Female Pastor kicks the Bible like a football

[FameBright]

The phrase "American Christianity" means more than just Christianity in America. It refers to a peculiar and particular way in which Christianity often exists within the context of American culture, politics, and the ways in which America-ness intersects with Christian-ness.

Here's an example of "American Christianity": About 15-20 years ago I was in a debate with my dad. I asked my dad a question, I asked him "Which is more sacred, the Cross or the American flag?" And his response was that they were equally sacred. That, in my mind, encapsulates the problem of American Christianity, and why "American Christianity" is peculiar, weird, and in a deep state of spiritual decay.

The other example I think about comes from a story told by Eberhard Bethge, one of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's students, close friend, and later biographer and responsible for the publication of most of Bonhoeffer's writings. Bethge, in the 1970's visited the United States, and was invited by Jerry Falwell to his church in Lynchburg, VA. When visiting Falwell's church, Bethge and his family noticed a blending of American patriotic symbols and Christian language and symbols. It was something Bethge was taken aback by, it shocked him. Because the last time he saw that kind of blending between nationalistic symbols and religious symbols was Germany in the 1930's. And he was disturbed by the idea of Jesus Christ being transformed into a kind of "American Jesus".

American Christianity--and I say this as a Christian in America--is often at best weird, and at worst idolatrous and blasphemous.

-CryptoLutheran

Very informative. Thank you!

 

[linux.poet]

Honestly I think this whole thing was silly and it was meant to be a joke. Taking it seriously is kind of a waste of offense. If I wanted to get mad, I have a lot worse things to be mad about, like all the false antics at the church at Bethel.

It is slightly more misguided than one of my churches using silly videos to advertise small groups, but no more than that. In America, we have churches that take themselves seriously, and some that don’t. The weird American culture references and the sense of humor is how churches get people through the doors. In this case, they took it a bit too far, granted, but I don’t think they intended to insult the Word. They were just stupid, and the stupidity is very much on display here. It’s a brainless dumb joke.

In America, we tend to value intelligence and hard work above all else, and so that means that our sense of humor tends to glorify stupidity and extoll the joys of brainlessness because it’s the thing that we will never allow ourselves to acknowledge. It’s supposed to show the absurdity of our cultural obsession with productivity and mental performance. Or in this case, team sports. It’s like “you’re so interested in football we have to do this to get you to pay attention to preaching” that kind of thing.

While I tend to associate theology with power and suffering and endurance instead of humor, I don’t think I’m really in a position to mock those who try to use humor to make theology more accessible.

 

[dzheremi]

How does kicking a Bible make theology more accessible?

 

[ViaCrucis]

Thank you for this thoughtful response. I never meant anyone who thought the flag and cross were equally sacred. Maybe I do not know many "American Christians."

While Catholicism in America isn't entirely immune to this problem; Catholicism is less likely to experience the same degree of this problem as as some other ecclesiastical communions. So it is likely that, as a Catholic, you possibly experience a lot less of this than, for example, I did growing up in an Evangelical household. Growing up Evangelical I experienced a lot of this in various forms and to different degrees. As a Lutheran, now, I experience it a lot less, but Lutheranism isn't immune either.

The temptation to conflate culture and Christianity, to conflate politics with religion is a temptation that always exists and must always be resisted. And no church is immune, we must all earnestly contend for the faith.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[TPop]

The phrase "American Christianity" means more than just Christianity in America. It refers to a peculiar and particular way in which Christianity often exists within the context of American culture, politics, and the ways in which America-ness intersects with Christian-ness.

Here's an example of "American Christianity": About 15-20 years ago I was in a debate with my dad. I asked my dad a question, I asked him "Which is more sacred, the Cross or the American flag?" And his response was that they were equally sacred. That, in my mind, encapsulates the problem of American Christianity, and why "American Christianity" is peculiar, weird, and in a deep state of spiritual decay.

The other example I think about comes from a story told by Eberhard Bethge, one of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's students, close friend, and later biographer and responsible for the publication of most of Bonhoeffer's writings. Bethge, in the 1970's visited the United States, and was invited by Jerry Falwell to his church in Lynchburg, VA. When visiting Falwell's church, Bethge and his family noticed a blending of American patriotic symbols and Christian language and symbols. It was something Bethge was taken aback by, it shocked him. Because the last time he saw that kind of blending between nationalistic symbols and religious symbols was Germany in the 1930's. And he was disturbed by the idea of Jesus Christ being transformed into a kind of "American Jesus".

American Christianity--and I say this as a Christian in America--is often at best weird, and at worst idolatrous and blasphemous.

-CryptoLutheran

Well, experiences are just that. experiences and limited. My whole family is left and anti-God, 3 siblings, mother, and inlaws.
I am now in Southern USA and traveling for vacation Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, and they are all very strong Christian American places that I visit. In my experience. There is no country with as strong a Christian foundation as what the USA still has. Except for maybe eastern Europe and Russia.

Peace and Blessings

 

[TPop]

Honestly I think this whole thing was silly and it was meant to be a joke. Taking it seriously is kind of a waste of offense. If I wanted to get mad, I have a lot worse things to be mad about, like all the false antics at the church at Bethel.

The weird American culture references and the sense of humor is how churches get people through the doors.

Christianity should not be about getting people through the doors. It should be about being a good witness, respecting God, and getting people to desire what you have/are.

If I had to I would burn my bible to keep from freezing to death. But I would not kick it down the street as if I did not respect its value or Jesus.

Simply put, there are bad decisions. And when they are presented to an uncaring public and represent good Christian behavior, they are pointed out as wrong. This is such a time.

Peace and Blessings.

 

[RileyG]

While Catholicism in America isn't entirely immune to this problem; Catholicism is less likely to experience the same degree of this problem as as some other ecclesiastical communions. So it is likely that, as a Catholic, you possibly experience a lot less of this than, for example, I did growing up in an Evangelical household. Growing up Evangelical I experienced a lot of this in various forms and to different degrees. As a Lutheran, now, I experience it a lot less, but Lutheranism isn't immune either.

The temptation to conflate culture and Christianity, to conflate politics with religion is a temptation that always exists and must always be resisted. And no church is immune, we must all earnestly contend for the faith.

-CryptoLutheran

I agree. I don’t have too much exposure to evangelicals although I know a few.

 

[linux.poet]

How does kicking a Bible make theology more accessible?

It’s not the action of kicking the Bible, it’s the context. The context is pastors engaging in a preaching contest (who can explain the Bible the best) and using the analogy of American football (I.e. field goal kicks) to explain the idea to an audience who may not be familiar with it. It’s been a few years since the revivals in America where preachers would compete to be the best as opposed to the next church down the road.

The analogy is that spiritual achievement is like sports achievement, which goes back to the Apostle Paul. They are just modernizing it by referring to American football instead of track and field.

Christianity should not be about getting people through the doors. It should be about being a good witness, respecting God, and getting people to desire what you have/are.

I agree with this. Some churches think of themselves as businesses and get caught up in marketing. This isn’t good.

But I would not kick it down the street

Kicking the Bible as part of a football analogy is different from kicking it down the street. Those two actions have different connotations. The first is goals, achievement, score, while the second is despair, rage, and disgust.

 

[dzheremi]

It’s not the action of kicking the Bible, it’s the context.

I know. That's the point of my question, since it shows that they didn't actually need to kick the Bible to make whatever point they were trying to make. I mean, if instead of football it was part of a celebration of National Talk Like A Pirate Day (September 19th; mark yarrrr calendars, yeh scallywags!), would that somehow make it acceptable to fire a copy of the Bible out of a canon? No, right? So why is this action to be given a pass? Because it's 'American'?

There's inculturation done properly (e.g., translating the hymns and liturgy of the Church into the language of the people in whatever society we're in), and then there's stuff like this stunt that really strikes a sour note with anyone who is serious about their religion, and largely makes it seem gimmicky and easily dismissible to other people, so who exactly is it helping? I guess it got the preacher and her accompanying fellows on TV, but that's not some sort of prerequisite for evangelism or anything. To use a sports analogy, this was an unforced error if I've ever seen one.

The context is pastors engaging in a preaching contest (who can explain the Bible the best) and using the analogy of American football (I.e. field goal kicks) to explain the idea to an audience who may not be familiar with it.

And you can't make the analogy without physically kicking the Bible, for some reason? I don't buy it.

It’s been a few years since the revivals in America where preachers would compete to be the best as opposed to the next church down the road.

Well isn't that charming. Nothing says "bringing people to Christ" like holding a contest to have yourself crowned the best.

I look forward to next year's sports extravaganza. Hopefully they can find some way to incorporate a few of those brightly-colored inflatable tube men with the wacky flailing arms into their preaching by then, since this year's display apparently had all the gravitas of a poorly done commercial for a local car dealership that would feature such stupidity for the sake of being eye-catching.

Heck, maybe they can pull out all the stops and have a "Christian" limbo contest as part of a diatholon of sports-inspired preaching events, as I doubt I'm the only one wondering how low such people can go.

 

[Jipsah]

I know. That's the point of my question, since it shows that they didn't actually need to kick the Bible to make whatever point they were trying to make.

And that's the thing, whatever point they were trying to make. I don't know what they were trying to do either, and I'm not at all sure they do.

So why is this action to be given a pass? Because it's 'American'?

I think it's more because it's par for the course for megachurch theatrics. No one expects any better of them.

There's inculturation done properly (e.g., translating the hymns and liturgy of the Church into the language of the people in whatever society we're in), and then there's stuff like this stunt that really strikes a sour note with anyone who is serious about their religion, and largely makes it seem gimmicky and easily dismissible to other people, so who exactly is it helping?

No onme, it's simply stupid. They set out to put on a show, and they succeeded. Did they succeed in imparting any knowledge that might impress unbelievers, or edify Christians? Not so you'd notice.

Pretty pathetic, really.