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In every religious expression throughout history there has been a disconnect between the official tenets and expectations of the powers that be and the actual beliefs and practices of the everyday people. Christianity is no exception, so it’s probably best to be charitable between the espoused ideal and the actual reality. At the same time, it’s worth asking, “At what point have the two so diverged that it’s questionable whether we’re even talking about the same religious belief system?” That question comes into sharp focus when the Christian faith becomes transactional in nature.
Within Christian communities, there’s almost always an unwritten cultural script about what kind of behavior is prescribed and how God will reward that faithful conduct. Tithe and God will repay you tenfold. Abstain from premarital immorality and God will bless your marriage with sexual bliss. Perform your personal devotions and God will grant you peace. Raise your children in the church and God will protect them. Fail to follow the cultural script and, at best, God will remove His hedge of protection and, at worst, you’ll face divine retribution for your rebellious insolence.
I’ve got all sorts of objections to this nonsense, but two are preeminent. First of all, has nobody read the Book of Job? If so, hop on it. If not, apparently its themes aren’t quite being internalized. This crap is completely contrary to God’s benevolent character. Second, in the academic field of cultural anthropology they distinguish between religion and magic. Religion means submission to–or worship of–a deity, various deities, or the supernatural whereas magic involves rituals used for manipulation or control. Christian spirituality lands decisively in the former category.
The problem isn’t confined to low-church laity who believe in the Prosperity Gospel, though. Did you hear about the Catholic Church declaring the invalidity of thousands of baptisms in Arizona because the priest was saying, “We baptize you” instead of “I baptize you”? That’s ridiculous. Worship liturgies aren’t incantations, symbolic gestures aren’t sorcery, pastoral blessings aren’t enchantments, and ordained clergy aren’t Hogwarts wizards. As a priest myself, I respect no one who thinks of themselves as an intermediary sacrament machine dispensing God’s grace.
The original beatniks taunted Christians for this nonsense and rightly so. God is not a cosmic bellhop who’s here to do our bidding if only we’ll tip well enough. God isn’t a slot machine whose payout odds go up in you pronounce it LeviOsa instead of LeviosA. God’s favor cannot be procured through faithful performance of a pious cultural script. Low-church or high-church, Pentecostal or Catholic, laity or clergy… I don’t care. Get that shit out of here. I don’t often bust out the B-word, but that whole magical mindset is straight-up blasphemous to The Way of Jesus.
