Blogocentric Formulations

Christian Controversy

"Take up Your Cross"  | Prompt ▼

What do you believe is the most controversial subject in Christianity today? Why?

I think a lot of people would approach this prompt looking outside the church at the types of issues that it grapples with. What does the Bible say about homosexuality? Or abortion? What about gender identity, or the role of women in church leadership roles, or age-old questions like why bad things happen to good people? There's also plenty of controversy to be found in the way Christianity has conducted itself over the years. I mean, the Spanish and Roman Inquisitions weren't exactly a great look. Nor were the Crusades, witch trials, and the more recent cover-ups of child abuse and sexual assault by numerous members of the clergy.

All of these things are extremely problematic for Christianity, but to my mind - in terms of the sheer number of offenses and damage that it's done to the institution - the most controversial subject in Christianity today is hypocrisy. Christians are supposed to be followers of Jesus, but it's remarkable how many Christians don't actually practice what he preaches.

For example, Jesus' actual words in the New Testament were, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery" (Luke 16:18, NIV), and yet the divorce (and remarriage) rate among Christians is not significantly lower than the divorce and remarriage rate among non-Christians, even though "Thou shalt not commit adultery" is on God's Top 10 No-No List. That's hypocrisy, and it damages Christianity's case for why anyone should follow its tenets.

Similarly, Matthew 7 is full of Jesus' guidance on judging others: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged" (Matthew 7:1, NIV); "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:3, NIV); "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 7:12, NIV). And yet how many Christians do we know that judge others for their differences, judge others for failings while ignoring their own, and/or do things to others, even in the name of their faith, that they would never want done to themselves? That's hypocrisy, and it makes Christians seem the opposite of what they should be: judgmental.

And the reason why this is a controversial topic is because many Christians are very sensitive to having their hypocrisies pointed out. Christians who profess to be against abortion as a matter of law, but encourage it for their own loved ones when an unwanted pregnancy proves inconvenient. Christians who ignore the calls to forgive enemies, forego other idols (jobs, money, reputation, appearance, pleasure, comfort, etc.), or care for the least among us (the poor, the oppressed, orphans, widows, etc.). Christians who seek power and influence for themselves, and attempt to force their beliefs onto others even when they are poor stewards of faith themselves. Being faced with one's own hypocrisy can be a great source of guilt and shame, but if there's anyone who's able to acknowledge their own sin and shortcomings, it should be Christians. You know, the ones that talk of repentance and forgiveness and acceptance of others despite their flaws.

There are many, may controversies facing Christianity today. There are also plenty of issues that Christianity struggles with as it seeks to define itself in the modern world. But neither of those categories of things can be addressed earnestly while the church still has a hypocrisy problem. Until the world can look upon Christians and say, "Wow, when Jesus said he is the way, the truth, and the life, he wasn't kidding! Christians are living a different and desirable existence and I want in on that!" then controversy will continue to find the Christians in a multitude of forms because they simply aren't practicing what they preach.