[1] October of every election year is a time when people lament polarity, the trend of people fleeing the middle ground of discussion and debate to attach like iron flecks to one pole or the other as they take sides on political issues Neighbors put up signs, social media becomes heated, people worry about Thanksgiving dinner. Since 2016, this polarity has become more toxic. Particularly dangerous is polarization of Christians who claim that their polar opposition to the other side is due to their faith.
[2] In June, JLE published an issue on Christian Nationalism. That issue holds some of the most read articles of the year, as the authors grappled with the issue. This month, we highlight another approach to the problem of polarity, an examination of doctrine and our ordinary faith as Christians. The issue is dedicated to discussion of Drs. Amy Carr and Christine Helmer’s book, Ordinary Faith in Polarized Times: Justification and the Pursuit of Justice (Baylor University Press, 2023).
[3] The first essay, by Paul Hinlicky, is not a discussion or review of the book per se. Rather Hinlicky calls Christians to consider that an examination of dogma does not lead to dogmatism but to an understanding of the deep faith that calls us together as Christians. He notes that discussion about doctrine is a key part of working towards the goal of Christian unity. The 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea will be celebrated next year by a coming together of delegations of Christians to examine together the faith we share and work for new unity by critical study together. Hinlicky notes that Pope Francis also has mentioned the upcoming 500th anniversary of the Augsburg Confessions, also written to bring unity rather than division. Hinlicky’s article explains well that discussing doctrine is a key part of understanding our faith and is critical to true unity and freedom.
[4] The second essay, by Pastor Ole Schenk, reviews and analyzes the book for the reader of JLE. Naming the purpose of the book as an antidote to the damaging effects of contemporary polarization, Schenk explains that ordinary faith is not about non-offensive “niceness” but about “taking the risk” in conversations to move away from fixed judgments to hearing the stories of ordinary people and their understanding of what is personally at stake for them in the issues involved.
[5] The next review, by Leah Schade–author of Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide–begins by explaining the importance of rooting one’s identity as Christians not in a political stance but as a child of God. She notes that the book, while speaking broadly about Christian faith, has special resonance for Lutherans who will be familiar with the emphasis on justification through grace and the articulated relationship between God’s grace and our works. Schade, a preacher familiar with the difficulties and dangers of polarization, does note that there are some issues involving racism and Christian nationalism in particular in which speaking about “both sides” can lead to a dangerous misunderstanding of what is really at stake when “one side is concerned with preserving the purity of a (White) way of life, [and] the other side is concerned with surviving with their lives, rights, and safety intact.”
[6] The final review, by Justin Nickel, a Lutheran theologian and professor of confessional, constructive, ecumenical, and moral theology, looks deeply at the way Carr and Helmer think about the concept of justice. Recommending the book, he suggests readers consider using a broader definition of justice to include not only their political activities but also the way they interact with others in all the facets of their lives.
[7] The last essays are responses from Carr and Helmer to the reviews of their book and a final note to the readers of the issue. Most happily, there is also, coming soon, a podcast interview with the authors.
[8] As we come together this fall, let us remember our faith in a God who calls us to love our enemies, talk to everyone both the insiders and the outsiders, and proclaim the love of Christ for all, especially those on the margins, those who are outcast, poor, or struggling to simply be seen. Importantly, let’s also remember our faith that we must step out boldly to proclaim this unifying love, knowing that as we have bold conversations with our neighbors, Christ, the Word, promises always to be with us helping us hear and helping us be heard.
