Easy for Me to Say

According to Walter Brueggemann, “[W]ords, speech, language, and phrase shape consciousness and define reality.” Words are important, so it is imperative that we use them well. As significant as words are, however, if our actions are not aligned with our words, then our words may lose their import. After all, Jesus made it clear that he is more interested in what we do than what we say. (See Matthew 7:21-27, 21:28-31).

I have noticed two specific words that are frequently being used by, pardon the label, progressive Christians: "marginalized" and "oppressed." I have used them many times myself. These and other similar words are popular for describing the kinds of folks for whom Jesus seemed to have special concern, and who accordingly should receive the church's special attention. In many gospel passages, Matthew 25 and Luke 4 being common examples, Jesus echoes Hebrew prophets by proclaiming that the poor, the blind, the hungry, the sick, and the imprisoned are important to God and must not be neglected. Thus, the words "marginalized" and "oppressed" have come to signify many different kinds of people who find themselves excluded from mainstream society, often characterized by diminished opportunities for education and lack of access to meaningful employment, and who may be scorned by the wealthy and powerful members of the community. Marginalized and oppressed people are the opposite of rich and influential. They may be homeless, incarcerated, or illegal immigrants. Recognizing that such people receive special attention in the scriptures, "marginalized" and "oppressed" have become familiar and convenient shorthand for Christian speakers and authors who have a social conscience, who are trying to discern how to follow the teachings of Jesus in the postmodern era, or who simply do not ascribe to the prosperity gospel or the notion that individual salvation after we die is the main point of the gospel. And it is good for the church to be discussing such things.

Here's the rub with the popularization of terms such as "marginalized" and "oppressed," however. While I believe it is true that the people these terms are invoked to describe are in many ways at the heart of the gospel, repeatedly saying so is of little use if I do not know any such people. I can say "marginalized" and "oppressed" over and over again, and I may sound hip and forward-thinking, not at all like Christians who have no regard for the poor, the unhoused, or the imprisoned. But until I am actually friends with such people, of what use is my socially-conscious talk? It is far easier and more comfortable to use such words in a book, a sermon, a conversation over coffee, or a blog post than it is to go to someone who actually is oppressed or lives on the margins of society, learn the person's name and story, enter into a relationship with the person, and stick with them for the long haul. It is tempting to repeat these words and ascribe to these ideas about Jesus' care for the poor but never venture outside my suburban life of privilege. But of what use is it to keep saying "marginalized" inside multi-million dollar church buildings in the wealthiest parts of town? What good does it do to read or write a book about oppressed people from within a gated community of McMansions? If I do not know or hang out with anyone who meets the definition of "marginalized" and "oppressed," what is the point of all my talk? Short-term mission trips are not much of an improvement because there is precious little opportunity for an actual relationship to develop, and they tend to be somewhat paternalistic, with rich people parachuting in to do something that the marginalized people can't manage to do for themselves, then leaving after a few days.

In Romans 12:16, St. Paul does not tell Christians to talk about poor people. Rather, he instructs followers of Jesus to associate with the lowly. In all my years as a Christian, despite countless allusions to Romans 12, I have never heard a preacher focus on this simple command. "Associate with the lowly." Perhaps it is because many preachers are too busy rubbing elbows with the rich and powerful members of their congregations and communities. Bills (and salaries) have to be paid, after all. Perhaps it is because the people in the pews do not want to be told to make friends with homeless people and prisoners. In a church culture that looks more like a country club than a revolutionary movement of love, is it any wonder that we would prefer to drop an occasional allusion to marginalized and oppressed people without ever getting to know any of them? Is it any wonder that we would rather remain insulated in our luxurious suburban bubbles? Is it any wonder that I often ignore this command and instead opt for one more social event with people who look like me and have what I have? I tend to pass over Jesus' instruction in Luke 14 to not host one more dinner for my rich friends and family. I have not one time hosted a party at my house for the poor, crippled, lame, or blind. Merely saying "marginalized" and "oppressed" does not change this embarrassing fact.