The Faithful Remnant

I have long maintained that there are many progressive Christians who remain in their conservative churches.
Some are there in ignorance of the fact that there is a progressive alternative.
Some remain there for the programs for children and youth, in spite of the disconnect they personally feel with their worshipping body.
Still others remain active in the hopes that they can be a force for change within the oppressive structure.

It is this latter group that I would like to write about today. (names of individuals, congregations and denominations have been changed)

Regina is a 35 year-old mother of 2 grade school boys. She is an active member of a well established conservative church, serving as Sunday School teacher to 4th and 5th graders, as well as on several committees.
Regina is a lifelong Democrat, because "The Democratic Party's platform regarding taxation, civil rights and healthcare is more in line with my faith than that of the Republican Party".
She has become increasingly disheartened however, during this presidential election cycle, due to the "narrow-minded bigotry" that seems to be embraced by many of her fellow church members. She was shocked and dismayed when one person told her "I don't see how you can be a Christian and vote for Obama". "Well, that doesn't stop you from turning your kids over to me to teach in Sunday School, does it?" she thought.
Regina also lamented making the mistake of telling one of her friends that she has lunch weekly with a co-worker who is a lesbian. Soon thereafter, the pastor approached her so that he might express his concern that she is not trying to save her friend from the "fires of hell". "I guess from now on, I'll just have to keep my mouth shut", she mused.
Nevertheless, she can be found each Sunday, serving her God as best she can, sharing in those common points of faith, and teaching the young ones under her tutelage.

Dennis is senior pastor of an established mainline protestant church. He shares that his congregants run the gamut from the very conservative to the ultra-liberal, and yet for the most part, they agree to co-exist peacefully. There have, however been a few bumps in the road, as when he welcomed an openly gay couple to participate in the life of the church, without condemnation. “We lost 2 or 3 families after that”. Recently, he and the church leadership announced that the church would host a “Living the Questions” study group. The first session was well-attended by the curious, and he was again besieged with people who expressed their dismay at the “church’s non-biblical direction”.
On Sundays, he can be found right there, where God has led him to be, shepherding the flock that he has been entrusted with.

Rhonda is a young pastor, 34 years of age. She has served a small, aging, established mainline congregation for 7 years. She has faced and overcome much adversity in her tenure, beginning with the fact that she was the first female pastor to serve in this city. She has also been chastened for her visible and vocal peace advocacy, beginning with the onset of the military action in Afghanistan. Each anniversary of the Iraq war finds her and a couple of her closest friends holding a prayer vigil in a city park. And although her congregation is following her lead, slowly; she is still surprised at the reactions across the city; by the phone messages calling her “un-American” after the church voted to hang a banner from the National Religious Campaign Against Torture for example. And yet, she will be right there again on Sunday. Furthermore, she will be in the park on March 20th, even if she is there alone (again).

I on the other hand, was either led or convinced to take an alternate path. Perhaps God, knowing me as God does realized that I did not have the temperment to work quietly and patiently for change from within. Perhaps I just realized I didn’t have the patience. But for whatever reason, I have come to stand on the outside fringe, trying to exert pressure on those within the organized, traditional denominations.

I have so much respect for these and others; the “faithful remnant” who remain active in their congregations and true to their faith, while serving in churches and organizations that do not agree with or understand their convictions; those brave souls that seek to be a force for change from within.

Evolutionary theory states that change is brought about by forces both external and internal. As one who tries to be that external force, I would like to express my gratitude for, and admiration of, that faithful remnant working for change from within.