Can I Still Call Myself a "Christian"?

What Happens When the Dominant Meaning of the Brand No Longer Matches Where I am Spiritually?

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Here’s something I’ve noticed online lately…

More and more people are rejecting the label “Christian” in favor of something else—usually “Jesus follower.” At first glance, that might seem odd. After all, a Christian is technically a follower of Jesus, right?

Sure. But that technicality misses the truth many of these folks are trying to live into. It’s the same truth Gandhi pointed to when he said, “I like your Christ, but I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.”

For them, adopting the label “Christian” is something they want to avoid, and here’s why…

In the U.S., to identify as a “Christian” typically means being associated with the dominant expression of Christianity, which is right-wing Evangelicalism. In fact, for most Americans, “Christian” equals “Evangelical”. Add to that the rising influence of Christian Nationalism, and the label becomes even more problematic. So, when one self-identifies as a “Christian”, one risks being identified with one form or another of abusive religion.

So I get it. I get why people who’ve spiritually deconstructed choose to leave the word “Christian” behind and identify instead as a “Jesus follower”. Spiritually, I’m right there with them.

But that means I, too, need to face the question (a question anyone on this path will inevitably have to wrestle with): Can I in good conscience continue to self-identify as a Christian?

Why do people call themselves “Christian”?

Let’s start by looking at the various reasons people might call themselves Christian in the first place.

I take self-identification seriously. If someone says they’re a Christian, that’s enough for me. It’s not my place to tell someone else who they are.

That said, I do have standards. I distinguish between “self-identifying as Christian” and “embodying the Spirit of Christ”. Not all who bear the label live in the Love of Christ, and not all who live the Love of Christ claim that label. As far as I’m concerned, the truth of someone’s spiritual identity manifests itself through their character and their way of being in the world.

Given all that, here are a few reasons people might still say “I’m a Christian”. Keep in mind these are just off the top of my head, so there could be more.

1. Official membership

When people officially join a church they go onto membership rolls. If they move from one Church to another, they transfer their membership. Yes, it's important enough to actually transfer it if you end up going to another church. This is a formal relationship.

2. Chosen spiritual path

When I think of these folks, I mainly think of those who don’t attend a church, but they consider themselves to be “followers of Jesus” in a personal, spiritual sense. The reason why they don’t attend is irrelevant for now. It’s the spiritual focus that matters. (Feel free to include churchgoers if you want.)

3. Cultural Christians

These individuals don’t attend a church or engage in a spiritual practice, but they still claim the identity because of their upbringing (grew up in a Christian home), current culture (almost everybody around them identifies as Christian), or basic beliefs (“I accepted Jesus, so I’m saved”). For them, Christianity is more about personal and communal identity than a spiritual or religious pursuit.

Here’s an alternative understanding of “cultural Christian”

Here's a completely different perspective on what it means to be a “cultural Christian”…

I once said in a seminary paper that secular humanism seemed to be the truest heir of the Christian Spirit, not the church. After all, it embodied Christ’s values far more so than what I saw in most of American Christianity.

That was two decades ago. Imagine my surprise when I came across Tom Holland's recent book Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World. In it, he argues that the foundational values of Western society are actually derived from Christianity. So anyone who grows up in Western culture can’t help but to be Christian on some level.

This understanding of “cultural Christian” isn't about self-identification. It argues that Christianity is the cultural default setting for any Westerner.

But that's a complete tangent. Now, back to our original programming.

What is my understanding of the “Christian” calling?

For me, the Christian calling is pretty simple to understand, at least on the surface. It’s the call to participate in the Spirit of Christ in the here and now. But that also means something very specific to me. Let me give the brief synopsis of my theology.

On the cross, when Jesus forgave his enemies, he was identifying with them as well as his own tribal members. As such, he was identifying with the fullness of humanity, and through humanity the fullness of creation.

This identifying with and self-empting into the other for the sake of the other is “kenosis” I believe we are participating in the Spirit of Christ inasmuch as we are participating in this dynamic.

As I've said in the past, this means Christians are not called to participate in Christian community. Rather, Christians are called to participate fully in the human community. This is why I say there is no such thing as a “Christian community”. For us there is only the human community. And the reason we go to a church is to be reminded of that.

The purpose of Christian gatherings isn't to reinforce a tribal identity. It’s to help us to let that identity go.

That’s why I emphasize the word “inasmuch”. I don’t see being a Christian as a binary (either you’re Christian or you’re not). I see it as a spectrum. We participate in the Holy Spirit inasmuch as we embody kenosis.

And if you don’t want to use the fancy theological term kenosis to describe the dynamics of identifying with and self-emptying into the other for the sake of the other, that’s okay. We actually have a popular cultural term you can use that means exactly the same thing.

That word is “love”.

Dare to be different

As you can see, my understanding of what it means to be Christian is actually radically different than the norm. In fact, it's so different that many don't consider me to be a “Christian” at all.

Years ago, I had a conversation with an athiest friend. We were discussing the Bible. I explained to him that I did not read the Bible literally, but rather through an historical-critical lens. I saw it as “true myth”. To this he replied, “Yes, Bo, I get that. But that's not what Christians believe.”

Back when I wrote my book, Drinking from an empty Glass, a self-identifying Christian friend read it. In response he asked, “How is this even Christian?”

I realize that there are many out there (Christian or not) who will read what I write and clearly say that I am not “Christian” according to their understanding.

I'm okay with that.

And this brings me to my dilemma. If my perspective is so at odds with the dominant form of Christianity (from which I intentionally want to distance myself), should I still claim the name “Christian”, or is that a mistake?

Postmodern culture is experiencing a meaning crisis.

Why have we lost sight of Meaning?
Is there any hope of getting it back?
Better yet, is the loss of Meaning really a bad thing?

If you long for a path forward, my theology book Drinking from an Empty Glass: Living Out of a Meaningless Spirituality is the book you’re looking for.

My dilemma: some background

Believe it or not, this actually echoes something from 20 years ago.

In 2005, I was serving as an Interim Associate Pastor at a large urban church. I had a conversation with the Senior Pastor about the label “Evangelical.” He thought it was a beautiful word. It meant “one who proclaims the good news.” But, the word had been coopted by Evangelicals (after all, it’s right there in the name). He believed we should reclaim it. We should work to make it mean what it should mean (which was in fact what it technically meant).

I disagreed.

The meaning of words can shift with culture. “Evangelical” had already been co-opted and had acquired a new cultural meaning, even beyond the walls of the church. Fighting to rescue it would be a losing battle. And frankly, I had no interest in salvaging a label I didn’t need.

That’s where I find myself today—except now the label is “Christian.”

The dilemma today

So, the time has come for me to enter into a time of discernment.

Sometimes in a discernment process it's good to make lists of pros and cons. So, let's break out some reasons why I might want to either abandon or keep self-identifying as a Christian.

Reasons to let go of the Christian label

1. To distance myself from toxic religion

Those who no longer self-identify as a “Christian” and instead choose to self-identify as a “Jesus follower” are onto something. The label “Christian” brings with it a lot of cultural baggage that has absolutely nothing to do with what I stand for. Right-wing Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism are the dominant voices in America. Christian Nationalism is rising to be the the most prominent politically.

When I say I'm “a Christian”, most hearers will naturally assume I'm related to that grouping. This leads to the potential danger that people may perceive my identifying as a Christian as a validation of the stereotype.

For those who know me, however, they know that I am definitely not on the same page as any of those theologically or spiritually. In fact, when I talk about abusive religion, right-wing Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism quickly come to mind. On top of that, I've even said that I believe that the spirit animating Christian Nationalism is downright evil.

Given that, why would I want to tie my cultural identity with such a grouping?

2. Tribal identities hinder spiritual growth

Remember, according to my theology, the Christian calling is to embody a Universal Love. To get there, we need to move beyond a tribal mindset.

To have a Christian religious identity is to have a religious identity (by definition). Letting go of religious identity is a vital step toward embodying Universal Love. After all, as I understand it, the point of Christian community is to remind us that there is no such thing as a “Christian community”, but only the human community in which we are called to fully participate.

3. It's irrelevant to me

This is a big one. It follows on what I just said about a Christian identity being potentially counterproductive. At this point of my life, I feel like I've let go of it enough that I really don't care.

To put this in perspective, I'm a Presbyterian going to an Episcopal church on Sundays. I honor and value presbyterianism, but I'm just as comfortable outside it. So, I have a “Presbyterian identity”, but I've let go of it in a way that allows me to participate in the world beyond it just as easily as I would within it.

For me, I value the way my “Christian identity” has enriched my life, but I'm comfortable enough letting it go and moving beyond it because I identify more with people as human beings regardless of the religion (or tribe) they come from.

Reasons to keep the Christian label

1. Official membership

I am literally a card-carrying minister in a Christian denomination—the Presbyterian Church (USA). I am actively attending the Episcopal Church down the street.

In short, I am still participating in the official system. So it makes sense for me to identify as a Christian because I am an active member of historic Christianity.

I realize that there are many out there who have deconstructed and left all of that behind. And I have no problems with people doing that. In fact, I would argue that it's the healthiest thing to do in many cases. But, for me, I'm still in a pew on Sunday mornings.

2. Spiritual and theological commitment

Anyone who's read my theology knows that the matrix of Christian symbolism is the primary well from which I draw. I am open to spiritual depth and truth through other religions, and I value those other traditions for that truth that they convey.

Still, I live and breathe the Christian tradition. It finds new voice through my own theology and spirituality. It is the path I choose to walk as I journey further into the Divine Depths of the Universe.

3. Accepting responsibility, rather than abdicating it

We all know that Christianity is in decline in the United States. While this trend may have slowed recently, it still continues. Overall, progressive Christian institutions seem to be losing ground faster than the conservative ones, primarily due to the age of membership.

As long as a progressive Christianity exists, those who become dissatisfied with conservative Christianity have options for when they exit. After all, this is the entire point of this newsletter and community: To give voice to a progressive Christian alternative.

Which brings up a pragmatic issue…

Religious institutions still have power to make a difference in the United States. When we gather in community, we can pool our resources and have more of an effect.

It seems to me that if I were to stop self-identifying as a Christian, that would be to abdicate my responsibility to those who find value in Christian spirituality and want a healthier version of Christianity through which they can grow.

4. It doesn't have to be all or nothing

As people grow spiritually, it's important they go through the demythologizing process. During that process, the sacred texts and rites of the church lose their spiritual specialness. For example, the Bible ceases to be the Word of God given to us from Heaven and starts to become a collection of historical texts.

Growth doesn’t stop there, however. It's also important to move beyond that critical stage. And when we do so, the sacred texts and rites of the church start to become special once more, only in a radically different way. This is often called a “remythologizing” phase. So now the Bible is still a collection of historical texts, but those texts can speak to us in spiritual ways that they couldn't when they were just historical texts.

I believe “Christian identity” goes through a similar growth dynamic. In the beginning, becoming a Christian means becoming something special. After all, we are the baptized. We “are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people” (1 Peter 2:9, NRSVUE). As such we have a unique purpose in this world that nobody else can fulfill.

Then, we discover other religions that share similar beliefs and values. Suddenly, all those different religions start to look a lot alike. As the specialness of Christianity starts to disappear, it is being demythologized. Now, religions are all cultural expressions of a human spirituality. And the most important part is the humanity of it all.

Next, it’s time to remythologize the Christian identity. And this is where we get to the point where we can say…

For Christians, there is no such thing as a “Christian identity”. There is only the human identity. The point of having a “Christian identity” is to remind us of that.

In this sense, the Christian identity becomes special once more, but in a radically different way.

So, for me, when I say I am “a Christian”, I am identifying with a group of human beings who are unique in that they seek to be genuinely human first.

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So, what's my answer? Am I still going to identify as a Christian?

Yes, I am.

Not because I need to, but because I think it matters.

In a time when so much of Christianity is a force for rending humanity limb from limb, I want to embody a more excellent way. I want to offer an alternative for those who reject the tribalism, dehumanization, and power games that the dominant forms of Evangelical and Fundamentalist Christianity have become known for.

That said, I personally prefer the descriptor “Christ-oriented mystic”. It fits me better spiritually. But when it comes to the wider conversation, “Christian” is still the word that opens the door for people to hear what I have to say.

But, that’s just me. This approach may not be appropriate for others. I know there are those who’ve abandoned the Christian label, and I encourage them to do what they think is best. I'm not going to judge that.

What about you?

I am interested in hearing about where you are spiritually.

Any chance I can get you to answer the poll below and tell me a bit about your spiritual self-identification? It would be even better if you say why you identify as you do in the comments.

This is a great way for me to get to know my readers a little better. Plus (and perhaps more importantly), it's an opportunity for all of you to get to know each other as well.

I look forward to reading your answers.

Peace, Bo
www.evolvingchristianfaith.net

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