The General Speaks

The Salvation Army General, Lyndon Buckingham, said this recently:

"Amidst the backdrop of increasing uncertainty, violence, hatred and people becoming increasingly vocal and unkind, Christ calls us to be in the world and be different: counter-cultural, radical."

"The world, though it might not want admit it, needs us right now.  This is not the time for us to shrink back, to hide, to circle the wagons and just look after ourselves.  We are witnesses in the world that grace matters, that forgiveness and long-suffering and perseverance count, that mercy and grace shift the world."

"It is the practising of these principles and not the reciting of them that turns communities around.  It is the giving of ourselves fully to it that brings transformation."

In other words the mission of The Salvation Army is expressed through practical action and compassionate living, not just words.

I agree entirely with the thrust of the argument, indeed it reflects much of my thinking concerning love your neighbour by giving assistance at point of need and campaigning for systemic change to bring about social justice.

And yet, I have a nagging doubt.  What does the General mean by counter-cultural and radical?  Jesus certainly was both of these with his concern for the marginalised in the society of his time and his reflections on the  religious, political and social cultures of his time.

What does it mean to a faith body that holds to a conservative evangelical understanding of the bible to be counter-cultural?  How do the words of Lydon Buckingham play out in the context of homophobia and the lack of full inclusion within the Army based on an  individual's sexuality and partner relationships?  Next week I am meeting two Army officers who until recently led a corps (church) with an inclusive agenda.  I'll seek to tease out their thinking.