Who am I excluding?
Reading Valentine’s, Social Geographies reminds me of Exclusion and Embrace by Miroslav Volf. Although Valentine’s book is about geography and Volf’s is about theology, both deal with the concept of social relations and space. Volf talks about how we humans build walls in our hearts between one another for various reasons and Valentine studies and describes how these walls get built in physical space. Through describing the body, homes, communities, institutions, cities, rural spaces, and nations, she not only names specifically what these dividers are, but she discusses their ramifications on both individuals and groups. Volf argues that we Christians leave a lot of people out of our lives and that we should make room for the “other” as symbolized in the action of a hug. Valentine’s study of various geographies in society proves social-scientifically Volf’s argument.
The first question I have is, who are Christians excluding now? The way many people in America “do” church, can leave many people feeling excluded from church life. Because every space is invested with meaning, Valentine explains that exclusion comes at various levels and occurs both accidentally and willfully. Valentine says that even the language of citizenship only implies inclusion, but in reality is very exclusionary. Pastors often talk about church membership the same way nations talk about citizenship. Having members implies inclusion, but I wonder how exclusionary church membership really is? I recently spoke with a family that visited The Hub and they told me their previous church experience was too clique-ish. They were experiencing the exclusionary forces of church membership.
“We must face the sad fact that at eleven o’clock on Sunday morning…we stand in the most segregated hour of America”(Rev.Dr. Martin Luther King, March 31,1968). Valentine explains why this statement is still true fifty years later. African-American bodies have been subordinated in the United States. Black skinned bodies have,“been understood to be pre-social, to be driven by biology, in opposition to the civilized and rational white body. This has lead to many white church folk, in reflecting societal norms, to view African-Americans as uncontrollable and as a threat to whites (Valentine 18). Consequently we have many white church bodies and separate African-American church bodies.
Women have also been historically excluded from various ministries of the church. Many churches are literally acting out the fact that women’s bodies are expected to take less space than men’s (Valentine 44). Since gender has social meaning, I wonder what it means that Roman Catholic priests are not allowed to be married to a woman. In many denominations women are still not allowed, even in this 21st Century, to be pastors, elders, or board members. I find it fascinating that in these churches that still exclude women in almost every level of leadership, allow women to teach children’s Sunday School. I think this proves Valentine’s argument that women are expected to take up less space. For so many churches, taking up less space means being relegated to teaching the children only or preparing snacks and treats for fellowship time, or cleaning the church building.
The concept of “thirdspace” can be of help for churches. Space can be a “resource for those who are marginalized or excluded” (Valentine 5). This is the biblical concept of the kingdom of the heavens as described by Jesus. Thirdspaces can provide events and places to move past historical social divisions and attempt to think about all “that is gained from a discourse of belonging. (Valentine 7). Ken Wilson, a former member of my tribe, The Association of Vineyard Churches, USA, in order to minister to and with the LGBTQ community, created a new type of Christian church called, “Third Way.” I have a hunch he’s read Valentine (http://www.readthespirit.com/third-way-newsletter)!
Besides the issue of exclusion, this book has got me wondering and imagining three new things.
- Like Valentine’s discussion of cyberspace communities, I am now wrestling with the question of what exactly is a real community. And, what is a real community NOT? She says that part of being in real community is that we have to worry about the other because they will always be there. Volf and I agree. However, attendance and participation in The Hub (the church I planted and pastor) is very transient. The fact is, there is a large percentage of Christians that just leave their local church (dare I say community) whenever they feel like it.
- Just like Valentine’s assertion that cities are in competition for inward investments and therefore are becoming commodities to be packaged, advertised, marketed, and consumed, so too are some churches. Today I received a well packaged, marketed postcard inviting me to consume an upbeat worship set, a variety of self-help groups, and a great sermon. How can local churches stop reflecting the culture of commodification?
- I wonder about the effects of globalization on the local church. If Valentine is correct in stating that globalization and information technologies are “problematizing the meaning of citizenship” (Valentine 330), than no doubt the same is true for church membership. How can the local church respond to this?
About the Author
Aaron Peterson
I am a working priest which means that I am a husband(to Lisa), dad(to four wonderful children), senior pastor and church planter(The Hub Vineyard Church), and high school social studies teacher(Verdugo Hills High School LAUSD). I am currently working towards a DMIN in Leadership & Global Perspectives @George Fox Seminary.11 responses to “Who am I excluding?”
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Aaron, let me begin by saying that I have missed your in person sense of humor, thinking of you and our Hong Kong trip makes me laugh out loud! I hope all is good in your world and that God is blessing all you do.
As for your blog, great insights. I really liked the theological connection of Volf’s theology to Valentine’s ideology. I agree with you sentiments and questions on community, it’s definition and place. I am in very much agreement on the church’s ability and opportunity to be the “third place” for people. My only thought or question is do people want to be separated or do they desire to be all together? I see great value in being together, although I know this is not easy especially as a leader trying to convince people of its value. I don’t have a direction I am going with this question, but I feel as though Valentine desires equality and unity (good things) but am questioning if in fact that is what people want.
Hi Aaron. I really loved hanging out with you in HK. We had some good times….laughing and laughing some more.
I think, like you, it’s hard to get people to value community in a genuine way. I think often people say one thing, but deep down inside, feel differently. Many people claim to want community, fellowship, equality, etc., but then behave in contrary ways to that. I appreciate Valentine’s study because she points out the ways society’s deep-down-inside gets worked out.
Aaron,
I feel that Gill Valentine, in Social Geographies was remiss in leaving the church out of the delineation of social geographies. The church as a dynamic entity, as a body, as a community, or as an institution could have been addressed with the same detail as the other categories.
You ask the question, “Who are Christians excluding now?” I would surmise that Christians are excluding all the categories of people that non-Christians are excluding in their religious and social circles—people who are different than themselves. Christians in and out of the church can be quite hypocritical and judgmental in justifying why they shun people of different religious orientations, ethnicities, class differences, those with mental or physical challenges, and those with various sexual issues. As you mentioned, Valentine states that because every space is invested with meaning, exclusion comes at various levels and occurs both accidentally and willfully.
Aaron,
Great perspective and thought-provoking post!
You stated, “…we humans build walls in our hearts between one another for various reasons and Valentine studies and describes how these walls get built in physical space.” It’s interesting to watch certain behaviors of individuals as they process life through their own view and through the eyes of their culture.
Hong Kong brought various cultures, backgrounds, viewpoints and personalities together under one roof; however, we were thrown in the midst of a culture that was unfamiliar to most if not all of us. This changed our interaction with one another. It removed the walls of cultural comforts and created a new form of community. Valentine sought to uncover the segregated context of each group, yet she failed to discuss the integrated reaction that occurs when diversity is desired. Thom S. Rainer and Jess W. Rainer, authors of the book the Millennials state, “The Millennials represent the most racially and ethnically diverse nation in America’s history” (Rainer, 80). They also go on to suggest, “Roughly one out of five Millennial marriages is a mixed racial or ethnic marriage” (Rainer, 65). How does this pertain to the context of gentrification, racial discrimination and cultural perspective? We still struggle to pull down the walls and bring unification to all races, genders and ages; however, will that picture look different based on generational views?
Hi Colleen. Thanks for the reply. Yes, I think one’s generation is one of the strongest aspects of how we view “the other.” I think it’s great that the millennial generation will be the most racially mixed as you state. My own son is dating an African-American! However, I think it would be interesting with your research to look for who millennials discriminate against. In other words, I think they seem to have a healthier view of ethnicity and multiculturalism, than previous generations, but surely they have their own weaknesses as a generation.
Aaron,
Regarding the potential of churches to be clique-ish: what do you observe about the social geographies of LGP-Cohort 6? How are we doing with making sure we are an inclusive social geography?
I realize that most of our time, we are not a geography, but only once a year, for a week.
Hi Marc. Great question! I wonder how each cohort member would answer that. Using Valentine’s language, there are definitely members of our cohort who “take up more space” at times. And there are some members that take up less space.
I like what Colleen said that we were all placed in a new social geography together which required us to adapt and create a new community of sorts. I really appreciated all being together and meeting everyone in person. I am looking forward to our Campfires now that I can put a voice to each person.
Aaron:
Valentine’s book was disturbing in several ways. Is she presenting a hypothesis or a trend?
As much as I did not embrace her perspective she did have some great insight on community. Though her intel is neutrally based, there are some strong points that she makes on the power of community. In light of your church situation, do you see her “keys” to community implemented in your church?
Second, with you living in the LA area, do you see any coordination of Valentine’s male/female, gender and medically corrected gender, and the power of community?
Phil
Hi Phil.
I took Valentine’s disturbing conclusions as a challenge to demonstrate Christ’s love in real and inclusive ways. On the flight home from HK to LAX I sat next to an Iranian Muslim. What a great guy! What a fascinating 14 hour conversation. I was raised as a white-Christian-male in the U.S. and I was told to hate Iranians. I even did my high school senior project on the U.S. hostages in Iran for 444 days. I had zero space and place from him in my heart. I like Valentine’s study because she shows us many ways we exclude people.
One of the keys to community I attempt at the Hub is I read the New Living Translation of the Bible. I like this because it makes women fell welcome into the story of God. This morning I read Ephesians 1 that says God adopted us. The NIV version says that we are sons, the NLT version says we are God’s children. This makes all the single moms in the Hub feel loved by God!
As far as the gender question, Sunland is a tiny (some say “backwater”) suburb of Los Angeles. Although we have had many members of the LGBTQ community move into the neighborhood, and I have attended many workshops on the issue as a teacher for LAUSD, I haven’t had much pastoral interaction with it. There is a family at the Hub that allows their 5 year old son to wear a dress whenever he wants. Other than that I don’t have much experience.
I really liked your quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I have struggled with finding a church that has a mixture of all races, and both genders, and all age groups.