I think one of the problems with the recent controversy concerning Keswick and Brephos/their parent organisation, CBR-UK is that we are seeing what happens when someone or some people get very passionate about a good cause.
What I mean is this, the value and dignity of life in the womb is important. It is something that Christians should care about because that baby is made in God’s image. We should care because taking a life is wrong. Now, for some people, this issue will become their burning passion and the primary focus of their life’s vocation. This includes those who choose to work full time, campaigning or counselling in this area. It will include others who give up almost every waking hour outside of work and family commitments to the cause as volunteers.
However, the time comes when they discover that other Christians do not see this as their sole or even their highest priority. They will also discover that not all Christians will agree with their tactics and approach. Furthermore, they might discover that others are less willing to use the same kind of language and whilst holding strong convictions on the subject don’t draw the lines in the same places in terms of what to be dogmatic on.
For example, in conversation with Andrew Stephenson, founder o CBR UK following my initial response, he stated that
“I agree it is fine to have differing opinions on tactics, but it’s important to recognise that abortion isn’t just horrific—it is child sacrifice.”
Now, I’m not convinced from what we’ve seen or the wider detail of Andrew’s respons that he is that fine with differing tactics but notice where things are headed. Not only must we agree on an issue and not only must we agree on action but we must also agree on the words we should use to describe the issue.
Now, as it happens, I’m not convinced that CBR UK and Brephos’ approach is the most helpful but furthermore, whilst I take seriously, the issue of abortion and have sought to ensure that there is teaching in churches where I’ve led on the the issue, have written about here on Faithroots and also been active in writing to my MP for example regarding crucial votes, I’m not convinced that “child sacrifice” is helpful or necessary.
It’s important then for us to double check when considering any issue that we are passionate about whether we are judging others through the prism of that one issue:
- Do they have the same level of passion as I do about it?
- Are they using exactly the same language that I do about it?
- Are they willing to take or to support the same actions that I would about it?
Whatever the issue, if those are the expectations we have then I wonder if we have developed an unhealthy attitude to the issue. We might want to pause and consider why others do not have the same passion as we do.
There are two reasons why. The first is that there are actually many crucial ethical issues that compete for our attention. These will include end of life ethics as well as beginning of life but also disability discrimination (in both cases we may see some overlap with concerns about the unborn child but a different focus). It will also include concerns about race, immigration and asylum and it will also include concern for the environment and stewardship of God’s environment. It is worth noting that in each of those issues, there is a concern to glorify God, to recognise human dignity as created in God’s image and to protect life. The converse is also rue, that when there is no concern for those things then God is dishonoured, the value and dignity of humans made in God’s image is lost, people suffer and lives are put at risk.
Some Christians will focus passionately on one of these or even another issue. However, I would expect churches and church leaders to be concerned about each of these and more as we seek to disciple God’s people to live differently to the world around us.
The second reason is that as serious as these things are, there is a higher priority still. There is worse that can be done than these things and there is greater hope than that offered by campaigns. In fact, it is important to remember that for Christians, our concern for each of these important issues arises out of our greater concern and greater hope. It’s simmed up by Jesus’ warning not to fear the one who can take a life but to fear the one who is sovereign over what happens after death.
My greater concern as a pastor is for the eternal well-being of others. I say this not because their temporal wellbeing doesn’t matter but because my attitude to the former affects my attitude to the latter and shapes it. It’s also because if this I the greater hope, then the worse thing that someone can do is to rob someone of that greater hope.
This means that the focus of the church will always be on worshipping God, knowing him through his word and witnessing to others with the Gospel. Arising out of that will be genuine concern for the unborn, the terminally ill, the asylum seeker and more.
Faithroots 