church and scandal, continued

 I'm still thinking about the news of the RZ scandal I wrote about last week. 

Thinking about the strange silence from the Christian community's online presence regarding this. I'm not sure if it's because they don't know what do say or they don't want to say it. 

Thinking about how Lori Anne Thompson's counselor told her not to tell anyone about her abuse because "the kingdom of God would be irreparably damaged." If the kingdom would be damaged by RZ's disgrace more than by Lori Anne's abuse, then that's not the kingdom of God. 

Thinking about how the Gospel Coalition wrote an article about this, concluding with the statement, "Leaders, because Jesus took the form of a servant for us, we can serve others. We must not exploit them for our sexual or financial gain. We must tremble before the judgment of God, because we will give an account." Feeling like this so misses the mark, demonstrating that the concern is more over how the consequences of scandal affect Christian leaders than how the abuse itself affects the victims. The concern is over judgment - present and future - rather than ultimately the well-being of women or any oppressed. 

Thinking about how the church has a perfection complex that seems opposed to the gospel it preaches. Wondering why so many of these leaders think the church is better when it looks good than when it is good. Wondering how that will ever make for a better world. Bad fruit means a bad tree, Jesus said. Sometimes good trees turn into bad trees over time; that happened to the fruit trees in my front yard. But we don't keep pretending like the fruit is good; we don't keep eating it. We're actually talking about cutting those trees down. 

Thinking about how the system we've put in place creates a culture ripe for abuse, where leaders are given authority and we are explicitly taught to trust that authority and not ourselves. 

Thinking about when I met with a pastor recently to talk about my concerns in the church as I questioned a lot about faith, and how the final question he asked me was "Then what will the authority in your life be now?" I wanted to say "I will," but I didn't because I knew it would sound foolish and arrogant. But I am. I'll choose to follow wise counsel and beautiful teachings, but I am the authority in my life. Wondering why of everything, that was the final question. 

Thinking about how people say "But we're all sinners," as if this is on the same level. Thinking about how we're taught that somehow the fact that none of us are perfect means that we're all equal, when we're not. What RZ did is far worse than anything I have done, and yet I feel like I'm not supposed to say that. We shouldn't look at a prolific abuser and think that we're the same. 

Thinking about the future. How do we move forward? It seems like we need new structure. New vision of a kingdom. New idea of the gospel. New voices and new platforms. New desire for justice. New priorities. New authorities. 

The Gospel Coalition article ended with these words: "For anyone who’s suffered abuse, past and present, you can know that justice will be done, sooner or later. Be assured: 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" I don't think that sounds as comforting as they meant it. We don't want justice sooner or later. We want a church that sees this as their responsibility right here and right now. 

If putting an end to abuse within the people who call themselves the church isn't the church's absolute priority, what is? If that isn't the gospel, then I don't know if the gospel is really good news to the oppressed. And if it isn't, then I don't think that's what Jesus was really after. 

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, 

because he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor. 

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free, 

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

-Luke 4