How to avoid lighting your world on fire.
The United States faced a political and cultural powder keg in 2020. One match that lit a national fuse was the viral video that showed the brutal arrest and death of George Floyd. In many places, racial tension that had been simmering for years instantly boiled over. Los Angeles was one of those places.
John Fehlen and I (of course John Fehlen was with me) had been offline for a few days while at a writing retreat in the San Bernadino mountains. We drove back into Los Angeles and while picking up food at one of my favorite restaurants in the Fairfax district we were unexpectedly caught in the middle of a large demonstration; we found ourselves standing a couple dozen yards away from a police car getting set on fire and we became overcome with tear gas as the police attempted to disperse the unruly crowd.
When we went up the mountain, everything was “normal”; when we drove back down just a few days later, the world was on fire.
In response to what was happening around us, I recorded a video message to our church about the sin of racism (link) and preached a follow up message where I declared that “black lives do matter.”
That’s when I jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire (some might suggest that’s when I “jumped the shark”[1]). You see, I wasn’t referencing the organization “Black Lives Matter”, in fact, at the time I didn’t have a grasp of the influence and reach of that group. I was simply articulating a reality that many of our black brothers and sisters—our church is about 20% black—desperately needed to hear right then; that their experience and pain and fears and frustrations mattered to us, and they also mattered to God.
There were many who were grateful that I would take that stand; some of our elders sadly explained the pain of ongoing racism they experience to this day. But I also started to be accused by others of embracing Critical Race Theory (which I’d never heard of) and of being “woke”.
I was so naïve that I honestly thought at first being called woke was a complement and even embraced it for a hot minute, since the Bible tells us we are people of the day (1 Thessalonians 5:5) and it also calls us to “wake up from our slumber” (Romans 13:11). I quickly learned my lesson, and don’t use that term about myself anymore.
One person stopped tithing to the church because she claimed that in my sermon, I said we were using church money to support a Marxist organization (BLM) and one of our staff members had to watch the sermon with her—twice—to help her see that I never said or intended that. More people just stopped coming to church without saying anything and found another less “woke” church to attend.
I had no idea that I had stepped into the pit of what many call identity politics until I was up to my neck in quicksand.
Sorry, maybe that’s too much information (I don’t want to cross the line into toxic vulnerability).
The point is there is real pain on one side, and real fear on the other side.
Real pain because people who are part of marginalized groups that have been historically (and currently) abused often find a safe place with others who have a background with the same abuse for the same reasons.
Real fear because people who are not part of those groups may see not just a call for equality, but a real possibility of revenge; there are many who are concerned that social justice will lead to retributive justice.
These are the waters in which professor and political scientist Yascha Mounk is swimming in his latest book The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time. In it he attempts to address the issue of “identity synthesis” which is the way he describes what many call identity politics, but without the negative and dismissive connotations.
That said, Mounk believes while the ideology of Identity synthesis has real roots and should not be dismissed, it also leads to a trap that can cause people to so over identify with one group that they miss a larger realty that any one aspect of our identity or collective experience does not reflect the whole of who we are.
His goal for writing the book he says is “to explain the nature of the identity trap, to set out why it is so urgent for us to make that escape, and to show how we can do so” (19). He does this by first pointing to the foundations and academic history of identity synthesis that has its roots in postmodernism, after which he unpacks how this philosophy quickly jumped from academia to the cultural consciousness. He then turns his attention to arguments: That identity synthesis will prove counterproductive, and why philosophical liberalism with its universal values and neutral rules provides a better answer than identity synthesis (19-21). Finally, he suggests solid, non-anxious non-aggressive, virtuous responses to the identity trap.
I appreciate Mounk’s approach; I have had little exposure to those who try to tackle this issue intellectually from a noncombative middle ground. And I agree with my cohort peer Todd Henley’s take on the agreeable disagreement tone of this book, and with classmate Jennifer Vernam’s observation of Mounk’s modeling of neutral language.
And while the nuances of identity synthesis are vital for me as I deal with race, gender and sexual and gender orientation questions in my church, it’s the modeling of tone and language that I will most take away from this book. Because as I found in 2020, I can have the right theology and the right heart, but if I don’t communicate it with the right tone and language, I risk being just another match that ignites the powder keg.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_the_shark
About the Author
Tim Clark
I'm on a lifelong journey of discovering the person God has created me to be and aligning that with the purpose God has created me for. I've been pressing hard after Jesus for 40 years, and I currently serve Him as the lead pastor of vision and voice at The Church On The Way in Los Angeles. I live with my wife and 3 kids in Burbank California.13 responses to “How to avoid lighting your world on fire.”
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Hey anyone reading this: I just read John Fehlen’s post and am laughing (and crying). I PROMISE I did not read his before I wrote mine, neither did we discuss it.
When you got a best friend sometimes stuff’s just gonna cross over, I guess. LOL. (read his too, it’s great).
Hi Tim,
You wrote, “I found in 2020, I can have the right theology and the right heart, but if I don’t communicate it with the right tone and language, I risk being just another match that ignites the powder keg.”
Boy I am glad I am not white/black. So much baggage. Still yellow comes with its own baggage. People expect me to math, but I no longer do math in public. Sigh…what a strange world we live in.
I am wrestling with two identity groups. ONE anti immigration of any sort (don’t want our blood to be poisoned) and TWO pro the immigrant, but anti the current process for coming into the country.
Mounk/Fukuyama are currently the digestive juices in my brain that are breaking down this problem.
I do like Mounks “how to escape the trap” in his conclusion.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Shalom. Shalom.
Russell, Thanks for the comment. It does seem like the “pro immigrant but anti current process” folks are easier to work with and reason with than the “anti-immigrant” ones. I don’t envy your job. But it’s a big one and you are doing important stuff.
I also liked the “how to escape the trap” material.
Be blessed!
Excellent post – there’s a lot I appreciate here. I resonated with the message you shared with your church in the midst of the rioting you experienced. You also did a great job summarizing Mounk in a really balanced way. And you highlight the most difficult challenge of all – communicating about difficult subjects using the right tone. I’m curious if you did anything specific to grow in this area since 2020, or if just paying attention to your language/tone was enough to make a change?
Honestly Kim, paying attention to my tone HAS been the biggest shift. At first I actually totally shut down not wanting to put myself out there and get smacked anymore, but quickly realized that leading out of fear is no way to lead. So I still put my foot in my mouth at times, but I’m more present and aware of the potential impact of how I say what I say, and don’t change the message but moderate the tone a bit.
Tim,
First- thanks for the ego bump by quoting me- always flattering!
Second- I am sooooo glad I am not trying to work out these things from the pulpit. Even from my removed view, reading your post I could feel the pain of trying to do the right thing and not having a safe place to step in this minefield we are are in. That said: we have to keep trying,
Jenn, you are worth quoting!
Yes we have to keep trying. Even if we get it wrong. Non leaders might give up and pull back, but “continuing to try” is what leaders are called to do!
You referenced me in your blog as we are quite often together, especially in and around threshold moments in general history, and our personal lives.
Having established the personal connection of Tim and I – and would like to say: I know Tim’s heart. I have seen him travail over these issues and the real people deeply affected. He is a pastor to a multi-ethnic congregation, and he and his wife have people of color as friends and co-workers.
Why do I mention all this? Because far too often, in the pursuit of identity politics, cancel culture, polarization and demonization, we miss the honest, heart-felt, compassionate, good-natured PERSON. We (collectively) tend to believe the worst in others rather than the best. We assume wrong motives and ill-will before even having a simply conversation.
I can vouch for Tim – been his friend for 30+ years and, btw…I was the one holding the camera when he filmed his “Racism is Sin” video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbe1FuJJI40
Thanks John, for the encouragement. I hope I’m well intentioned, but I also recognize that there may be racial barriers within me that I’m completely unaware of. We have to keep working to unearth the stuff we think we’re ok in but really are not. The first step I think is really listening to people who can point out what we don’t see and responding with a humble, teachable spirit that is quick to repent and ready to learn and grow.
Hey Tim, I have to imagine that coming back to a world on fire after being up on the mountain at a writing retreat and then finding yourself in the MIDDLE of that fire must have been so surreal, and scary.
You write, “Real fear because people who are not part of those groups may see not just a call for equality, but a real possibility of revenge; there are many who are concerned that social justice will lead to retributive justice.” I tend to think there is also real fear because they are afraid of losing their position of privilege, or at least having to share it – which means it isn’t privileged anymore. I don’t think that fear is always or even, ever, conscious – they are not aware that that is the fear. Do you ever sense this kind of fear in folks?
You also write, “I can have the right theology and the right heart, but if I don’t communicate it with the right tone and language, I risk being just another match that ignites the powder keg.” THIS. I mean, I have had to learn THIS the hard way too…and many would say that I am still learning this. From your story it sounds like you weren’t even aware that this would be a powder keg – and knowing you, you did say it in a compassionate, Christ-like, way. Preaching is hard that way! I don’t have an answer as we can’t be aware of every single thing that will trigger people. I am impressed at how willing you are to learn, to engage your congregation, to lead them through reconciliation (per your comment on my post.)
Wow Kally. I don’t feel like I deserve to impress. I’m just trying to find my way forward in all of this.
Yes, I do think there are all kinds of fears people have that they don’t even recognize. I just pointed out an easy one. But most of what we face today can come back to fear.
It’s why it’s so important we cultivate a differentiated, non-anxious presence. If we can lead with an undefended spirit and without fear, and quickly recognize when we blow it without it destroying us, I think we can then have better potential to lead people into reconciliation and freedom.
“And while the nuances of identity synthesis are vital for me as I deal with race, gender and sexual and gender orientation questions in my church, it’s the modeling of tone and language that I will most take away from this book. Because as I found in 2020, I can have the right theology and the right heart, but if I don’t communicate it with the right tone and language, I risk being just another match that ignites the powder keg.” All I can say Tim as this could be a whole new NPO desperately needed in leadership. Thank you for your heart and how you embrace life with courage!
That would be a great NPO, wouldn’t it?
I’m humbled that you think I’m leading that way…I’m trying my best but fumbling forward.