Religious and Political Ambivalence/Schizophrenia

Like a lot of folk I have a love hate relationship with both religion and politics and their history.

I recently finished Thomas Cahill’s Heretics and Heroes: How Renaissance Artists and Reformation Priests Created our World. Great book. He writes history better than most. Typical history books and courses it seems to me teach is a list of dates of wars as though they tell the story of our history; they don’t. I’ve thought that history should be primarily taught biographically lifting up the ideas and thoughts of the leading thinkers of any particular time. Cahill does that and also adds art to mix, as artists seem to have a great feel of their times as well as being visionary. Great book and I recommend it to you. One caveat, his treatment of Jean (John) Calvin and Severtus is messed up. He seems to treat Severtus, a rebel in Geneva where Calvin not only taught but also set up a working government and its laws. The Roman Catholics made him a saint after he was killed burnt at the stake by the city’s leaders as a heretic, which he was. Calvin wanted him gone but argued against his burning. As thorough as Cahill is, he did not delve enough into this particular history. But again I digress.

I’m now starting a book by an old favorite writer, Parker Palmer, Health the Heart of Democracy: The Courage to Create Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit. No comments as of yet as I just started it, but I have a guess as to where he will go.

This history of Christianity is filled with greatness and also with supreme evil. It promotes a healthy pride in our heritage and the leaders of the Judeo-Christian tradition and especially the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who we call the Christ, the Messiah, and savior of the world.

However, Christian history is also filled with heinous behavior of its leaders who used the power and influence to do great evil to those they oppose and to their own adherents. The Reformation was such a time when reason reemerged in the world coupled with ridiculous infighting among the various folk involved. The church of the era was filled with corruption, which Martin Luther clearly pointed out to world that thanks to the printing press and could now read the scripture themselves and badly in need of reform. Luther did not want to split the church but it did. Even the defender of the faith, Erasmus of Rotterdam it seems clearly was philosophically on the side of Luther but dutifully defended the church against his attacks. It is a great mix of politics and religion, good and bad that made the Reformation happen with all the good and ill that ensued.

When I was in seminary, a seminary that combined Presbyterians, Lutherans and Roman Catholics in one ecumenical learning experience in Dubuque, Iowa, Vatican II under the leadership of Pope John XXIII was a blast of fresh and ecumenical air into the Roman Catholic tradition. At that time I was convinced that married clergy and the ordination of women was just around the bend but the pendulum swung back to the right and these things did not happen. Once again I am excited by the leadership of our New Pope Francis and his emphasis on living the teachings of Jesus rather than messing about with lots of doctrinal issues. He brings hope again. In both cases these men appear to be what Christ called us to be, servants of Christ and of each other rather than so-called leaders on institutions.

This is the vision of greatness that some have and a few in leadership positions have though I think it is harder for them. I believe in the depravity of human beings, a natural inclination to go against the teachings and will of God, but I also believe that we all have a divine spark in us as we are created in God’s image. When that divine aspect is listened to and heard clearly by God’s grace we are capable of great things. But when the voice of the Spirit is drowned out by secular clamoring we go down the path of unfaithfulness and self ruin.

I feel the same about American democracy. The founding fathers were a remarkable collection of well educated, thoughtful and enlightened individuals that together created a governing dream that would benefit the common good. Democracy is not the most efficient of governments; a benevolent dictatorship wins hands down in that area; but finding a benevolent dictator who stays benevolent may be impossible for mere mortals.

Our country has seen great up and downs in its short history in its experiment in freedom. The small but brilliant constitution is a work of art, but its creators never envisioned the size and vastness and complexity of our present country. We constantly debate of the role and size of government needed to keep this democratic experiment alive and well and it always goes slowly; currently is has in all effect, stopped.

In our history we have seen what happens when a few gain power over the many at take advantage of those gains for selfish reasons. That was the roller coaster ride of the 19^th century when the robber barons and most of the wealth and control of the country. That ended in the Great Depression and the American Dream seemed doomed. But wise men came forward again with ideas to strengthen the country by empowering the middle class; build up our infrastructure, and using governmental controls to keep in check the power hungry. And it worked. Unions flourished, middle class incomes rose and the sharing of the economic pie became fairer. It was not perfect, but it was a huge stride forward. But for the last 30 plus years we have returned to the methods of the 19^th century.  Four hundred individuals control half the wealth of the nation. Only 7% of workers belong to unions, which are effectively squashed. The country continues to grow economically but the wealth has been redistributed back to the levels prior to the great depression and we suffered the great recession.

In essence our democracy no longer exists and has been replaced by a plutocracy, the government of the wealthy. Congress on both sides of the aisle have become the puppets of the wealthy and laws are written by lobbyists rather that members of congress by the folk who hired them to create law for the vested interests. Even the Supreme Court supports this imbalance of power through decisions such as Citizens United.

We lament this turn of events and wonder if the restoration of democracy can be done. We despair in the power of the elite at the expense of the common good. We wonder if the vision of our founding fathers can be reclaimed in a form relevant to our times.

As with religion, if I believed only in secular, sinful man, I would be without hope. But I am also a citizen who believes in the divine spark of humanity who can and do regain visions of greatness. It is a difference of myopia vs. far sightedness.

I think there are forces larger than us, God by whatever name you choose, that can and will lead us forward again. I do not believe in the indomitable human spirit for it is flawed. But flawed folk can do great things; in they listened to inward consciousness while being open to a large and great world. We need to maintain that tricky balance of being able to think small enough and large enough simultaneously.

If such a faith I believe we can move forward. But at heart in means acting in faithful obedience to the divine design and the wellbeing of our brothers and sisters who we are to share the bounty of the world. It is a matter of trust and who and where ou place your trust.