Actually an Artist

Last week, I wrote a longer form post about this same original editorial. I also reached out to the church as I had been attending previously, and finally wrote to the newspaper where Brown’s article was originally published. I am pleased to report that a number of other folks replied as well, in much the same vein that I wrote, although the angle that ‘we know why people leave church, and it isn’t wokeism’ wasn’t covered in those letters. People are sick and tired of Christians. They like Jesus, but they are understandably tired of Christians, particularly when the most vocal of them in government are embracing authoritarianism, ripping SNAP benefits away, and separating families. Oh, and deporting children with severe medical needs. And supporting the Netanyahu regime which is currently committing mass genocide against Gazans. So maybe, instead of policing what flags and signs other hang, we Christians should start judging ourselves based on who we love, and how authentically we show up.

In a recent editorial, local organist Nathaniel Brown encouraged churches to ‘take back’ church from turning ‘woke’- a term he fails to define as anything more than hanging pride flags and Black Lives Matter signs and being ‘progressive’. Instead, Brown seems content with an ambiguous boogeyman definition that perfectly serves to scapegoat the church’s problems on a vague ideological (and minority group) threat rather than facing the actual reasons church membership is declining. Hypocrisy, lack of genuine welcome, and invasive judgements about people’s personal lives are cited as reasons to leave a church, not ‘wokeness’. Church scandals highlight this hypocrisy, such as the one in the national Southern Baptist Convention, which Brown praises for ‘keeping wokeness in Bowling Green in check’. There is a real disconnect between what the Way of Jesus is versus how it is playing out in religious institutions which are more concerned with self preservation than following the Spirit. If a church wants to get too welcoming, too loving, that’s considered a threat? Gallup polls show declining church attendance in the US with much more nuance and helpful information than we can get into now, however it is certainly the case that furthering the petty culture wars by co-opting the term ‘woke’ and labeling real people as enemies will not further the church’s mission. One thing Brown and I can agree on: a church merely hanging a Pride flag or a Black Lives Matter sign without doing the real work of welcoming, atoning, and serving is not following the way. But in a society where white Christians have for generations perpetrated bodily harm on these communities, it’s a start.

Heather Kirkconnell is a musician, mom, and spiritual seeker entering seminary this Fall studying spiritual direction. You can follow her at HeatherKirkconnell.com.