There is a growing movement of younger, conservative Christians who are taking a new approach to the struggle against liberal theology in the church in America, particularly in mainline denominations. This approach stands in contradistinction to what has been the prominent conservative Christian approach over the last 75 years. Prior to this movement, the instinct for the majority of conservative families was to get far away from a particular church or sect after liberal theology took root. However, the instinct of these younger Christians is to instead seek out and “make conquest” of these churches. This involves joining oneself to the church with the mission of “fighting back” and working to reclaim it. We have seen the impact of this movement in our own parish as several young conservative Christian men have either connected with our church, in the midst of seeking conquest elsewhere, or have come to our church after abandoning the movement.
This vision for the church has been captivating for many. I think the most attractive point of this vision is that it pictures a church triumphant in a way that it hasn’t been for decades. As conservative Christianity descends into greater irrelevance and authority in the public landscape, this is a strong and focused effort to reclaim the heritage, the influence, and the status that was once rightfully ours. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t find something of appeal in this call to arms.
However, all of the sweeping excitement that I have to join the fight comes to a grinding halt as I look across the table at my wife and my children. As a father and spiritual leader of my home, I must always filter our decisions, especially those related to the church, through the lens of this vocation that I have from God. To enter into this battle would not involve me heading out to battle alone, only to return later to tell my war stories. Instead, it would involve packing up my family to enlist them into the war alongside me. It would involve bringing them out to the battlefield, where I am seeking to reclaim territory, while also trying to be something of a shield for them. What confidence do I have that I can protect them from stray arrows or the seizing of the enemy who will, with great intesnity, seek to capture them both by force and by fancy?
Now I stand firm on my commitment to the guiding principle of Family of the Liturgy to be directional rather than prescriptive so I will not make a definitive ought or ought not here. There are many who would offer the same or a similar argument regarding the public school system in its current state, and would conclude that it would be immoral to send one’s kids to public school. Yet I have nevertheless seen families enter into the public school system with a missional mindset and the Lord has seemed to protect and preserve them for that very purpose. If the Lord is calling you to be a “reconquista” family, then that is what you ought to be. Nevertheless, I think wisdom demands reflecting on the dangers and challenges of taking up this mission, as you discern if it is in fact the Lord’s call.
There are several consideration that I believe should be part of your reflection.
A New and Complicated Understanding of Authority
One consideration that I believe carries the greatest weight for me is that of the new and complicated understanding of authority that will be created for the family, especially in regards to the church. When we were embarking to find a new church after a move, the number one question I had to ask is, “can I submit my family to this church and entrust them to these leaders?” This is because joining ones family to a church, especially in membership, carries an aspect of submission to it that I think cannot be denied without disobedience This leaves you with a choice, either to entrust your family to these leaders, or to tell your family to refuse to submit them on the basis of heretical grounds. If the latter, you have to ask yourself, what is that teaching them about the authority of the church? This grows in its complications as the “reconquista” movement is not just about simply about joining mainline denominations, it is about taking them back. This means moving as swiftly and forcefully as possibly into decision-making authority, in order to garner influence for change. You must ask yourself, what does this teach my children about church leadership and the qualifications for church leadership as well as how positions of church leadership can and should be acquired? We can not take this consideration lightly and the church is not helped or improved by evermore complicated understandings of our church authority or more men unfit and untested for church leadership, even if they maintain conservative orthodox beliefs.
The Danger of Concession
This consideration is more pragmatic, but I think it is still a worthy one. There is the stark reality that all church participation requires some level of concession. No one is able to come into a church and stand unflinchling upon every conviction, preference, and opinion that they have. Part of the unity of the body of Christ involves some measure of personal concession. Two important considerations follow this. What is the minimal amount of concession necessary in order for you to be a meaningful and productive member of their local body and are they able to make those concessions in good conscience? When we refuse to remain in fellowship with a church in order to find a new one, this is typically a result of this tension that we must wrestle through. We are unwilling to make the necessary concessions in order to remain in fellowship. So the question is, what concessions will be necessary for your family to make in order to be meaningful and productive members of the local body and can you stand before God and say that it was reasonable for you to call your family to make these concessions for the sake of remaining within that church? I think that is a question that must be asked and considered, especially as stated previously, part of the “reconquista” effort is to move into leadership to effect change. That in and of itself will require further concessions which can not be taken lightly nor can they be taken purely out of practical consideration. Sometimes concessions are dangerous and the ends don’t always justify the means.
Quiet Permissiveness or Blatant Deception
This builds off the previous section. In order for this mission to be successful, there will need to be concessions made and you will have to in good conscience grant the concessions. The question is how do you do this before your family? If the concession are not weighty, such as the color of carpets, the musical style, or the available programs, then there is no burder in this questions. However, if any of these concessions cut against the core convictions of your family of the faith, you are left in a troubling circumstance if you want to remain. You can either make the concession and be relatively quiet about it with your family. Those this avoids the drama in the hope the tides will soon turn, but this move itself will be catechetical for your family. Even though you don’t teach it explicitly, you offer a quiet permission to the concession that is being made since you don’t teach against it either. On the other hand, you can address the concession more directly with your family and talk about why the concession is being made even though you are at fundamental odds with it. At this point, you make your family turn in to play actors, as you teach your family to be agreeable to the concession when others are around but quietly and in the secret of your home, you repudiate the concession. in this you teach your family the art of blatant deception which can not be excused for the hope of a good outcome. What lesson might this teach your children? How might it affect how your children relate to you as their authority?
A Churchless Existence
The last point to make is a simple one. What do we make of the status of these churches that are being reclaimed for the name of Christ? Can these be considered valid churches in the right sense? Doubtless, they are institutionally churches. They will have all the paperwork to demonstrate that from a legal framework they can rightly be labeled a “church”. But this is not the only framework by which we understand whether or not something is a valid church. If their lampstand has been removed, then what remains is no longer a church. If this is the case, then to join yourself to it is to wed your family to a churchless existence in which they are merely playing church in order to one day be a part of a church. Is this any different than joining a virtual church or watching church at home? Would you accept either of these as sufficient and acceptable forms of church participation for your family even if it served some greater practical end? If you do want to maintain the validity of the church to avoid this considerations, you must ask what concessions theologically and practically will you have to make in order to maintain the integrity of that posture? I don’t think there is much comfort on either side of this question.
I don’t know if your family should be a “reconquista” family, but I do hope that these reflections can begin to get the wheels turning for you or at least provide some argumentation that you will have to thoroughly address before you proceede. I must admit, there is very little room for sway that I have to consider sacrificing my own family to the “reconquista” movement. In my estimation, we must carry a high regard for the church as the body of Christ first, not primarily as an institution. This has led me to the conclusion that it would be too detrimental to our family’s life in Christ to abandon the church for the sake of conquest. Even if we were to succeed, I would have to ask myself and answer to God, was it worth the cost? The formation of my family in Christlikeness is, and always will be the goal, and I would rather the institutions of the mainline churches, in all their beauty, structure, and potential, completely go to rot before I would ever consider introducing threats to my family’s life in Christ.
May the God of all wisdom, give you clarity of mind and peace according to His will. May you carry forth in boldness and conviction in every vocation to which you are assigned and may He grant you perseverance, strength, and love to carry the duties contained within. Amen.
