Blogma

Originally written two decades ago, the current political climate of our nation makes it more relevant than ever.

I’ll admit it’s a little cyber-stalkerish, but I’ve spent hours this week reading the blogs of complete strangers about faith and spirituality. Whether it’s occupational therapy or hazard, my client list is potentially expanding to include religious non-profits of the extreme right-wing persuasion, and I feel the need to brush up on this viewpoint in preparing to write for them.

However, the more I read, the less sure I am that I can actually write convincingly for them. I’m even less sure I want to. The voices I’ve heard this week are shrill and angry – angry at anyone who is not pro-Republican, pro-war, pro-gun, or pro-life. It seems odd to me that the list is an apparent contradiction of terms, but that’s another story.

What is troubling to me are the moral absolutes associated with many of these blogs. The doctrine so authoritatively laid down in these cyber-sermons leaves no room for discussion, contemplation, or – God forbid – a different point of view. I’m starting to refer to this virtual world of absolutes as “blogma.” And I have to admit, I’m just as uncomfortable with it on the internet as I am with it in the church.

Truth is important, and I’m the first to affirm this. But so is grace. The longer I live, the less I know; but what I am certain of is the fact that we are all born broken. Grace is the glue that mends us. In many of the blogs I’ve read this week, there’s been no room for mercy or mending. But there seems to be an overwhelming certainty that if Jesus bodily walked the earth today, he would be a white, male, American heterosexual, flag-carrying, gun-packing, abortion-clinic picketing, card-carrying member of the NRA and Republican party. The trouble is, I believe the world God came to redeem – and His vision of it – is much bigger than this. And when we define our collective conversations by these few talking points, we miss the point altogether, in my humble opinion. 

For me, I would rather hold a conversation about good and evil, sinners and saints, hedonism and holiness, around a table Christ Himself calls us to. At this table we gather to receive the body and blood of Jesus. And, at this table, we are all considered unworthy; all considered sinners; all considered souls in need of a Savior. At this table we pray, “Although we are unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto thee any sacrifice; yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service; not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offenses. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

At this table, grace is not earned; it’s received. It’s overwhelming to me to know I receive mercy not because of what I’ve done, but because of who Christ is. His mercy has nothing to do with me. Rather, it’s about Him. When held at His table, this is a conversation I’m willing to engage in; one of both receiving and extending the grace of Christ – a conversation in which we are all sinners and saints, save the Host. The table offers this perspective. And there’s always room for one more at the table.