The light in the darkness

Next question, somewhat related to previous posts: What is the place of the church in the world?

In the recent past, the church as a body has thought of itself as being part of the governing structures of the whole world. The most striking example of this, of course, is the medieval Catholic Church, where the Pope was the one who crowned the kings, and was capable of bringing a monarch to his knees. (Literally, in at least one case... href="http://http://www.saburchill.com/history/biblio/006.html")

More recently, we've seen modern attempts at controlling/influencing the US government, maybe most stridently by folks like the moral majority, but also among the mainline denominations as well. One time, when I lived in Washington, DC, I was at church with Bill Clinton (still President at the time). The preacher dedicated a good thirty seconds of his sermon to the Test Ban Treaty, if I remember right, and looked right at Clinton.

I'm not saying we made the right decision letting that one go through the door, but the weirdness of that moment has stuck with me much longer than the policy issue--by far. I can understand why the preacher (whom I liked very much on most other Sundays) would go out on a limb like that, but somehow it really just seemed too public, like a wall of trust had been broken.

Is that right? Should people, in particular preachers, refrain from expressing their political values in a religious context? I don't know. But I think the real question is not should or shouldn't, but instead: is it realistic? Can we reasonably expect to control the government? Is that even what churches should be about?

I think the lobbying approach may be one of the steepest faces of the mountain, to coin a phrase. In other words, it may not be that the church is called to change the world the way everyone else changes the world, but instead to lead by example.

I was having an intense conversation about peace on Sunday, and the horrific treatment of women sold into sex slavery in the US came up. It's the kind of thing that makes you wonder--how can we even go on with trying to do good, when there are people out there who are so willfully evil towards fellow human beings? How can I sing when someone else's life is being systematically destroyed for money?

But I think that being part of a faith community is not about pretending evil doesn't exist. Jesus says to his disciples, "You are the light of the world." It may be that the church's calling instead is not to fight for governing control, but to carry that light and that hope for something better. To worship in defiance, not denial, of the abuses of power and the degradation of human beings. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. May people of faith learn to be that light.