Living under occupation
by Campbell Campbell-Jack, A Grain of Sand:
Triumph of Progressivism As 1940 began, the French were confident. They were at war with Nazi Germany but they had a large navy, army and air force, they sheltered behind the impregnable Maginot Line, and their allies the British had sent troops. France felt secure. On May 10 Germany invaded and Paris fell on June 14. France was either under Nazi occupation or run by the collaborationist Vichy regime. The swastika, the emblem of the conqueror, flew over Paris.
Today the Pride flag flies outside many churches, sometimes even draped on the altar inside. Symbols matter, and this symbol denies God’s established order as revealed in Scripture and all that the church has taught concerning human sexuality for two thousand years. Instead it flaunts the great lie, that we can be as gods rejecting His having created us man and woman. Flying this flag is not a way of saying that LGBT people are welcome in the church: it is a way of saying that Christians holding to the truth of Scripture are not welcome. The only people attracted to the church by such a display are those who want to transform, even destroy, the church.
We Lost – Move On The Pride flag declares the triumph of progressivism over the institutional church. The church has been conquered and is held by the invader and by those who share the conqueror’s views. The members must be prepared to submit or remain silent for the sake of peace.
Despite some ongoing skirmishes, the culture war has been fought and lost. No matter how hard we fight or vociferously comment from the sidelines, there is no going back. Thinking we can halt the juggernaut is delusional. Today it is increasingly difficult for Christians; tomorrow there will be no Christian safe spaces, not in society, not in the churches. Our main task today is not to try to halt the tide of progressivism but to focus on building the people, networks and practices we are going to need tomorrow.
This does not mean abandoning the world entirely to its own devices. That would be to reject Christ’s description of his people as salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). Where we see corruption we are duty bound to be the disinfectant, when we encounter darkness we are to shine a light. This is faithfulness. However, we cannot afford to waste time and creative energy attempting to prop up an inevitably failing social order. Our energies and creativity are needed elsewhere: in working out a way of surviving the unavoidable collapse of the old West. Our priority is always to be the good of Christ’s people (Galatians 6:10). The greatest good we can do for the world today is ready the church for tomorrow.
Read also: It’s over – prepare for a future
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