Reality Check: Church Ain’t Easy - That’s the Point!
by Fred Weidmann,
Forgive me for dipping again into the waters of the Chronicle of Higher Education (see “Jesus’ Extreme Makeover: Breaking the Aggression Cycle,” posted on this blog on Oct. 17, 2007) for my subject. It is, frankly, a pleasure to observe that that weekly journal, often seemingly oblivious to church and church-related institutions, is itself revisiting church practice and teachings. It is also interesting, and perhaps not surprising, to find in the pages of the Chronicle both colorful and challenging, as well as thin and painfully stereotypical, notions of church life.
In a recent column, “The Limits of Community” (Chronicle of Higher Education, Dec. 7, 2007 section C p. 3), the author, who writes under the pseudonym “George Theodore”—I wonder whether that choice of name has anything to do with a certain George Theodore who was a likeable, slightly gawky, almost good-enough-for-prime-time outfielder for the hapless New York Mets teams of the mid 1970’s—argues that the “pragmatic demands of academic life mean that church-related colleges can’t always demonstrate compassionate Christianity.” Having myself grown-up within, attended, and served such church-related institutions, I can certainly confirm, and have indeed experienced (!), much that is cited in the article. I do, however, have two important concerns about the author’s stated assumptions about church vis-à-vis academy, which go to the often harmful (mis)perceptions of both.
First, the article includes several positive ways “in which community was fostered” at the author’s institution. Unfortunately that fostering did not extend to clear guidelines and frank discussion regarding review process and expectations. Had such been in place, including a serious annual review process, the individual whose plight is recounted in the article would have had the opportunity to gauge and improve performance and those colleagues variously supporting or inclined toward not supporting the candidate (perhaps for pernicious reasons, perhaps out of genuine concern and respect for the overall mission of institution) would have had the opportunity to voice their concerns.
Second, and perhaps even more importantly, I am concerned by the author’s presumption that “church-related colleges are not the same as churches” because churches are defined by “the purest forms of community” while academic institutions must face such “pragmatic demands” as “the need to offer quality….” Talk about damning with faint praise! Churches are great communities, they’re just not built for, or particularly capable of, quality.
The author sets up a false and harmful dichotomy. Why? Precisely because “pragmatic demands” are the stuff of community! Successful churches, like successful institutions of most any kind, have in place the very kind of processes to support and promote effective leadership as are discussed above. Without such, community can and will indeed break down—as it did at the institution described in the article. “Compassionate Christianity” exercised in the name of community and leadership cannot and does not avoid clear expectations, goals, and frank discussion; it promotes them. You don’t believe me? Go read a parable. Or, visit a successful, quality church (of which there are many!).
With prayers for strength, courage, quality and pragmatically demanding community life in and among our churches and church-related institutions…