Chaplain's Corner

A while ago I was reading a report based on polling done in Scotland related to people’s perception of Christianity. It was revealing. One of the questions allowed respondents to choose phrases that described the church today. Here are the descriptions chosen by many: not relevant to life; offers no hope for the future; not compatible with science; judgmental; out of touch with reality and hypocritical. Now this study was done in Scotland and Scotland may be a bit further down the post-Christian road than Canada is, but maybe not.

Sadly, all these describe a religious institution that has come to a state in which it fails to address human spirituality. Spirituality is the human longings to find meaning in life; to have real connections to oneself, others, the world and the divine; to have hope and faith in an uncertain world and to be part of something bigger than oneself.

Words lose their meaning if they are used carelessly. This is the case with the word “Christian”. It has become a vague religious category that eludes definition. Years ago Beyonce, the hip hop, rhythm and blues and pop super star was asked about the incompatibility of the way she dresses and the lyrics she sings and her claim to be a Christian. Her unapologetic response: When I perform I am acting, my public persona is an act, it is not the real me. “Actor” is precisely what the word “hypocrite” means. For so many years, in so many places, so many people for so many reasons have wanted to identify themselves as “Christian” without committing to the relationship and lifestyle that being a Christ follower requires. This is hardly legitimate.

At the root of human spirituality is the importance of integrity. If you are a Buddhist, be one. If you are an Atheist, be one. If you are a Mormon, be one. If you are a Muslim, be one. If you are a Christian, be one. But few people are what they identify themselves to be. We wear labels for lots of reasons, most of the time the reason has little to do with integrity. But labels are just labels, they can be worn with little or no intention to speak to the reality of our lives.

However, as old age sets in and death nears, labels fail us. It is easy to pretend when pretense has no apparent consequence. But come to the end of life’s road and see death on the near horizon and pretense fails us. As old age approaches, integrity becomes more important, for many it becomes easier; some believe that authenticity is the right of the old and dying. It should be the passion of all of us.

Who are we? What labels do we where? Why do we wear them? Are we even concerned that the label be a description of our real self? It takes so much energy to be an actor (hypocrite). Some people are physically and emotionally exhausted playing the roles of their lives, so tired that they lose their souls in the roles. Being honest with ourselves about who we are, about what we believe and being unapologetic about it is liberating.

“Christian” was never intended to be a role we play. Jesus was extremely hard on “role players”. “Christian” was never a word that was intended to describe a religion. It was first used to describe men and women who chose to become followers of the living Christ, guided by his teachings and example. Playing the “Christian” role is alienating and destructive, but being a genuine Christ follower is liberating and enables us to face life’s most difficult realities. The person playing the role fears old age and death; but the genuine Christ follower is able to face the end of life and death knowing that God is with them.