The Christians and the Pagans

Ahhh, the age old threat of paganism is alive and well again!This week on MassResistance, an anti-gay blog dedicated to repealing same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, I was reminded of the ever increasing, diabolical forces of "paganization" that are sweeping our nation. Ironically, the very embodiment of these wicked pagan demoniacs was evidenced by the "wacky pseudo-Christians...with their religious symbols and clerically dressed spiritual leaders," clergy that I personally organized to witness at last month's Constitutional Convention.

Now, I could be wrong, but I assumed that crosses, and stoles and robes and Roman collars were all Christian symbols.

While it is always dangerous to look for rational arguments on these types of websites, it seems that this logical leap from Episcopalian clergy to paganism is well-founded in the work of other noted scholars, such as Dr. Peter Jones, who explains the dangers of paganism to our youth and nation in his article, "Christian Letters to a Pagan Planet." In fact, had I been paying attention, I too could have witnessed the "paganization" of the academy at the recent American Academy of Religion (AAR) conference I attended. He cites several examples of the rise of extremist ideology taking over college campuses including, "An "evangelical feminist" [who] railed against the genocidal foundation of America and called for the deconstruction of "normative heteropatriarchy."" (Xochitl, was that you???)

Apparently, the dangers of "paganism" have infected even the ivory towers of religious education, shaping and molding today's youth into radical apostates. For Jones the professors and scholars he heard at the AAR are evidence of the threat to our youth, a veritable "armada of brain-power deployed on our campuses to form the thinking of the rising generation."

Now, here is the funny thing, I don't think Dr. Jones is wrong. In fact, he is right on target. There is a growing body of research and a ever widening circle of scholars that understands the way in which the Christian tradition at times both oppresses those at the margins and offers possibilities of liberation. These scholars in liberation, feminist and queer theologies are not "anti-Christian" because they question Christianity, rather they are part of that very tradition they seek to engage, pushing at its limits, struggling with its history, re-shaping and re-molding it that it might be a living tradition once again. While for some that struggle may lead to a need to move beyond Christianity to becoming post-Christian, or Buddhist or yes, even, pagan, there are others who remain challenging the tradition to live up to its own message.

I have hope for the future of the Church precisely becasue of the radical, new scholarship happening in our colleges and seminaries. Dr. Jones had it almost exactly right, after all these scholars are indeed an armada of brain-power deployed on our campuses to form the rising of the thinking generation!

PS Check out a great song by Dar Williams about The Christians and the Pagans.