You might think, when you become a baker, that you’re pretty safe from controversy.
But, in response to Mississippi’s Religious Freedom bill, suddenly bakers are being interviewed about hot topics on NPR.
Because, as the NPR report puts it, Mississippi “Gov. Phil Bryant signed a bill into law that allows religious organizations, individuals and businesses to refuse their services to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people if they feel offering such services violates their religious beliefs.”
The Power Problem
It seems to me this has a lot to do with who has the power here. We can never really figure out if we, as Christians, are an oppressed minority or the voice of the majority. If you’re an atheist in a room full of praying people or it seems everyone around you celebrates Christmas, it’s easy to think Christians represent the majority (and historically, in this country, they have).
But as popular culture changes, as prayer is not allowed in schools, as movies promote values different from our own, as laws are changed, it’s understandable that Christians can begin to feel like an oppressed minority. I can see a case for both sides and when both those outside of and inside of the Church feel like a minority, it’s hard to have a reasonable conversation.
When both sides feel like a minority, it’s hard to have a reasonable conversation of oppression. Click To TweetJesus on Feeling Oppressed
Regardless of our position on that, Christians who are most in support of bills like this one in Mississippi are supportive because they believe they are oppressed. They believe they are being forced by their government to give up their rights, to do things they would not choose to dho. If that is the case, the words of Jesus to oppressed Christians come to mind:
“If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”
If Christians are becoming a minority in this country, it is from a long history of power. Certainly, there are places in the US where the Christian perspective is still the norm (very generally: rural and suburban areas and the midwest/bible belt states). But in urban centers and on the coasts, we are already in a post-Christian America. As pastors in post-Christian places, we don’t have the luxury to start arguments or defend our rights. In churches like mine, Christians have the opportunity to live out Paul’s question in 1 Corinthians 5:12:
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?”
There is still a way to humbly share our perspective but that hearing has to be earned. Regardless of whether or not we agree with everything we see in the culture around us, this is an opportunity to serve and love, despite our difference.
If, when we feel cornered, we behave like people who expect to have power—demanding our rights—we will miss an opportunity to be like Christ. We will have to make painful but purifying choices: right ideas vs right practice; the American value of personal rights vs the Christian value of setting aside our rights. Perhaps we are learning again what it means to not have all the power, something Christians across the world and the ages have always known. And when we do lose power, we will need to learn a new (to us) posture.
And start making more cakes.
Jesus on oppression: 'If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.' Click To TweetI don't think that there is such a thing as a religious belief that you shouldn't serve people. Click To Tweet“I don’t think that there is such a thing as a deeply held religious belief that you should not serve people.”
Mitchell Moore, Christian baker from Mississippi, in an NPR interview
Missio Alliance Comment Policy
The Missio Alliance Writing Collectives exist as a ministry of writing to resource theological practitioners for mission. From our Leading Voices to our regular Writing Team and those invited to publish with us as Community Voices, we are creating a space for thoughtful engagement of critical issues and questions facing the North American Church in God’s mission. This sort of thoughtful engagement is something that we seek to engender not only in our publishing, but in conversations that unfold as a result in the comment section of our articles.
Unfortunately, because of the relational distance introduced by online communication, “thoughtful engagement” and “comment sections” seldom go hand in hand. At the same time, censorship of comments by those who disagree with points made by authors, whose anger or limited perspective taints their words, or who simply feel the need to express their own opinion on a topic without any meaningful engagement with the article or comment in question can mask an important window into the true state of Christian discourse. As such, Missio Alliance sets forth the following suggestions for those who wish to engage in conversation around our writing:
1. Seek to understand the author’s intent.
If you disagree with something the an author said, consider framing your response as, “I hear you as saying _________. Am I understanding you correctly? If so, here’s why I disagree. _____________.
2. Seek to make your own voice heard.
We deeply desire and value the voice and perspective of our readers. However you may react to an article we publish or a fellow commenter, we encourage you to set forth that reaction is the most constructive way possible. Use your voice and perspective to move conversation forward rather than shut it down.
3. Share your story.
One of our favorite tenants is that “an enemy is someone whose story we haven’t heard.” Very often disagreements and rants are the result of people talking past rather than to one another. Everyone’s perspective is intimately bound up with their own stories – their contexts and experiences. We encourage you to couch your comments in whatever aspect of your own story might help others understand where you are coming from.
In view of those suggestions for shaping conversation on our site and in an effort to curate a hospitable space of open conversation, Missio Alliance may delete comments and/or ban users who show no regard for constructive engagement, especially those whose comments are easily construed as trolling, threatening, or abusive.