What we can learn from the Hillary vs. Barack saga

DISCLAIMER: While spurred on by today's political climate, this post is much more about cultural/social shifts.  And Jesus of course.

Yesterday on NPR my wife and I were listening to some of the commentary surrounding the democratic convention.  This was just after the first night and Michelle Obama's speech and folks were in full pundit mode around the issues of gender, sexism and the political landscape.  DNC, night #2, was to have Hillary Rodham Clinton on the stage so folks were all a flitter about what she would do, what would be her tone, would she be able to be part of some healing of the Democratic party.

By the time this post goes live, we will know. 
Some will be impressed, others will not.
Come on people, lets give her a break.  Seriously.

Still, I love to play armchair political analyst as much as the other person, and I certainly have my thoughts about both Hillary and Obama, their respective roles in the party, politics and world, but there was one thing that was said that really drew a distinction for me.

One of the analysts when addressing a caller that was mad that Hilary didn't run her campaign "as a woman" and was trying deny her womanhood,  responded basically, "If Barack can run as a post-race candidate, why can't Hilary run as a post-feminist one?"  Almost in unison, my wife and I responded with a "Because she isn't a post-feminist person."

Now this is not a dig on Hillary or a kudo for Barack - and yes, I am on a first name basis with both of them - but an illustration of the worldview shift that is creating so much anxiety right now, a factor that I believe trumps ideology and/or theology.    Much like in Kelly Goff's Book about generational shifts, what we are seeing in this interaction is the shift in power and influence between a generation that was formed by the days of the civil rights movement and those who's political consciousness has been formed since then.  In the days of civil rights and in some ways, the cold war mentality, there were clearly defined "us" and "them" postures.  We knew who the enemy was, we knew who our friends were and we all, conservative or liberal, were rabidly loyal and willingly stayed in those boxes.  Regardless of how bloody the fight got, we knew the lines and we never crossed them.  Loyalty to the platform required us to buy the whole package.  Step outside of that and you were no longer playing the game as it was always played.  Appreciate the perspective of or interact with the "enemy" and your loyalty to the cause was called into question.  Act outside of perceived norms of gender, class or race and you were a sell-out, no longer "x" enough to be part of the "in" crowd.

I do believe the tables are turning.  Not only is the next generation breaking all those rules, but they are not feeling guilty about it at all.  Their worldview is different, their vernacular about justice is difference, the way they see the future is different, the way they interact across previously uncrossable lines is different.  In fact - gasp - they are embracing the possibilities that can come out of a new way of seeing the world.  And now it looks as if this way of being will dictate the ways in which politics will be run for the next decades.

As I have said before, this is not just a new way of DOING things, this is an entirely different way to see the world and to be part of a community.  At least two groups - modern and postmodern if you will - and the degrees within them, are not even speaking the same language.  One group is speaking Czechoslovakian and the other is speaking some dialect from the Philippines.  Both use their voices and words, but neither has any idea what the other is saying.   No wonder there is tension, anxiety and downright animosity between the two. And no wonder it is easier to fight over other things, important as they may be, rather than to look at deeper, more complex cultural shifts.

Hmmmm . . . sound like the church much?

While it may manifest itself in different ways, we too, mainline denominational institutions, are struggling with this blurring of traditional lines of community, institutions, loyalty and solidarity.  This development is throwing the institutional church into a time of actual anxiety and perceived disarray.  We may not always get to the level of the political arena - okay yes we do - but we have this little common denominator that will help us get through it.

Jesus.

What then shall we do? 

Open our eyes.

I think one thing we must do is to begin to acknowledge that this shift is indeed happening and stop trying to control, confine and otherwise limit this wonderful and amazing church that gathers around a common covenant in Christ.   No one is saying that we should embrace everything that culture embraces and succumb to relativism, but if we are not able to acknowledge and reflect upon cultural and social shifts how will we ever be able to faithfully discern that which we embrace and that which must stand against?

Quite simply, if we do not come to grips with the fact that the world is changing around us and we are losing - or have lost - our relevance and impact, we cheapen our response to the amazing grace that God gives to the world. 

And lest we blame "the other" - take your pick: liberal, conservative, urban, suburban, mega, elitists, institutionalists, congregationalists, etc. - again, this is about worldview and not theological position.  In fact, if we continue to resist the idea that many are stretching hands across those traditional battle lines, those of us who know only too well how to exist within said lines are doomed to wander further into irrelevance.

I do not want to go there.  Does anyone really?

Wow, this post has turned far more ranty that I had intended, but therein lies my passion and excitement about the church.  We are at an amazing and tumultuous time in the life of the world and the church.  Lets take it head on, lets be open to what may be, stand against what should be denied and boldly walk into the future knowing that we have not avoided the storm ahead, but have been the peace-filled and non-anxious presence that Christ has called and joined us to be.

Peace out!

Comments

[Shawn Coons]

Bruce I'm guessing you've seen the letter recently written from a group of younger evangelical students at Fuller seminary that was addressed to the current (and older) leaders of the evangelical groups in the PC(USA). In it the students state that they may not see recent GA events as the "fault line" that older evangelicals do, and they emphasize some other areas of faithful discipleship that are more important to them (environment, poverty, etc.).

I find this sentiment is also echoed on the "other" side. I think us younger liberal-ish types are less likely to officially align ourselves with groups like the Covenant Network and the Witherspoon Society - not because we disagree with them but because we aren't willing to see the party platforms in black and white, or to polarize ourselves that much.

[Bruce Reyes-Chow]

Yes, great letter from those folks and I think you are RIGHT on in regards to the more liberal folks as well. I wonder if they would agree that the platform is black and white?

[Mark]

This is your editor speaking. Hillary Clinton's first name has two L's. Sir Edmund has only one.

BTW - great post.

And Shawn - I'm right with you.

[Bruce Reyes-Chow]

Mark - Thanks, changed. Sorry Hillary fans. My bad. Hope you are well. - Bruce

[Mark Baker-Wright]

Shawn,

I'm at Fuller, and so I probably know at least second-hand what's being discussed, but I'm not sure if I've actually seen the letter myself. Do you have a link?

Bruce,

Great post. This one should have gone on the "meme" if only it had been written before the meme started.

[Shawn Coons]

Blogged the letter:

http://www.igeekrev.com/?p=172

[Mark Baker-Wright]

Thank you. I was (obviously) not involved in the composition of this letter, but I can safely say I agree with the spirit behind it.

[stushie]

As an old decrepit dinosaur, I have the following observations, political and theological.

The pundits are saying that the changes that Obama wants will never transpire because the young people will register, but not vote. I've heard this argument amongst my republicans friends, but I'm hoping that they're proved wrong.

The same applies to the church. Young people are wanting the church to change, but they're not as committed to the week-to-week structure. They want to go off and do their own thing. I've heard some seniors in my congregation say that - I again hope that they're wrong and that young people stand in line, enthusiastically waiting to carry the torch and take hold of the reins of leadership.

I also hope that us dinosaurs are ready to hand them over when that "kairos" moment arrives in each of our churches. The church that I serve is undergoing a new wave of young families taking up leadership and we are re-emerging.

[Bruce Reyes-Chow]

Stushie - Yes, not surprised. I think that folks HOPE that this actually happens then folks can say, "See." But I think there are two issues/groups to think about:

1) The folks who are part of this new worldview are ALREADY part of the church: pastors, elders, etc. The challenge for them now that they have now in some way, with my symbolic election, been given permission to talk about new ways of being church. Time to actually step up and out!

2) Those church folks who have not been invited to be a part of the church in helpful ways. These are folks who are tangentially part of the church but have had their interest peaked by some of the things that have been happening as of late.

And while I appreciate the "dinosaurs" who are making room for and mentoring those who are coming up. I am in that weird place right in the middle, 40'ish. Not really the young turk any more but not ready to move on.

Thanks for your continued encouragement.

[Becky]

Hi Bruce-- great post. I totally agree about Barack and Hillary. It's a generational thing. And it's incredibly exciting-- what a wonderful time for the church to be reformed in a more Christ-like manner! Could we truly move away from corporate-structure, top-down, numbers-oriented, homogeneous, stifling, conformist clubs, and instead to being communities following Jesus?
And here's the even tougher question-- then would I have to get a real job?
(only somewhat kidding . . .)

[Mark Baker-Wright]

stushie,

Young people are wanting the church to change, but they're not as committed to the week-to-week structure. They want to go off and do their own thing.

I hear a lot of folks say this, and I don't dispute the current lack of commitment, especially among younger people. But I wonder if it might be more productive to think less in terms of "they don't want to what they see the church doing, because they want to do their own thing," (as if the blame is all on young people and their priorities) and more in terms of "how can we help younger people to see that what the church is doing is something they could want to adopt as 'their own thing,' as well?"

Just a thought.

[Bruce Reyes-Chow]

Becky - to your last comment, I do think that one of the realities that we have to confront is the nature of professional clergy. Oh now we are just asking for trouble ;-)

Mark - Good questions! Bruce

[Mark]

Stushie and Mark B-W:

Perhaps the real question is:
Are we (the older crowd, well maybe not me) willing to adjust what we do today in order to be accommodating to some degree to young people?

I'm not talking about major changes, but I am worried that older folks are assuming that young people are opting out AND the older people are also refusing to change. That's a bit like saying that because kids aren't playing Kick the Can, they aren't playing.

The answer isn't young people doing their own thing (though without change, that's what will happen). The answer is older folks and younger folks working together to make something that works for all. That requires bending a bit by both sides.

[Jeff Light]

Hey Bruce, I do think it is an institutional issue, not a theological one. I am coming to the conclusion that almost all parties are most inclined to isogesis rather than exogesis both biblically and theologically. People tend to read into their theology their own world views. One way this comes across is a trend of the institutional church "doing all the wrong things for all the right reasons."

[Bruce Reyes-Chow]

Jeff - I think you are correct, but how do we get away from that when I fear that we are ALL doing it. How do we get out of the water when we are all fish, knowing that doing so might cause our own death?