Societal Fractures Are No Match for Christ

Scholars spoke about strengthening faith in America. We easily agreed on early ideas: Our connections deepened as we focused on solving social issues that affect us all. As long as we remained at the top of the casual conversational funnel, it appeared we were all the same, all aligned, perhaps even all of one accord. But things shifted when we talked about how our theological convictions aligned with our social engagement. Small differences in temperature became noticeable as we spoke more specifically, discussing, for instance, how much power government should hold. Voices rose as we turned to poverty and communal care. We could feel storm clouds rising. By the time we broached the topic of immigration, the impending storm broke. Backs stiffened. Jaws set. Hands clenched, and newly drawn lines determined who belonged on which side. Fractures of our society are multisensory experiences. We can see them in our cities and neighborhoods. We can feel them when banter turns to controversial topics. These moments of fracture can make us feel as if we’re blind in a storm, stumbling on something we can’t even see. Explore more newsletters—don’t forget to start your free 60-day trial of CT to get full access to all articles in every newsletter. Sorry, something went wrong. Please try again. In these times, we must remember that our hope is built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. He is our only shelter amid the storms of polarization. He is our hope amid division-based despair. Knowing that reaching unity would be impossible by the flesh, Jesus prayed for his disciples before his crucifixion: “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11). Today, the call for Christians is not to sacrifice truth for a false unity. Instead, we are called to “work out” our salvation and to testify to a unity we can achieve only by the work of the Spirit (Phil. 2:12). At Christianity Today, we strive to glorify God by helping people make sense of the world through a biblical lens. We aim to model Christ’s redemption through credible content and courageous convenings that confront our divides, thereby catalyzing communities who bear witness to our reigning King. Thank you for being part of this divine adventure with us. May we as one body, one church, and one people do whatever it takes to mend our fractures until Christ comes for us again. Nicole Massie Martin is president and CEO of Christianity Today.