Few but All

Over the last year, things have come to light in a number of ministries and churches around the country. Ugly things, damaging things, hurtful things.  Most are examples of power used in inappropriate and horrific ways, most with some skewed biblical justification.

To say I am frustrated by all of this is a vast understatement.

The institution of the Church has let down the Body of Christ time and time again. It has let down His good creation and all of humanity. It has let God down. It's sad. It's heartbreaking. It's wrong. And all of this makes me want to throw my hands up in the air and scream out 'Why can't you see what you're doing?!? Why can't you admit you're wrong?!? Why can't you give yourself up for another?!?'  Abraham Heschel writes:

'Few are guilty, but all are responsible. If we admit that the individual is in some measure conditioned or affected by the spirit of society, an individual’s crime discloses society’s corruption.'

After encountering this, it finally dawned on me - all of those 'it's' and 'wrongs' apply to me as well. For I am a product of this corrupt system.  I have been a part of beautiful communities that were started with hope and love that are now lead through fear and control when doubt and opposition arise.   I have played my part in allowing leadership of these institutions to crush any question to their motive because I have allowed them to crush my questions. Though I would like to say that I am free of guilt, but I have allowed these things to continue on.

I am guilty.

Cultures of fear have taken root.  It's seeds are easy to see and it all feels hopeless. And it is hopeless unless we all come to grips with the role we have played.  We must actually repent - for true repentance requires a complete reversal in the way our lives are lived.  Living in a manner where we are no longer indifferent but remembering we have a choice and we choose to do the right thing - no matter how hard it may be or the consequence.

So we must challenge our leaders. We must call on them to account for their actions - to turn from oppression and to set the people free. We must call on them to repent, to change, to step down if necessary.

We must challenge each other. We must call our communities, not to some moral high ground, but to lives laid out to and for the world. To stand up against any form of oppression, hate, and violence we encounter regardless on if it is Christian or not but rather remembering that this is the life we have been called into.

We must challenge ourselves to repent. To no longer deny that all of this hate and fear are present in us and that we must also let go and step down where necessary.  We must be a people where we elevate the other, rather than protect ourselves. Heschel continues:

'In community not indifferent to suffering, uncompromisingly impatient with cruelty and falsehood, continually concerned for God and every man, crime would be infrequent rather than common.'

May we repent.

I repent.