In my last post, I wrote about ethnic or tribal identity as a wholesome “structure of existence” that gives meaning to human life. However, as we increasingly see in this political season, ethnic identity can be co-opted and warped into an evil tribalism. Today I want to ask, “What is a Christian view of tribalism?”
When Christians consider our ethnic identity, we encounter a paradox. On the one hand, we are big on tribes! Unlike Islam (for example), which asks Muslims anywhere in the world to worship in Arabic, Christians plant themselves in every indigenous culture. In Ethiopia where I lived for four years, some of our dearest friends spend their entire 50+ year career translating the entire Bible into Anuak, one of the nation’s 80 tribal languages. We Christians believe every human being has the right to come to know and follow Jesus Christ through his or her own language and culture.
On the other hand, tribalism is idolatry. It is elevating one’s own ethnic group into the place of ultimate loyalty reserved solely for God. When tribe becomes the organizing center of life, it becomes our god.
Listen to the apostle Paul: “If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews…But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” (Phil 3:4-7)
Eugene Peterson in his modern English paraphrase translates the last verse with extra punch: “Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung.” (The Message)
Paul is not saying being a Jew is “dog dung.” On the contrary, he is obviously proud of his heritage. No, it is only when Paul’s ethnic heritage gets in the way of following Christ…only when he assumes God is on his side simply because he’s Jewish (or white American) … only then will Paul set aside his ethnic heritage and be sure everyone else knows it. Paul’s radical Magna Carta of Christian identity is: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all are one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28)
For Christians, this is our challenge. Will people look at our churches and see the same subtle (or overt) racism, the same ethnic rivalry, even the same violence they are accustomed to seeing between ethnic groups in every other sector of society? Or will they look at our churches and see people of radically different ethnic backgrounds not only treating one another civilly and getting along, but positively loving one another? For a world used to seeing ethnic hatred, seeing such positive love is worth thousands of sermons.
Christians are proud of our ethnic identity, but we set it aside whenever it obscures our far greater identity of being “one in Christ Jesus.” We fight against tribalism in all its forms because we know it is idolatry.
For Christians, Jesus Christ always trumps tribe.
Question: How have you personally seen the positive example of Christians from different backgrounds loving one another? How have you seen a negative example? Please write a comment to share it.
Years ago I went to a wonderful new church on San Diego. It was started by people from several denominations. We had one African American pastor who was married to a lady from Holland. The other pastor was white. We had Hispanic and Asian members as well as bi-racial families. The worship services including people who were demonstrative in their worship and those who worshipped quietly. The important thing was giving God the glory and growing closer in our walk.
Sadly I’ve also attended churches where people other than middle class whites were not made to feel welcome.
I really think it is important to be inclusive in worship and be Christ like in welcoming those who may worship differently or look differently who love the Lord. Worship should be about glorified God and not a cliche.
Thanks so much, Kathy, for sharing your experience.
Praise God for discussing this issues publicly.
racism based on color or tribe is a challenge for the church of Christ. In the west the problem is color and some times hostility to immigrants in Africa where I spent most of my life the problem is tribal. I like the church in diversity as it represents my dream of heaven Revelation 7;9.But this dream of mine is always in trouble back home in Africa and here in USA. The good response or action to overcome the sin of racism is to pray against the divisive sprit and to exchange view.I can’t believe the evangelicals except Max Lucado are silent on the current election season issues related to this. I pray to see modern Abolitionists from the evangelical community.
Eddie, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
The question that I find myself thinking about after reading your comments is whether the myriad of Christian denominations, including Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and numerous protestant denominations represent forms of tribalism in some form. Virtually all Christian churches agree on the basic tenants of Christ on the cross, forgiveness, justification and salvation. All follow roughly the same Bible, but have differences in how they see the details. What would Christ have said about this? Did all of these Christian churches arise from our human tendency to separate ourselves from those with whom we disagree, or from those with whom we have some irrational discomfort?
Sam, great question! In the case of all the myriad threads of Christian faith, I might say that a wholistic faith encompassing all the threads has been hard to realize, thus different traditions live out various aspects or pieces but no tradition has captured them all. History and culture play a role as well, with different traditions thriving in different cultural situations.