How do I frame myself?
I was invited this week to speak at a mission's conference in Minnesota. The conference is in mid-October and I'm currently considering how exactly I'm going to frame this opportunity so that I can list it on my vita. Hhmmm...
In general, academics in the humanities (English, theatre, communication studies, etc.) come across as pretty liberal in their acceptance of people regardless of race, sexual orientation, politics, and so forth. It would be unlikely in my department that even covert or subtle racist or homophobic comments would be tolerated.
But, as a Christian, I feel hesitant to be too vocal about my faith with academic colleagues. I’m afraid some of them will judge me as socially conservative, opposed to gay marriage, pro-Bush, and the like. I’m afraid they will make those assumptions by painting me with a broad brush, labeled “Christian”.
Instead of beginning with the base understanding that I'm Christian, and then adding to that picture, I find myself doing the exact opposite. I tend to be pretty clear about my politics and liberal acceptance of the sorts of things that my colleagues liberally accept. Then I have to add to that picture "Yeah, I go to church every week." Even then, it feels sometimes like the admission that I'm a Christian is somehow unaccepted, as if it colors the very picture individuals have of me.
If academics have already accomplished the feat of disregarding race, gender, and sexual stereotypes, why when I come out with my Christian faith do I automatically feel like I'm placed in a labeled box marked "Christian"? Is it the fault of media portrayals of Christians (i.e. Ned Flanders, Televangelists, protesters at funerals of people who have died of HIV-AIDS or in front of abortion clinics)? Is it out president's vocal faith that makes him into the poster-boy of what a Christian is and aught to be? Is it the fact that there are other, liberal Christians in my shoes who don't feel called to be a manic street preacher or one who condemns the sins of humanity with placard in-hand reading "The End Is Near"? Is it because the average non-Christian's experiences with the openly Christian is a bumper sticker reading "In case of rapture car will be empty" or "Jesus is with US." or "Eternity: Smoking or Non-Smoking" or some other, similarly trite, compressed theology?
What’s a liberal Christian academic to do?
In general, academics in the humanities (English, theatre, communication studies, etc.) come across as pretty liberal in their acceptance of people regardless of race, sexual orientation, politics, and so forth. It would be unlikely in my department that even covert or subtle racist or homophobic comments would be tolerated.
But, as a Christian, I feel hesitant to be too vocal about my faith with academic colleagues. I’m afraid some of them will judge me as socially conservative, opposed to gay marriage, pro-Bush, and the like. I’m afraid they will make those assumptions by painting me with a broad brush, labeled “Christian”.
Instead of beginning with the base understanding that I'm Christian, and then adding to that picture, I find myself doing the exact opposite. I tend to be pretty clear about my politics and liberal acceptance of the sorts of things that my colleagues liberally accept. Then I have to add to that picture "Yeah, I go to church every week." Even then, it feels sometimes like the admission that I'm a Christian is somehow unaccepted, as if it colors the very picture individuals have of me.
If academics have already accomplished the feat of disregarding race, gender, and sexual stereotypes, why when I come out with my Christian faith do I automatically feel like I'm placed in a labeled box marked "Christian"? Is it the fault of media portrayals of Christians (i.e. Ned Flanders, Televangelists, protesters at funerals of people who have died of HIV-AIDS or in front of abortion clinics)? Is it out president's vocal faith that makes him into the poster-boy of what a Christian is and aught to be? Is it the fact that there are other, liberal Christians in my shoes who don't feel called to be a manic street preacher or one who condemns the sins of humanity with placard in-hand reading "The End Is Near"? Is it because the average non-Christian's experiences with the openly Christian is a bumper sticker reading "In case of rapture car will be empty" or "Jesus is with US." or "Eternity: Smoking or Non-Smoking" or some other, similarly trite, compressed theology?
What’s a liberal Christian academic to do?
posted by Ian M. Borton at 8:26 AM
3 Comments:
when you figure out the answer to this, let me know.
As a liberal academic NON-Christian, your apparent source of unease, maybe it'll rest your nerves a bit to know that I don't judge you for it. It's ridiculous, and being that I've been judged for being non-Christian much of my life I must say that anyone who chastises you for your personal beliefs is being intolerant and ignorant.
Do what you want in your personal life-- as long as you're not putting people in awkward positions by trying to evangelize them, people have no right to make you feel bad about it.
Words to live by....."do everything in moderation and you will seldom get burned"....avoid the extreme.
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