Removing the Label
Tonight I'm enjoying something that I've neglected for far too long. I'm sitting on my deck enjoying a little something that I picked up in London to commemorate my graduation - a new pipe, specifically a Butz Choquin Cybele, if you're interested in such things, a horn-shaped pipe with some really stunning hardwood inlay in front of the stem. This is my maiden voyage with this particular piece of briar, and it's doing quite admirably. It's smoking a bit hot, though, because I'm trying some Rattray's Hal o' the Wynd that's a bit too dry for my liking. It's an older tin that I should just pitch, but I can't seem to bring myself to do so. The problem, though, is that if I don't, I might damage the pipe - it's too dry to smoke at a safe temperature, instead burning hot which carries the risk of damaging the briar in the pipe.
I've simultaneously been catching up on my blogosphere reading. I'm woefully behind thanks to my recent blog fast - I think I need to just hit reset on the reader and start fresh. But I'm glad I caught a post from James tonight, because it echoes a lot of what I've been thinking of late. James writes this:
It was one of those moments like the first time you look in the mirror and realize that you are no longer 18 years old and in shape. Your mind may try to convince you that you are still in your prime but the mirror reveals that uncomfortable reality. Similarly, I have always seen myself as somewhat "conservative." But during the conversation with Balmer I realized that I have convictions and beliefs that are firmly outside the conservative label. It was like scales fell off my eyes and I began to see for the first time that there is a large group of self identified Christians who would exclude me from their camp because of the views I have of the Christian faith. In fact, there are some who would not even think my views are Christian at all.
This, I think, describes exactly how I've begun to feel over the past year or so. I've come a long way, in my opinion, in my understanding of many things - the gospel, the nature of scripture, the nature of the church, and the way in which my theology informs my politics. And, on so many of these items, I find myself in an awkward position. Because of my commitment to some quite conservative positions, such as the authority of scripture and the confession of Christ as Lord, I can no longer hold to many of the conclusions that conservative theology advances. I take seriously, for example, that Jesus actually intends for us to love our enemies and, consequently, I've become convinced that I can no longer support conservative positions on war. I take seriously, likewise, the authority of scripture and, consequently, I'm left dissatisfied with many conservative articulations of what I take to be extra-biblical statements about those same scriptures. I could go on - my point, however, is less the particular doctrines and more that a commitment to certain conservative positions results in undermining much of the remaining structure. This, at the end of the day, is what troubles me the most.
I mentioned in my previous post that I was reading a book by Peter Enns called Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament. My initial thought was that I was surprised that it hasn't garnered more attention in the blogosphere - it's a fantastic read thus far that I think many who identify with the emerging church would profit from reading. However, as I began to dig a bit, I found that I'm simply not reading the blogs that have discussed it. There's actually been a fair amount of interaction with it, and not all of it supportive, to put things mildly. Mark, a fellow contributor to meremission.org (where I need to actually contribute, I've been thinking ;) has interacted with some of the criticism, much of which has been rather disappointing, to say the least. But I mention this because one thing that I keep reading is that Enns's proposals are not "conservative" - which, I suppose, is to label him as one of those evil "liberals" and thus avoid interacting with what he actually says. Ironically, his book is based on premises with which no conservative would ever argue - the authority and inspiration of scripture. But because the conclusions that he reaches based precisely on those premises are not in keeping with what the gatekeepers of orthodoxy have deemed acceptable, his book is maligned and condemned.
So I find myself in a position where I've been trying to wear a label that really has begun to chafe. I can't stand having to apologize for it or nuance it enough that it fits who I find that I've become. My friend Scott wrote some time ago about something similar - I find that, like him, like James, perhaps it's time to remove the label.
I've put my pipe down for this evening. The pipe performed excellently; however, if I continue, the bad tobacco will ruin it. I'm reminded of an old adage about old tobacco and new pipes - or was that old wine and new wineskins? I think either serves to make the point. Perhaps it's time to move on.
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Scott,
You hit the nail on the head here:
"Because of my commitment to some quite conservative positions, such as the authority of scripture and the confession of Christ as Lord, I can no longer hold to many of the conclusions that conservative theology advances."
This describes perfectly what I was trying to say. I am glad you put better words to what I am feeling.
And I am not much of a pipe smoker (never tried it) but I would love to join you some day. You could show me the ropes or I will just bring a couple of stogies.
Posted by James M on July 17, 2006 09:34 AMThis is pretty ironic. I was just looking through some old posts that I wrote and remembering some of the dialogue we had quite awhile ago. So I come over to your blog and find that you're quoting someone who just went to see Randall Balmer. I just wrote about a lecture of his I attended on Sunday.
I agree with your sentiments. I probably haven't been as concerned with identifying myself as conservative, but then again, I wouldn't enjoy being called liberal!
Anyway, I wanted to say "hi!" And by the way, how did you do the cool link to Amazon?
Posted by Bill on July 17, 2006 08:16 PMSteve - done!
James - that'd be a blast! I had a chance to enjoy some fine Romeo y Juliettas - the ones from Havana - on our last day in London. A fine, fine smoke, I must say. Seriously - if you are ever in Philly, look me up. I'll buy the stogies.
Bill - thanks for dropping by! Excellent thoughts in your post. I was particularly struck by your statement, "I don't want fear to cause me to censor myself anymore." That's a great way to describe how I've felt about this.
The Amazon links - that's just some code I picked up on their site. I think I signed up for it or something through my associates account. ;) I take no credit there!
Anyway - good to hear from you!
Posted by ScottB on July 18, 2006 12:02 AMHi, I come across this blog not long ago (don't remember from where) and have been reading it occassionally. Somehow enjoy it. Perhaps I like the things you talk about, or the ways you approach those things, though I feel that you are (were?) somewhat much more conservative than I ever have been.
Sounds good for you to 'remove the label'. For myself, I have always avoided that label, coz it bears so many connotations. Even when I (once) tended to be theologically more conservative, I never considered myself socially or politically conservative. I don't think the two are necessarily yoked together, and they never were in different parts of the world. (This 'yoked together' was PERHAPS only the case in 20th century USA, and was intensified ever since the last 2 decades.) (BTW, I am not from the US, though have studied in the East Coast for some time.)
PS: you might be interested in this book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465005195/104-3644355-0727131?n=283155
Yam - thanks for dropping by! My journey is somewhat convoluted - I'd say that, at the time that I graduated from high school, I would have characterized myself as quite conservative both theologically and politically, but even then there were a lot of ways in which I didn't quite fit the mold, so to speak. It was more through ten years of working in youth ministry as well as getting serious about studying both scripture and theology that I came to realize that, for one, I hated the label, mostly because it's really only used to avoid interacting with the substance of someone's thought, and second, that I didn't really fit in either mold anyway.
I don't really have a label that fits anymore. A lot of conservatives would think I'm liberal, but most liberals would find me quite conservative (both politically and theologically, I think). Not that labels really matter anyway - I guess that's sort of what prompted me to write this piece in the first place. ;)
You're the third person I've read in about as many days talking about that book. I'm going to have to add it to my wishlist. Thanks again for your thoughts!
Posted by ScottB on July 18, 2006 11:36 PMScott, my journey is convoluted too. I guess most people (if not all) who are honest and serious about their faith and their lives in this world would have intricate paths. Looking back, I would say that around the days when I was leaving high school / entering college, I was very conservative theologically.
Once, a very noted theologian in the US said to a former seminary professor of mine (who was himself also quite well known), "I don't know whether I should call you the most liberal conservative or the most conservative liberal. Maybe you are both." That query might be applicable to me. For some years, I tended to say that I was in the muddy waters in between. Over the last 1-2 years, however, I have the feeling that I have crossed the line. But I don't reject to be called 'liberal' -- again because of the complex connotation of the label.
The thing about ripping off a label is that people are always happy to put others on you, it its place.
I've found that to be devastatingly painful.
Regardless, it gives you the opportunity to love. And Love is the true rhetorician, not Logic.
Follow Christ, Berkhimer.
Posted by Scott Lyons on July 23, 2006 08:10 AMYam - what you're saying sounds familiar. ;) Labels are only useful to the extent that they actually help identify something - that's why I don't like being labeled by others. Their use of labels often is intended to cram a person into a predefined box, whether or not the box actually fits. I'd probably describe myself as postconservative, but it doesn't carry much meaning for most folks yet. That, and it just sounds like an attempt to be trendy. ;)
Scott - I haven't commented much on your recent journey, but I've been following along. I wish I had something more substantive to say than "Hang in there," but that's about what I've got. I'm thinking of and praying for you.
Posted by ScottB on July 24, 2006 10:29 AM