A Theology of the Suburbs (p. 9)
We've discussed the question of the primacy of the economic domain in suburban contexts, as well as the emphasis on the pursuit of happiness. I next want to take up the central praxis of suburban life, which I take to be the exercise of control-through-choice. This, I remain convinced, is a power dynamic that enables the suburban ethos to exist and to flourish. How are we to think of this dynamic in terms of the Kingdom?
First, I want to be explicit about one thing - there is nothing inherently wrong with choice, or even with power exercised through choice. It is a tool, nothing more. I am glad that I can choose - I can choose where I work, how I spend my leisure time, how and where I worship, and how I will spend my money. These are great things. Oppression, in some sense, is the removal of such choices; it is the removal of the freedom that is in some sense present even in the Creation narrative, where man and woman are granted the authority to act in God's stead to order Creation. What I think should concern us as those attempting to bear witness to the Kingdom in suburban contexts is the way in which we exercise choice. Choice is power, and as I've discussed elsewhere, the Kingdom demands of us a particular way of approaching power. We can exercise power in service of self, or we can choose to use power in the way of the Kingdom, by giving it away and using it to both serve and empower others.
For our narrative grounding, we need look no further than the Cross. I see no need to expand on these words from Paul:
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! (Phil. 2:5-8)
I suggest here two practices that should work in tandem. The first is simplicity. In a context where happiness is defined as bigger-better-faster-more, a Kingdom ethos will instead look to live more responsibly. Rather than submitting to the will of the Market in its incessant drive for production and consumption, we should instead look to be economically responsible, being content with less, and seeking to use our resources in the way of the Kingdom - not in service to self, but in service to others. That, naturally, leads to the second practice - generosity. Besides being a practice deeply rooted in the Christian faith tradition, generosity can become the means by which we share our power in service to others. We give away the power of choice by enabling others to do the same, and in doing so, we identify more closely with the generosity demonstrated by Christ towards us.
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Scott Berkhimer of Theopraxis and MereMission is in suburban Philadelphia. He has offered (so far) a series of posts on A Theology of the Suburbs. I've been enjoying his thoughts and felt I should provide a central location for these
Received from Reformissionary on April 26, 2006 03:40 PM
Great post yet again, Scott. Thanks.
My most recent post refers to this series, and so I just thought I'd let you know that I tried to trackback to #8, but for some reason it hasn't showed up. I don't want you to think that I'm like the nine who didn't trackback. :)
Posted by Jared on April 25, 2006 01:22 PMIt got stuck in my junk filter for some reason. I recently upgraded my Movable Type installation and enabled a new spam plugin - I didn't realize that I receive no notification on items that it marks as junk, so I missed it completely. I'll have to play around with the settings, I guess...
Anyway - glad you liked. Thanks for the plug. ;)
Posted by ScottB on April 25, 2006 11:09 PMCool stuff, Scott. What you put forth in the idea that suburb is control through choice is intriguing and to some extent I agree with you whole heartedly. I think that it is interesting that if you speak with other suburbanites, the actuality is largely opposite.
Suburbs trap you into payments and levels of spending. Not by design, but because of the social spending that props up one's visible lifestyle. Suburbanites who can only afford the house, but drive a 92 Jeep Cherokee and 95 Saturn Wagon look anachronistic and receive letters from the HOA.
It may be that the idea of suburb begins as a grasp for control, but that bubble is burst quickly and we have to work harder to achieve that next level of control. All this falls under the catagory of: You'd think we'd learn.
Where does Kingdom fit into this? I wonder if the economics of suburb block the economy of the KOH. I wonder if the logistics of mortgage erase the logistics of mission.
And then...add children into the mix. School becomes the new suburb...it gets quite maddening.
Sincerely,
Desperately seeking new suburb
Posted by Chris on April 26, 2006 02:52 PMChris - man, I love your questions and thoughts.
It may be that the idea of suburb begins as a grasp for control, but that bubble is burst quickly and we have to work harder to achieve that next level of control. All this falls under the catagory of: You'd think we'd learn.This is so true. When I say control-through-choice, I think that's the ideal that's held out to us. That's how we define the answer to the problem of lack of happiness. What ends up happening, then, is that choice gets coopted through marketing and the subversion of the Market - instead of choice, we end up in bondage, which is along the lines of what Brueggemann was saying in that great lecture. But we still think that choice is the answer - we try to attain greater economic freedom so that choice can be enabled, instead of realizing that economic freedom comes more often through restraint and, ironically, giving up the ideals held out to us by the Market.
Where does Kingdom fit into this? I wonder if the economics of suburb block the economy of the KOH. I wonder if the logistics of mortgage erase the logistics of mission.I don't think there's an easy answer to this. I think that suburban economics, when tempered by restraint, could actually serve the Kingdom - in other words, being affluent opens possibilities for service and generosity that simply don't exist for those without means. The challenge is in turning those possibilities outward instead of focusing them on ourselves.
Wow - that feels like I threw a bunch of thoughts in a blender and hit the switch. Anything coherent there? ;)
Posted by ScottB on April 26, 2006 09:22 PMYes! Yes! Yes! Here's to more simplicity talk. I'm still working on this aspect of my own life, but I'm more and more convinced that simplicity is a tenant grossly under-excercised among american christians. Is tenant the right word there? Doesn't matter... Hopefully the point is still clear.
As a friend of mine recently said "The hard part is not finding a house that only costs $75K (and still has enough room for a family of four), the hard part is being content to live there."
Posted by Joel on May 1, 2006 03:25 PMIt appears that the word I was hunting for was tenet. Unfortunately, you learn something new every day and the older you are, the stupider that new thing makes you feel...
Posted by Joel on May 1, 2006 04:03 PM"The hard part is not finding a house that only costs $75K (and still has enough room for a family of four), the hard part is being content to live there."
Wow.... Contentment. IMO, that is one of biggest issues related to the spiritual hunger of the consumer.
great quote.
Posted by Debra on May 2, 2006 03:26 PMSo - I distinctly remember coming in and responding to everyone's comments. But as it turns out I was just imagining it. Doh.
Joel - point clear and well-taken. And I knew what word you meant. :)
Debra - Paul talked of being content in all things. I think we could learn something from him, you know?
Posted by ScottB on May 3, 2006 11:15 PM