The Way of Jesus in a Divided Nation

In a conversation with some of my college students this past week, as we were discussing the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination, we ended up talking about the increased prevalence of “rage baiting”.  If you haven’t heard the term, it refers to the online tactic of posting provocative and inflammatory content to elicit strong emotional responses and create division.  Along with the social media algorithms that create online silos and echo-chambers, rage baiting engenders an environment where anger, hatred, and the demonization of political opponents are normalized. The deep divisions that already exist are being exacerbated by these online practices. In such an environment, whatever the specific issues may be, any attempts at respectful debate and dialogue seem almost out of reach.

What are we, as people who are trying to follow the Way of Jesus, to do in such a divided and contentious time in our nation's history?  I found my way back to an article that was first written as votes were still being counted in the 2020 election. It was written by Professor of Theology Kristen Deede Johnson. It seems even more relevant today than it did then. Building on Carmen’s very good suggestions in last week’s newsletter, I share Dr. Johnson's suggestions:

• Take the long view – “…we ought to find it encouraging that Christians like Augustine have lived through political turmoil [the Fall of Rome] in their earthly cities and have been able to retain their hope in Christ the King.”

• Listen to each other’s stories (in all their complexity) – “This involves slowing down to learn more about the stories behind the 'characters' that are presented to us as either wholly right or wholly wrong within our current cultural scripts.  It includes having the humility to listen and to learn from others and about others, rather than assuming we know.  It will also involve taking the time to widen our sources.  As we often hear now, the sources we each regularly consult tend to tell and reinforce certain stories and interpretations."

• When we disagree, go deeper – “How can we continue to embody the way of Jesus even when we encounter disagreements?  One answer lies in going deeper.  Recognizing that we live in a time of deep difference, can we be intentional about going deep ourselves to try to understand what’s beneath the disagreements we are encountering?”

• Keep politics in (their) proper place – “Our hope does not lie in a particular president or political party.  Our hope does not depend upon any certain outcome in an election.  Our hope lies in Jesus Christ, and only in Christ can this hope be firm and secure as an anchor for the soul.”

I encourage you to read all of Dr. Johnson's article, which you can find here.

Yours in Christ,

Kevin+