When Theological Treatises Are Not Enough Matthew 11:2-11
I love this passage from Matthew. John’s disciples ask Jesus “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" Jesus doesn't answer with a long theological treatise. Instead, Jesus tells the disciples to recount what they have seen with their own eyes: “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.”
There’s nothing wrong with talking or debating theology. In fact, I love talking about theology. But the reality is, often times the need to debate and argue is simply an exercise in clout chasing and inflating one’s ego.
When I first started deconstructing 17 years ago, I focused mainly on debating those who held onto the viewpoints I once held dear but had abandoned. I remember specifically, my college nemesis, who was part of the campus’ reformed Christian group. I was part of a different Christian group that was more progressive and inclusive. At first, my relationship with this guy was cordial, we weren’t best friends but we would talk occasionally.
But then it became clear that theologically we were on opposite ends of the theological spectrum. at first, he was willing to debate me, but once it became clear that I wasn’t going to change my mind, he began to abhor me. To be fair, the feeling was mutual. Before we completely avoided each other, our discussions turned into heated arguments.
Each of us declared ourselves to be the respective winners in these arguments and debates, but the reality nothing really was achieved. I didn’t change his mind and he didn’t change my mind. But there was something intoxicating about trying to prove I was right. I may have physically left Fundamentalist Christianity, but I was still imprisoned by the need to not only believe I was right, but prove it to others. My theology was changing on the intellectual level but my mindset was still firmly rooted in fundamentalism.
And to be blunt, I still see quite a few progressive Christians who have in theory left fundamentalist theology behind, but whose mindset is still warped by the need to be “right” and to gain a platform. Just like when they were fundamentalist Christians, their ultimate end goal is to sell themselves, though the veneer of altruism has changed: instead of trying to “save souls,” they are simply trying to let more people know about progressive and inclusive theology. Except, the methods they use: debating, constantly rehashing the same old arguments with the same old giants of evangelicalism, is more an exercise in clout chasing and selling a brand (themselves) than it is about really trying to spread Good News.
Don’t get me wrong, we can and should speak out against harmful theologies, but we can do that without centering and platforming the very people whose theologies are killing and harming people. The only reason to center these violent voices by inviting them onto your platform or going onto theirs is if one cares more about building one’s own platform and ensuring that one can sell themselves to more people. This is rooted in the selfishness and lack of a healthy and authentic community common in Fundamentalist Christianity.
This tweet encapsulates the issues with Progressive Christians who haven’t quite left their Fundamentalist mindset behind:
So what am I suggesting? Am I saying to ignore harmful theology? Of course not, as Christians we need to speak out against harmful theology. We need to preach the good news: of a queer loving God who stands with the marginalized and oppressed. We need to push back against the idea that being a Christian means being anti-queer, anti-trans, and anti-reproductive rights. But maybe, instead of focusing all our time and energy on creating platforms that center on debating those who teach harmful theology, we focus on developing the type of fruit that brings life.
There’s a difference between teaching and debating. Debating platforms and often legitimizes, intentionally or not, toxic theology. Teaching points out why said theology is harmful, why it kills, and it also uplifts the voices of the marginalized. We confuse the two at our peril.
Jesus invites us to be liberated from the mindset of Fundamentalism. Not just letting go of specific theological ideas that are harmful and have very little Biblical or historical basis, but also to let go of the need to center ourselves and the need to platform those with abhorrent theology in the name of debating them. Instead, Jesus invites us to bear the fruits that bring life.
When people tell me that my theology is rotten or that it is heretical and I am going to hell, sometimes pointing out the historical context of key Bible passages, does help get my point across. Teaching the historical context might be helpful but debating has very rarely yielded positive fruit for me. Nevertheless, just as important as providing important historical context to specific Bible verses is pointing out that the fruit Jesus provides is one of liberation and love. Any theology that doesn’t bring liberation should be viewed with suspicion.
Fundamentalist Christianity often preaches a theology based on self-loathing and the subjugation of others. Fundamentalist Christianity thrives only by putting down queer people, trans people, people from other faith traditions, people from other Christian traditions, and people of no faith.
Those of us who have left that form of Christianity often fall into the trap of thinking that our beautiful, theological treatises are enough. Don’t get me wrong, we should still write them, but if they aren’t accompanied by healing the wounded and bringing liberation to those imprisoned, and in uplifting the marginalized, then we aren’t preaching the good news.
Sometimes we Progressive Christians think that if we only outsmart fundamentalists people will see we are right, but we fail to realize two things: that rarely occurs and such thinking is anything but rooted in liberation and love. In fact, it is often fundamentalism wrapped in a progressive light.
Instead of trying to outsmart fundamentalists and engaging in endless debates with them, let’s demonstrate what it means to embrace the Good News of God’s radically inclusive love: let’s advocate for a more just and equitable world, let’s center and uplift the voices of those outside of the status quo, let’s prioritize bringing concrete acts of liberation to those around us.
Image: Orange background. Megaphone. Text: Announcement: we can and should speak out against harmful theologies, but we can do that without centering and platforming the very people whose theologies are killing and harming people.