Going to Tulsa and Ending Denominational Narcissism
 
Good people say “we love the Presbyterian Church,” but this is a tad naive. We all know (don’t we?) that our love is reserved for the Body of Christ–the Church invisible–spread out through time and history and present (at least) in every denomination, including the PCUSA, praise God, but these expressions are disingenuous because they are about us. Presbyterian pride is a sin when it holds up the mere form–our local club–and speaks of it as though it were the whole Body of Christ. Truth be told, we know we are in decline and flawed–both of which are okay if we are simply honest about it and admit it freely–but most don’t, and when they do they are called nasty names like “negative,” “pessimistic,” or “The Layman.” Is it either polite or helpful to ignore our flaws? Is the “prophetic voice” only allowable on the left? Whenever denominational flaws are aired, we are met with aloof dismissiveness, the same look we get when we suggest we should spend more time praying and reading the Bible. Rather than awakening our collective consciousness to change, we sacralize our dysfunctions through sentimentalizing our weaknesses. It is like the mutt we so love, despite her three legs and bad breath. We accept our flaws with a smirk and a shrug, which is gracious enough, but let’s be clear: denominational affection is not enough; the PCUSA needs a flea bath and a thorough de-worming. Anyone who loves the denomination per se is like the goose that fell in love with the goose-shaped boat. It is unseemly for any Christian; it is denominational narcissism. The PCUSA is in love with itself and wastes away in front of the mirror. “I love and am so proud of the PCUSA” may be our final words. Sad, too, because no one (least of all Christ) asked us to love a denomination. The evangelical status quo calls us to “keep in there, stick with it, and get active.” This simply does not work; it has been not working for at least 20 years. “Stay/Fight/Win” is now a lose/lose proposition. The only win for the PCUSA (either side) is to change/change/change, but we may not have the emotional intelligence quotient required for self-change. From Birmingham to San Diego to Seattle to Ft. Lauderdale, even moderate evangelicals now talk about “going to Tulsa,” which is literally about attending the New Wineskins Convocation, but is fast becoming a catch phrase for “we’re sick and tired of the PCUSA as it is, and unwilling to ‘wait-and-see’ any longer whether it will straighten out.” The New Wineskins conference in Tulsa gives all Presbyterians a chance to break away from denominational narcissism–the infatuation with their own image. We must renew by looking solely to Christ as the one to complete our faith, rather than trusting the belabored legislations and social awareness committees of a dying behemoth.
Monday, September 18, 2006