Some Christians are distancing themselves from the label "Christian"
According to an article in Newsweek, some Christians are now referring to themselves as "followers of Jesus" because that phrase doesn't carry the apparent baggage that "Christians" does.You can wear it abroad, in Islamic countries, or at home with your Jewish or Buddhist friends, without causing offense. Second, it distances the bearer from the culture wars that have made American politics so divisive.I'm thinking there's a wee bit of paranoia there.
posted by Paul Wilczynski @ 1:45 PM
6 Comments:
This is perennial in Christendom; young spirit filled believers seeking to distance themselves from the majority practice of Christianity where it has become flaccid, corrupt or banal.
I remember the Jesus Freaks of the mid 70s. To look at them was to know "these are not your typical suburban Methodists."
Maybe.
But one of the problems people have when they wear a label is that it associates them with everyone who wears it. I know more than a few Republicans, for example, who want not to be associated with the former president in any way, shape, or form. But he was and is a Republican, and so is Rush Limbaugh--and if they want to define their politics as not those things at all, then the label creates a problem.
"Christian" has, at least for now, become problematic. It is associated with the baggage of bigotry, narrow-mindedness, hostility, culture war and crusade--as well as with colonialism. I suspect that it can be reclaimed. But it may be necessary (or at least very helpful) for "real Christians" to step away from the label and develop some personal and group credibility before they try to reclaim it.
For my ex-Catholic wife, Christian equals Protestant, and she'll always stop me if I call a Catholic a Christian. She's been like that for years and I've always assumed other Catholics shared that with her...
So what associations – baggage – does Unitarian Universalist imply to you?
UU doesn't imply any baggage to me. Associations are with things like freedom of thought.
Paul.. you may think your baggage free but my experience with Muslim, Hindu, and other non European friends is Europe / US equals Christianity regardless of what stickers we put on our bags.
The notion of denominiations, churches, sects, etc is a little alien. They see the West; and Christianity is a big part of the heritage... the notion that there is a non-Catholic Christianity is sometimes foreign. They see the commonalities where we see divisions.
Post a Comment
<< Home