Caught in the Crossfire
by damianfeeney
I suppose I was reasonably well prepared for the robust language which accompanies academic debate – I was, after all, a priest serving in a parish for fifteen years or so, and had been a secondary school teacher prior to that. Nor am I surprised that academic discussion and argument (itself a word with more aggressive overtones than seems helpful) is invariably robust. Part of the process of discerning truth in whatever discipline or sphere of activity, is discourse. It might be argued that subject this process to diplomatic nuance can shroud discourse, so that we are less likely to say what we mean. And amidst our conversations there is a kind of brittle politeness which can shatter under the strain of the passions aroused by having a strongly held point of view challenged. We are human, after all, and calling it conversation doesn’t stop us feeling vulnerable in the face of attack.
Then, of course, there is the discourse between people of faith, and in my case, discourse (generally) between Christians. At what point does the straight talking demanded by the nature of the argument and the demands of the pursuit of truth cross the line so that the exchange becomes more than argument, and less than civilised? I search in vain for help from Jesus on this, by the way – in Matthew 23 Jesus progressively ramps up what is admittedly a monologue, offering a series of condemnatory statements which begin with the words ‘Woe to you, scribes and pharisees….’. His words become more pointed, more heated, as part of the means by which he conveys the urgency of what he wants to say.
Nevertheless, there is such a thing as Christian discourse. The standards of the debates and discussions we conduct should be such as to recognise, first of all, the presence of the Holy Spirit in one another. It’s the very foundation of Christian community living within the body of the church. That presence surely has implications for the way we speak to each other. I know of priests who dread meetings with parishioners, because they fear they will be caught in the crossfire of the less than Christian exchanges which will result. The whole process by which the church consults and makes decisions becomes even more flawed when we fail to recognise that, however passionately held our views, the contrary view held by others is equally sincere. Our conduct begins from this point, and should not depart from it. In addition, bad behaviour is a distraction. It helps people concentrate on process stories rather than the issues which require resolution – we can talk in hushed tones about why person X spoke to Y as they did, and why such and such a piece of behaviour was not acceptable. Thus it is that gossip is born. And you can’t get away with bad behaviour by claiming that it is somehow ‘prophetic’.
Inspired by the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit, (who, we are told, leads us into all truth),
Let all thy converse be sincere,
Thy conscience as the noon-day clear;
Think how all-seeing God thy ways
And all thy secret thoughts surveys.
In a little known verse later on, Thomas Ken, the author of those words, writes
Direct, control, suggest, this day
All I design or do or say
That all my powers, with all their might,
In Thy sole glory may unite.
Amen to that.
