Greenbelt christian identity

Christian
Identity
in a
Multi-Faith
World

CLENCHING
FIST

OR

OPEN HAND

We know how to
have
a STRONG-
HOSTILE
CHRISTIAN
IDENTITY.

We have the only way.
STRONG-
You are going to hell.
HOSTILE
We are God’s chosen.
You worship false gods.
resistance if futile.
you will be assimilated -
or eliminated.

We know how to
have

a weak-
benign
CHRISTIAN
IDENTITY.

it doesn’t matter what you
believe.
all religions are the same.
all roads lead to god.
only sincerity matters.
doctrines divide.
weak-benign
keep religion private.

strong-hostile
OR
weak-benign?

Or???

IDENTITIES
ARE
FORMED BY
Stories.

Ivan Illich (Austrian
former priest,
philosopher, social
critic, 1926-2002)

Neither revolution nor reformation
can ultimately change a society,
rather you must tell a new powerful
tale, one so persuasive that it sweeps
away the old myths and becomes the
preferred story …

… one so inclusive that it gathers all the
bits of our past and our present into a
coherent whole, one that even shines
some light into the future so that we can
take the next step…. If you want to
change a society, then you have to tell an
alternative story.
- attributed to Ivan Illich (Austrian former priest,
philosopher, social critic, 1926-2002)

What kind of story
did Jesus tell?

Jesus entered a world like ours -
running on stories of
Domination
Revolution
Puriﬁcation/Scapegoating
Isolation
Competition
Victimization/Self-preservation
This is remarkably similar to the religious
situation in Jesus’ day.

-Domination - Sadducees,
Herodians, Romans
-Revolution - Zealots
-Puriﬁcation/Scapegoating - Pharisees
-Isolation - Essenes
-Competition - Wealthy Judeans
-Victimization/Self-preservation -
Poor Galileans, sinners, lepers,
outcasts

We could call these the stories of the
clenching ﬁst ...

Warrior narratives
Conﬂict narratives
Sword narratives

SIX CLENCHING-FIST NARRATIVES
TYPICALLY DIRECT HUMAN
SOCIETIES:
1.THE DOMINATION STORY:
PEACE AND SECURITY
THROUGH BEING IN
CONTROL
“If only we were in
charge!” (Empire)

2. THE REVOLUTION STORY:
PEACE AND SECURITY
THROUGH VIOLENT
OVERTHROW OF
OPPRESSORS.
“If only THEY weren’t in
control!” (Revenge)

3. THE PURIFICATION STORY:
PEACE AND SECURITY
THROUGH NAMING,
BLAMING, SHAMING, AND
EXCLUDING A DANGEROUS
MINORITY.
“If only THOSE PEOPLE would change -
or disappear.”(If only a minority would
change.) (Scapegoating/Genocide)

4. THE VICTIMIZATION/SELF-
PRESERVATION STORY:
PRESERVING OURSELVES AT
ALL COSTS THROUGH
PRESERVING THE MEMORY
OF A PAST INJUSTICE.
“If only our oppressors would be
brought to justice.” (If only the
majority would change.)

5. THE ISOLATION STORY:
PEACE AND SECURITY
THROUGH SEPARATING
FROM THE CORRUPT,
DOOMED MAJORITY.
“If only we could be left alone to
be ourselves by
ourselves.” (Elite/elect
remnant)

6. THE COMPETITION STORY:
PEACE AND SECURITY
THROUGH MONEY POWER
IN A COMPETITIVE
ECONOMY.
“If only we could buy, enjoy, and
stockpile what we
desire.” (Economic Advantage)

Domination: Us over them
Revolution: Us versus them
Puriﬁcation: Us versus some of us
Victimization: Us in spite of them
Isolation: Us away from them
Competition: Us competing with
them.

DOMINATION PURIFICATION

COMPETITION
SELF-
PRESERVATION

REVOLUTION
ISOLATION


CONFLICT!
COMPETITION
SELF-
PRESERVATION

REVOLUTION
ISOLATION

We could call these the stories of the
clenched ﬁst ...

Warrior narratives
Conﬂict narratives
Sword narratives

Jesus came with an alternative
story:
the good news
of the kingdom* of God.
[*reign, commonwealth, dream, dance,
economy, ecosystem, movement, beloved
community, network, etc]

A story of the
open hand ...

Gardener narrative
Peacemaking narrative
Plowshare/Pruning hook narrative

The good news of the kingdom
of God
-called people to repentance
(paradigm shift/ radical
rethinking),
- a new way of life,
-a new identity “in Christ”

I believe the Christian faith is in
the midst of a struggle to
rediscover and re-inhabit the
gospel of the kingdom of God.
With imperialism/colonialism,
we lost sight of Jesus’ original
message.

—a love letter from an affectionate, but seasoned pastor to those who would

New Kind of Christianity
dare to believe, worship, and serve not only now, but also beyond now,
into the roiling, churning decades ahead.”
—Phyllis Tickle, author of The Great Emergence

I call the conventional story of Western
“Now and then gifted people emerge who see the situation from a higher
and more helpful level. Brian McLaren is one of those seers.” Greco-Roman)
Christianity the Six-Line (or
—Richard Rohr, author of Everything Belongs
Narrative:
“Brave and honest, vulnerable and courageous, disturbing and 5. Perfect Heaven
unsettling, reassuring and hopeful: Every now and then you come across a
1. Perfect Creation
book you’ve been waiting for. A New Kind of Christianity is that book.”
—Steve Chalke, founder of Oasis Global and UN special advisor on human trafﬁcking

2. “A new reformation is taking place in Christianity. book.”
Fall into Original Sin
Brian McLaren is one of its leading voices. This is a very important
4. Atonement/Salvation
—Adam Hamilton, author of Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White

“Brian McLaren has a talent for asking the kind of questions that take
people out of their comfort zones to expand the horizons of faith. In A New
Kind of Christianity, he challenges his readers to leave behind a ‘steady state’
Christianity in favor of a faith that engages dynamically with
the unfolding culture of the twenty-ﬁrst century.”
3. Fallen History
—Maggi Dawn, University of Cambridge

6. Eternal Hell
0210


I suspect that this story is not actually from
the Bible itself, but arises from Greek
and more helpful level. Brian McLaren is one of those seers.”
philosophy: of Everything Belongs
—Richard Rohr, author

“Brave and honest, vulnerable and courageous, disturbing and to Platonic Ideal
5. Return

1. Platonic Ideal/Being

“A new reformation is taking place in Christianity.
Brian McLaren is one of its leading voices. This is a very important book.”
2. Fall into Aristotelian

Real/Becoming
people out of their comfort zones to expand the horizons4.faith. In A New
of Atonement/Salvation
3. Aristotelian Becoming
—Maggi Dawn, University of Cambridge

6. Greek Hades
0210



I believe the Bible presents a 3-D narrative
and more helpful level. Brian McLaren is ﬂat, 6-line narrative:
space instead of a one of those seers.”
—Richard Rohr, author of Everything Belongs

“Brave and honest, vulnerable and courageous, disturbing and

Reconciliation
“A new reformation is taking place in Christianity.
Brian McLaren is one of its leading voices. This is a very important book.”

people out of their comfort zones to expand the horizons of faith. In A New
Creation University of Cambridge
—Maggi Dawn, Liberation
0210

Clenching Fist Stories
Domination: Us over them
Revolution: Us versus them
Puriﬁcation: Us versus some of us
Self-preservation: Us in spite of them
Competition: Us competing with them.

Jesus’ Open-Hand Narrative of
Creation/Liberation/Reconciliation
NOT Domination: Service, Neighborliness
NOT Revolution: Reconciliation
NOT Puriﬁcation: Welcome/Hospitality/Inclusion
NOT Self-preservation: Pursuit of common good
NOT Isolation: Incarnation ... Penetration ...
Identiﬁcation
NOT Competition: Generosity, Self-Giving

NEW CREATION/ RECONCILIATION


COMPETITION
SELF-
PRESERVATION

REVOLUTION
ISOLATION

A STRONG BENEVOLENT IDENTITY


COMPETITION
SELF-
PRESERVATION

REVOLUTION
ISOLATION

Hypocrisy:
Religions can intentionally or
accidentally baptize, support,
legitimize, and camouﬂage the
six clenched-ﬁst stories.
They can cover up a wolf-ish
message in sheep’s language.

Misconception:
Our religious differences
keep us apart.

Actuality:
It is not our religious
differences that keep us
apart, but rather a haunting
religious similarity ... that we
preserve hostile stories which
produce hostile identities.

RELIGIOUS RELIGIOUS
DOMINATION
PURIFICATION
RELIGIOUS
RELIGIOUS
SELF- COMPETITION
PRESERVATION
RELIGIOUS
REVOLUTION
RELIGIOUS ISOLATION

We may be discipling people into
the wrong story … or helping them
become “christians” without
challenging their stories.
In such a way, the Christian
religion can become the most
dangerous story, not the most
healing and liberating story.

1. The DOMINATION Jesus who
dominates through cultural
colonization, militarism, and
economic hegemony.
2. The REVOLUTION/REVENGE
Jesus who is planning revenge on his
enemies.
We believe Jesus proclaims the power of
love, not the love of power.

3. The PURIFICATION Jesus who excludes
and shames the impure rather than
graciously including and healing them.
4. The ISOLATION Jesus who invites people
to withdraw into a “holy bubble” of a “nice
christian subculture” awaiting evacuation.
We believe Jesus calls us to incarnation and
transformation, not condemnation and
evacuation.

We’re tired of …

5. The SELF-PRESERVATION Jesus who
complains about how badly “we Christians”
are being treated (and ignores the atrocities
we’ve committed).
6. The COMPETITION Jesus who promises
blessings and prosperity without a mission or
a cross.
We believe Jesus taught the joy of being a
blessing, not the happiness of getting blessed,
the joy of giving over receiving.

A weak and benign Christian
identity may be less dangerous
than a strong and hostile
identity ...

But there is a better alternative:

A strong and benevolent
Christian identity centered
on Jesus and his story
(good news) of the
kingdom/commonwealth of
God.

Because I Follow Jesus, I love
you.
I move toward “the other.”
I break down walls of hostility.
i stand with you in solidarity.

strong-
you are made in God’s image.
i am your servant.
benevolent
I practice human-kindness.

Will we defect from the stories of
the clenching ﬁst?
Domination: Us over them.
Revolution: Us versus them.
Puriﬁcation: Us versus some of us.
Self-preservation: Us in spite of them.
Competition: Us competing with them.

Will we embody the story of the
open hand:
Service: Some of us for all of us.
Reconciliation: Us reconciling with them.
Inclusion: Us welcoming them to the table
Empowerment: Us working for the common good
with them.
Incarnation: Us as neighbors in solidarity with them
Sacriﬁce: Us risking and giving on behalf of them

What doctrinal
rethinking will be
required?
What liturgical
reformulation will be
necessary?
What missional renewal
will be essential?

Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek,
but a means by which we arrive at that goal."

"Through violence you may murder a murderer, but
you can't murder murder.
Through violence you may murder a liar, but you
can't establish truth.
Through violence you may murder a hater, but you
can't murder hate.
Darkness cannot put out darkness. Only light can
do that..."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

"We will not build a peaceful world by
following a negative path. It is not enough to
say we must not wage war. It is necessary to
love peace and sacrifice for it. We must
concentrate not merely on the negative
expulsion of war but the positive affirmation
of peace. We must see that peace
represents a sweeter music, a cosmic
melody, that is far superior to the dis-chords
of war.

Somehow, we must transform the dynamics
of the world power struggle from the negative
nuclear arms race, which no one can win, to
a positive contest to harness humanity's
creative genius for the purpose of making
peace and prosperity a reality for all the
nations of the world. In short, we must shift
the arms race into a peace race. If we have a
will- and determination- to mount such a
peace offensive, we will unlock hitherto
tightly sealed doors of hope and transform
our imminent cosmic elegy into a psalm of
creative fulfillment."

"I refuse to accept the view that
mankind is so tragically bound to the
starless midnight of racism and war that
the bright daybreak of peace and
brotherhood can never become reality. I
believe that unarmed truth and
unconditional love will have the final
word."

ISA 2:2 In the last days
the mountain of the LORD's temple will be
established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
ISA 2:3 Many peoples will come and say,

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,so that we may walk in his
paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the
LORD from Jerusalem.

He will judge between the nations
ISA 2:4

and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.

Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light
ISA 2:5

of the LORD.

Whatever emerging
Christian faith will
be - it begins with
a fresh discovery
of Jesus,
the prince of
peace.

Questions:
Where do we see the clenching fist
narratives at work within and outside our
religious communities?
How can we see mission, proclamation,
conversion, liturgy, baptism, eucharist,
catechism, etc., in relation to these
narratives?
How can we translate “kingdom of God”
into contemporary language without losing
its original subversive dynamism?

Our Father, above us and all
around us,
May your unspeakable
Name be revered.

Here on earth may your
kingdom come … on earth
as in heaven may your will
be done.

Give us today our bread for
today.
And forgive us our wrongs
as we forgive.

Lead us away from the
perilous trial,
Liberate us from the evil.

For the kingdom is yours and
yours alone, the power is
yours and yours alone, and the
glory is yours and yours alone,
now and forever. Amen.
(Hallelujah … Amen)

Come.
Follow
Me.
Let my
story carry
on in your
story.

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