There are many historical factors at play in our current divisive political moment. A political class that has allowed itself to become disconnected from their bases, economic dislocation due to globalization and the Great Recession, a Millennial generation denied access to many opportunities but uninterested in traditional organizations that offered other benefits, political operatives have turned to psychology and social science to exploit natural differences, etc. It has dissolved many of the "glues" that held our society together and lead to an increase in partisanship and division. None of this is a surprise to anyone on Facebook, Twitter, or who watches political programming. Shouting and propaganda is the norm. Discussion and polite argument are nearly extinct.
While this is having a huge impact on our whole culture, it dawned on me during my morning walk just how much of an impact it is having on the Church. If you think back to only a few years ago, the Church as a whole was on a track towards unity. Denominations that had separated decades or centuries before were flirting with reunification. Evangelicals and Fundamentalists who had condemned all Catholics to Hell were open to the idea of a brotherhood of all believers. Interfaith gatherings were becoming more common, and there was a common belief that radical Islam and the secularization of society were the true "enemies".
But all of that swing towards unification went away almost overnight. In my awareness, it came with the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage. But I have read many others who pointed to other events as the start for them - the Great Recession, the Affordable Care Act, etc. Suddenly, society was fractured and the Church allowed itself to fracture along the same lines. People are leaving churches over political issues. And some Christians who used to sit side by side in the pew are calling each other heretics and worse over which political "side" they are on or which social issues they feel are most important.
It occurs to me that while we are all distracted talking about "Liberals" and "Conservatives" on social media, we're missing what the real point of this moment is. Political trends come and go. The supporters of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson hurled accusations that make our modern disagreements look tame by comparison. But the wounds caused by and in the Church take far longer to heal. Those alienated from a local body of believers because they don't post the right memes may never return to any church. Congregations who can't speak to each other because of odious political disagreements can not be effective working towards the goal of spending the Gospel. Christians who confuse empathy for their brother with sympathy for a political cause will never be able to relate to him or stand alongside him in his hour of need.
"A house divided against itself can not stand" was not only spoken by Lincoln about the Union. Jesus said in Mark 3:25. The Enemy knows this. And I suspect this divided political moment is all about leaving us with a divided and ineffective church for a generation, rather than about which is the next Supreme Court pick or budget maneuver.
My two cents, for what it is worth.
