United Church of Christ Ad Shows Politicization of Religion
"Politics and religion have always gotten mixed up. But the boundaries that have separated them are much more permeable and the lines that connect them are much more clear right now than in the past," says professor Curtis Freeman
A controversial TV ad by the United Church of Christ, which two broadcast networks are refusing to air, is an example of the growing politicization of U.S. churches, says a Duke University professor of historical theology.
The 30-second spot shows two "bouncers" standing guard outside a church and choosing who will be allowed to enter. Among those turned away are two men holding hands and several nonwhite people.
"Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we," the ad's text states. It then cuts to a scene of an ethnically diverse crowd of smiling people, including two women, one of whom has her hand on the other's shoulder.
While the ad makes no mention of homosexuality, the message is clear in this time of political and religious tension over same-sex unions, said Curtis Freeman, a research professor and director of the Baptist House of Studies at Duke Divinity School.
"Churches are getting more savvy in terms of their media approaches," he said of the national advertising campaign. "But it is also very clear that the politics of the church are simply a mirror image of the politics in secular society. The politics of the church and the world fit hand in glove. That is something that should give all Christians pause."
The trend isn't new, but the extent to which it is occurring is, Freeman said. "Politics and religion have always gotten mixed up. But the boundaries that have separated them are much more permeable and the lines that connect them are much more clear right now than in the past."
Many churches are just reflecting default political stances, he said. The result is a religious landscape where different denominations can be tagged with distinct political labels - “ conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat.
"These churches find Bible verses and preach sermons that underwrite the cultural assumptions," he said. "Churches shouldn't be doing that. We need to be the ones challenging those assumptions."
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