I've finally had time to read and reflect on the so called Nashville Statement -- the statement that a hundred and fifty evangelical signatories signed their names to. It seems to be their attempt to draw a line in the sand in regard to what they see as a pressing problem for the Church, and in particular, their evangelical church. The problem for them, of course, is the progression and in-roads of the LGBTQ, homosexual gay agenda, as they see it transforming not only the body politic of culture in general, but its pressing into the church itself.
But I have a main problem with it. For me, the problem has more to do with these leaders' conception of how the Church ought to operate in regard to its witness to the Gospel in relation to the world at large. As I see it, they are presuming upon an "us versus them" dynamic that the Gospel itself forbids; instead, the Gospel equalizes humanity (cf. Romans 3). The Gospel as the Word of God in Jesus Christ stands as judge not just over those guys and gals out there, but as judge of the church itself; as Peter notes: "For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" In other words, the Nashville Statement places itself in the place of God's Word, as if its signatories are the judges; it actually and ironically displaces the Word of God with its own word over against others. If these signatories were to listen to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and his admonition to the American churches, as he saw it back in the 30s, they may well not have penned such a statement. Bonhoeffer wrote:
Do you see what Bonhoeffer's getting at, particularly when he references "natural theology?" It's when churches displace her reality, founded in Jesus Christ alone, with a perception of herself as possessor of God's absolute Word, and not just as possessor, but as dispenser, that she has presumed too much. She begins to elevate herself beyond the culture of which she is ensconced, and presumes that she has divined things, and thus has become able to pronounce things in absolute and damning ways, that in reality belongs to the Lord of the church alone; the living Word of God. Bonhoeffer's point, is that when the Church sees herself as coextensive with the Word of God itself, in an absolute way, that she actually loses her voice to bear witness to the living Word of God who not only stands in judgment of his Church, but of the world at large.
The Nashville Statement does something that serious theologians would never do: It absolutizes the drafters' and signers' theological conclusions with a sense of the ultimate that belongs only with Jesus.
What concerns me most about the Statement is that the evangelicals which produced the document missed all of the ways in which they've contributed to and fostered the idea that a statement like this is healthy and good for the Body of Christ. In what way do such statements bear witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; to the living Word of God? It ends up reducing the Church to an organization of people who appear to be oriented around a cluster of ethical principles and mores instead of an organic reality (the Body of Christ!) who finds her sustenance in and from Christ. Whether or not homosexuality is contrariwise to the ethics of the Kingdom, the Church herself should be more concerned with her own blights and inadequacies. The Church should evidence humility before God wherein she is constantly crying out to him for his mercy and grace, such that this posture, before the world, bears witness to the reality of God in Christ. The Church should avoid placing herself in positions where she appears to believe that she has become the absolute mouthpiece for God, in regard to perceived moral inequities, and instead submit to the personal reality of God herself. It's this repentant posture before God and the world wherein the power of God will be most on display. It is up to God in Christ to bring transformation into the lives of people; he alone justifies and sanctifies, the Church doesn't!
Jesus is Lord. The Church isn't.
But I have a main problem with it. For me, the problem has more to do with these leaders' conception of how the Church ought to operate in regard to its witness to the Gospel in relation to the world at large. As I see it, they are presuming upon an "us versus them" dynamic that the Gospel itself forbids; instead, the Gospel equalizes humanity (cf. Romans 3). The Gospel as the Word of God in Jesus Christ stands as judge not just over those guys and gals out there, but as judge of the church itself; as Peter notes: "For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" In other words, the Nashville Statement places itself in the place of God's Word, as if its signatories are the judges; it actually and ironically displaces the Word of God with its own word over against others. If these signatories were to listen to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and his admonition to the American churches, as he saw it back in the 30s, they may well not have penned such a statement. Bonhoeffer wrote:
American theology and the American church as a whole have never been able to understand the meaning of 'criticism' by the Word of God and all that signifies. Right to the last they do not understand that God's 'criticism' touches every religion, the Christianity of the churches and the sanctification of Christians, and that God has founded his church beyond religion and beyond ethics. A symptom of this is the general adherence to natural theology ... But because of this, the person and work of Jesus Christ, must for theology, sink into the background and in the long run remain misunderstood, because it is not recognized as the sole ground of radical judgment and radical forgiveness.
Do you see what Bonhoeffer's getting at, particularly when he references "natural theology?" It's when churches displace her reality, founded in Jesus Christ alone, with a perception of herself as possessor of God's absolute Word, and not just as possessor, but as dispenser, that she has presumed too much. She begins to elevate herself beyond the culture of which she is ensconced, and presumes that she has divined things, and thus has become able to pronounce things in absolute and damning ways, that in reality belongs to the Lord of the church alone; the living Word of God. Bonhoeffer's point, is that when the Church sees herself as coextensive with the Word of God itself, in an absolute way, that she actually loses her voice to bear witness to the living Word of God who not only stands in judgment of his Church, but of the world at large.
The Nashville Statement does something that serious theologians would never do: It absolutizes the drafters' and signers' theological conclusions with a sense of the ultimate that belongs only with Jesus.
What concerns me most about the Statement is that the evangelicals which produced the document missed all of the ways in which they've contributed to and fostered the idea that a statement like this is healthy and good for the Body of Christ. In what way do such statements bear witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; to the living Word of God? It ends up reducing the Church to an organization of people who appear to be oriented around a cluster of ethical principles and mores instead of an organic reality (the Body of Christ!) who finds her sustenance in and from Christ. Whether or not homosexuality is contrariwise to the ethics of the Kingdom, the Church herself should be more concerned with her own blights and inadequacies. The Church should evidence humility before God wherein she is constantly crying out to him for his mercy and grace, such that this posture, before the world, bears witness to the reality of God in Christ. The Church should avoid placing herself in positions where she appears to believe that she has become the absolute mouthpiece for God, in regard to perceived moral inequities, and instead submit to the personal reality of God herself. It's this repentant posture before God and the world wherein the power of God will be most on display. It is up to God in Christ to bring transformation into the lives of people; he alone justifies and sanctifies, the Church doesn't!
Jesus is Lord. The Church isn't.