Simple Solutions Will Not Work for the Church Today

I have been thinking a lot about the place for paradox in the Church these days. By definition, a paradox is a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated may prove to be well-founded and true.

Christians today, especially those highly engaged and leaning toward an ideology, tend to pit concepts and ideas against each other when those concepts and ideas exist in tension. To simplify the solution, we create an “either/or” paradigm to mitigate the tension between what we think are opposing forces.

Christians today, especially those highly engaged, tend to pit concepts and ideas against each other when those concepts and ideas seem to be in tension. Click To Tweet To simplify the solution, we create an “either/or” paradigm to mitigate the tension between what we think are opposing forces. But what if the ideas being proposed are not contradictory? Click To Tweet

Some examples of the “either/or” paradigm:

• Either the Church should become more focused on evangelistic, missionary outreach or the Church should focus on issues of justice, fighting for the liberation of the oppressed.
• Either the Church should refuse to accommodate modern culture by returning to her liturgical roots or make the liturgy more relevant to the modern world.
• Either the Church should be a catalytic champion against climate change, or the Church should only concern herself with matters of the soul and theological matters.

What if the priorities being proposed are not inherently in conflict? I believe it is intellectually narrow-minded, spiritually immature, and theologically lazy to create tension when tension does not exist. It is too simplistic to adopt an “either/or” approach to mitigate the tension.

I believe it is intellectually narrow-minded, spiritually immature, and theologically lazy to create tension when tension does not exist. It is too simplistic to adopt an “either/or” approach to mitigate the tension. Click To Tweet

We need a more magnanimous strategy, a “both/and” paradigm.

When we create imaginary conflicts between priorities and solutions, we also limit possibilities. The “either/or” approach narrows the field of what is possible. In the social realm, strongly held “either/or” thinking entrenches into polarized groups captivated by an ideology. Eventually, we think any idea coming from the group we are opposed to must be wrong because it was “them” proposing it.

The “either/or” approach narrows possibilities. In the social realm, strongly held “either/or” thinking entrenches into polarized groups captivated by an ideology. Click To Tweet Eventually, we think any any idea coming from the group we are opposed to must be wrong because it was “them” proposing it. Click To Tweet

Conversely, when we hold space for the paradox and embrace a “both/and” mentality, we open ourselves up to more possibilities. This ability to hold space is the virtue of magnanimity.

Magnanimous leaders can operate with compassion for the oppressed and demand everyone accept as much responsibility as possible for getting themselves out of the hell they are in at the moment.

Magnanimous leaders can operate with compassion for the oppressed and demand everyone accept as much responsibility as possible for getting themselves out of the hell they are in at the moment. Click To Tweet

Magnanimous leaders understand the liturgy can be both a holy experience of the most sacred prayer on earth and useful to utilize local language to make the prayer accessible for those unfamiliar with Latin.

Magnanimous leaders understand the liturgy can be both a holy experience of the most sacred prayer on earth and useful to utilize local language to make the prayer more accessible for those unfamiliar with Latin. Click To Tweet

Magnanimous leaders embrace all demands of discipleship including the mantra to reduce, reuse and recycle, while at the same time, they are passionately committed to sharing the Kerygma, so that others can accept the saving sovereignty of Jesus Christ and become His disciples.

Magnanimous leaders embrace the mantra to reduce, reuse and recycle, while at the same time, they are passionately committed to help others accept the saving sovereignty of Jesus Christ and become his disciples. Click To Tweet

The habit of limiting, polarizing, segmenting, and vilifying those ‘across the aisle’ must end. Good grief, the Church is in such a weakened state on so many fronts, we need unity now more than ever. The issues facing the Church in the modern world are too complex to dumb them down into either/or categories. We need a mature, robust, magnanimous approach. Simple solutions will not work for the Church today. We need leadership.

The habit of limiting, polarizing, segmenting, and vilifying those 'across the aisle' must end. Good grief, the Church is in such a weakened state on so many fronts, we need unity now more than ever. Click To Tweet The issues facing the Church in the modern world are too complex to dumb them down into either/or categories. We need a mature, robust, magnanimous approach. We need leadership. Click To Tweet