our arms in acceptance, by being his hands and feet, we make him visible.
As long as we don’t confuse making God visible with becoming God, I think we’re on the right track. Otherwise we run the huge risk of ruling in hell rather than serving in heaven. Like that other guy who made the same mistake.
Well, in fairness, it was the author who asserted that that Rick Warren was personally asking for forgiveness. Based on the quote, Rick simply said he was sorry in the same way you did here.
I understand your discomfort, Kat. But I think Dolphin is right here. “I’m sorry that this was done to you” is very different from “I take on myself the burden/sin of this having been done to you.” When I was young, my mother was so busy trying to protect me in an abusive situation that she (relatively) neglected my sisters. And I have told them with complete sincerity that I’m sorry they lost out on a lot of the cool things about her, but I don’t apologize for the overall situation, because it wasn’t my doing.
The part that raised alarm bells for me was where Kay Warren (Rick’s wife) said “Rick responded by asking for forgiveness.”
There are two types of “I’m sorry.” One is a passive regretfulness and the other is an active attempt to remedy a wrong. I read Kay Warren’s wording of “asking forgiveness” as an implication that Warren meant his “I’m sorry” to be the latter.
There’s a lot of this going on in the social gospel movement–active teaching that ambassadors for the gospel should apologise for the Holocaust, the Crusades, the Iraq War, etc.
These apologies are usually accompanied by a press release of some type as well a sort of tongue-clucking to the rest of the church who doesn’t pony up their apologies right alongside. What it essentially amounts to, in my view, is one Christian or a group of Christians throwing other Christians under the bus in order to score personal points of good favour with the person or persons receiving the apology.
That being said, the Pope’s apology to the Holocaust is slightly different and that’s why I titled this post in that way. The pope is named the head of his church and is considered God’s spokesman on earth. While I’m neither Catholic nor Protestant I understand the Pope’s role within his church and think that he has more official leeway to make such an apology. Warren, an Anabaptist like me, is given no authority on behalf of the Anabaptist brethren–let alone on behalf of Christianity in general. To ask for forgiveness for something you didn’t do is to take that sin upon yourself–and that’s something Warren is not authorised to do.