Integrating Who We Are With What We Buy, Term Paper Example

Religion has always sparked debates as to the validity and contents of which one believes. Brian Mclaren is a leading Evangelical Pastor and author who promotes a change in religion for 21st Century. He promotes the evolution of Christianity and the potential for an emerging church, and what progressive Evangelicalism means to society. In his interview, he discussed the idea of avoiding politics in religion. Religion, is, in essence, its own form of politics, and separating the two is not a practice that can occur. The structure of the church, the practices of the people, and ideals for which they were founded are all founded on some form of politics strictly intertwined with the ideals of religion. Regardless of religious denomination, politics is stringently intertwined into the structure of the religious body.

In Krista Tippett interview with Brian Mclaren, she asked many questions regarding his religious beliefs. Tippett asked about the trauma that religion has faces. Tippet responded:

But however it happened, watching the Evangelical community becomes this mouthpiece for a certain form of republicanism, and the irony of this is not only did that alliance change Evangelicalism, it changed republicanism, I think, for the worse. I think I just withdrew to say let’s have a good church. I tried to avoid politics. I tried to avoid anything that would get me even in the same ballpark with that kind of strident religiosity (Tippet np).

The idea that religion, specifically Evangelical community, has become a backdrop for republicanism, shows the underlying issues of political agendas which occur in the religious society. Tippet’s ideas of avoiding politic in religion is just not an ideal in which he can validate.

Every denomination has their beliefs about afterlife and judgment that sums up our lives and practices on earth. “That is, final judgement images refer to an experience of absolution confrontation with our own life of relationship, of taking a final and complete responsibility for who we have become to the degree that we would live in a relation to God, other, world, and ourselves” (Beaudoin 24). We have to take responsibilities for our decisions and who we have become, and answer for our destination of heaven or hell. In many situations, this encourages individuals to feel better about their own personal accomplishments by looking down on what others fail to do. The religious, political field enables individuals to fight for what makes them feel better about themselves, often at the expense of others.

The Bible talks about adornment not only to protect the privacy of the body, but to be presentable to God in worship. “Adornment can also be overemphasized in ways that obscure that experience. Sometimes it becomes a symptom of what is wrong with the Christian community. Wearing nice clothes to church may appear to be more important to some Christians than practicing the Gospel values of hospitality to the stranger, solidarity with the poor, and inclusion of those cast out by society” (Paulsell 21). Adornment provides the politics in which one can conclude they are higher in the church hierarchy based on their personal appearance. Those who do not come to church in their Sunday best are not readily accepted by the church population because of their appearance.

The church sets the groundwork for religious expectations as interpreted by the Bible or other religious words. The politics in this is that the church can dictate based on their own interests. It influences behaviors and support for what they decide is important to promote. “Religious attitudes and emotions are not simply spontaneous reflexes, events that occur in consciousness outside the boundaries of human freedom and responsibility. Rather, they are conscious construals of particular situations that provide a link between relatively stable religious beliefs and appropriate practice” (Pauw 46). By growing in one,’s faith, it requires people to utilize political support from the church and the congregation. One does not have the option to remain a part of the religious institution without supporting the institution of its entirety.

The politics of the religious institutions requires individuals to buy into their practices and ideals. If an individual chooses to challenge any portion of the structure, they can no longer belong to that institution. Campbell states that she believes she is spiritual but not religious. “I may be a part of the “me” generation, but my religious identity is not my own. It is an identity that belongs to the community with which I affiliate, so until I can commit to the group’s identity I will remain “spiritual” in my unaffiliated way” (Campbell 3). The politics that encompass the churches and religious institutions take away the individual rights for personal beliefs in efforts to unify the religious body.

Regardless of religious denomination, politics is stringently intertwined into the structure of the religious body. There are politics in the religious organizations, the members, and in their practices. It can be concluded that it is not limited to governmental affiliation support, but based strongly on the support of the religious structure in which the members belong. The church sets the expectations and determines the politics that the organization will operate under. The member then supports and implement their interpretation of the expectations with their own political agenda. No matter where an individual lands on their own personal religious practices, politics will inevitably be intertwined with their religious practices.

Works Cited

Beaudoin, Tom. “A Divine Economy.” Consuming Faith: Integrating Who We are with What We Buy, 15-35. Lanham, MD: Sheed & Ward, 2003. Print.

Campbell, Ashely D. To Be or Not to Be: My Take on the “Spiritual But Not Religious” Choice. Patheos. May 9, 2013. Print.

Paulsell, Stephanie. “Honoring the Body.” Practicing our Faith: A Way of Life for a Searching People, 2^nd Edition, 13-27. San Francisco: Josey Bass, 2010. Print.

Pauw, Amy Plantinga. “Attending to the Gaps between Beliefs and Practices.” Practicing Theology: Beliefs and Practices in Christian Life, 33-48. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2002. Print.

Tippet, Krista. Transcript for Brian McLaren — The Equation of Change. O Being. 13 Mar. 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.