“Let the church be the church.” With this logical slogan Dr. John Mackay began his term as president of Princeton Seminary in the fall of 1937. He spoke and taught much about the church, but I was never able to determine what it was he wanted the church to be and to do. Undoubtedly, he was reacting to the spirit of the day which seamed to run by the theme: “Let the church be all things to all men.” He was, moreover, very deeply involved in the ecumenical movement. “Let the church be the church” needed emphasis at a time when totalitarian states were making the church the tool of a tyrannical state.

Church Deformation

Historically the church has not been able to keep itself as the church and has often done things which were not the task of the church. As the N.T. Christians moved from a persecuted minority to a dominant majority in the Roman Empire, the very nature and function of the church changed. The local churches lost much of their autonomy and power was concentrated in the Roman bishop. While the eastern part of the Empire went its own way, the western part saw a consolidation of power from the days of Constantine 325 A.D. until the Reformation.

American Separation of Roles

The fascinating tale of conflict between Popes and Emperors, the story of abuse on both sides: All this belongs to church history. Especially for us in the U.S. the barrier recognized by both state and church has freed our nation from the dominance of Popes over politics and of rulers over churches.

Most evangelical American denominations have concentrated their efforts on the traditional tasks of the church. They worshipped, preached, taught the children, evangelized, administered sacraments, and disciplined their members. Some denominations also carried on diaconal ministries, especially to their own members. Basically the great goal was to help people to worship God and find the way to heaven.

The Problem of Education

But there were areas where the church and a secularized state could not work together. Some denominations wanted to educate their children. Others left it up to the state. Many of the latter considered the public schools Christian, or made efforts to maintain some Christian teachers and Christian ideals in them. A surprising number of denominations, moreover, were committed to establishing and running denominational colleges.

   

The “Social Gospel” Perversion

In general the churches continued to be concerned with what might be called the strictly religious side of life and culture. Several forces were at work in the American churches. While some congregations were concentrating even more only on the “spiritual,” large numbers of preachers had lost interest in the evangelical gospel. Modernism was creating a vacuum in the content of preaching. Ministers who had come to deny the basic supernatural truths could only speak half-heartedly about sin and salvation, heaven and hell. To fill the void, they shifted their interest from the eternal to the temporal, from the vertical to the horizontal. This meant that the church was largely losing its evangelical task and replacing it with a social gospel.

Liberal theology has influenced many of the seminaries. Its emphasis has been social and corporate rather than spiritual and personal. From advocating a religion of voluntary charitable actions, it soon turned towards remaking the social structures. Thus the churches became involved in civil rights and pacifist movements. By throwing their financial, moral and political power behind various movements, the churches exercised political compulsion. Not content with influencing domestic politics, churches began to advocate reform and revolution in other countries.

The “New Morality”

Meanwhile, on the home front liberalism has become an advocate of the “new morality.” Years ago the issue was the “new theology.” Then the program of the modernist was two–fold. It began by defending the “right” to deny the creeds. From the right to be liberal it went on to a complete takeover. The issue, remember, was modernistic theology. But lately the second area has come in for attack. This is the attack upon our historic Christian morals and cultural standards. We are all acquainted with the long list of moral issues—abortion, the Sunday observance, homosexuality, marriage and divorce, E.R.A., etc. And the approach has once more been for the liberal churches to defend the right to differ. How often we hear the argument: “I don’t believe in abortion, but I defend every woman’s right to do what she wishes.”

Evangelical Awakening

Suddenly we are discovering what we should have known all along. It was our Christian teaching that once shaped the character of our Christian culture and civic laws. Of all people, especially Calvinists have been aware of this. Groen Van Prinsterer and Kuyper never tired of pointing this out. The Puritans were fully conscious of the impact of Christianity on life. Perhaps many Americans became confused by the illusion of a neutral education and a neutral culture.

American evangelicals have had a rude awakening. It was not enough for the Christians to concern themselves only with preaching the gospel and emphasizing the spiritual side of life. This was in a sense their first response to the advocates of social and political change. Almost forgotten are other attempts like Prohibition—to save the morals of the country. But there has been an awakening. The very Christian foundations of our Christian culture and laws are breaking up. Murder and adultery, perversion and corruption are not only being allowed but also advocated!

The great movement towards Christian schools is a wonderful response to this atheism in education. The right to life movement is a must. And although I’m not sure whether we are a “moral majority” the moral right must be maintained.

A Necessary Distinction

There is however a distinction which we must be careful to make and maintain. The church is an institute, and an organism. As an institute it has very specific tasks. Nor should it yield to the temptation to turn itself into a political or social tool. The church is also the body of believers. They may and must also function as an organism. Thus we may consider the Christian life and action of the Christian community as the church of Christ living in the world. Some might wish to describe this distinction as church and kingdom. By whatever name it is described, it is clear that there are specific functions belonging to the organized institute in distinct ion from those belonging to the Christian community.

Confusion of Roles

It is not my purpose at this time to elaborate on the specific tasks of the institute. We might have to recognize many practical adjustments, often due to a void being filled by the church organization (e.g. operating medical, educational and recreational facilities). On the other hand, church tasks are being voluntarily undertaken by Christian people (e.g. mission societies, worship groups and theological education). The danger with much of the confusion of roles on a merely pragmatic basis is primarily that the organized church will lose a clear idea of its nature and function. Sometimes, however, when very strict enforcement of distinctions seems to stymie all action, we are sorely tempted to argue as did Moody with his critics. He said: “I like my way of doing something better than your way of doing nothing.”

Who shall determine the character and limits of the work of the organized church? Perhaps an even more difficult question is: Who shall determine when and how the Christian, individually and collectively shall become involved in various areas of life. This is a vital question! Everyone of us is welcome to try to answer it in the light of Scripture. Pope John Paul expressed his opinion when he urged priests to keep out of politics and forbade some of them to sit in Congress. Jerry Falwell has been struggling with his role as preacher and leader of the “moral majority.” Nor do I know bow seriously our Baptist brethren have taken the issue of who should run the many Christian schools which are springing up everywhere.

Kuyper’s Separate “Spheres”

I do not know if Dr. A. Kuyper around 1880 asked somebody for advice on the respective role of the church and the university. To him belongs the honor of working out a comprehensive theory distinguishing the authority of the church from that of various other institutions. He not only thought and talked, but acted. Through his efforts the Christian educational system from 1st grade to university was made the task of neither state nor church but of the Christian community (the church in its organic life). Missions and evangelism were considered by him the special task of the organized church and he succeeded in getting the transfer from an independent mission society to the care of the churches. Although he himself engaged in politics and even served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, he did not do this “as preacher” but as Christian citizen. While he stressed the diaconal function of the church, he preferred to develop independent institutions of mercy. Through his influence we thus have not only parental Christian schools but also a variety of other institutions such as Pine Rest.

Church and Christian Duties

Let the church be the church! This applies most emphatically to the organized institution. And above all, the church should carefully and consciously determine the nature and limits of its official task. Above all, let the church keep its spiritual priorities in order. But there is another question: How must the Christians be the church of Christ in the world? Secular philosophers have been trying to persuade us to keep out! And while the Liberal churchmen were too ready to get involved in their liberal way, they too are almost panicking lest the conservative Christians should try to dictate morality to an immoral society! We hear the same cries of anguish from the secular educators when we press for Christian education.

Every Christian should take seriously both the role of his church and his personal responsibility to witness for Christ and to serve Him in the world. Here we need the help of the Christian philosophers and experts in various fields. But above all, I believe the Church and especially the pulpit must give sound guidance on where and how the Christian community must be the church in the world.

L. Oostendorp, retired C.R. pastor and teacher of Christian Doctrine at the Reform ed Bible College, lives at 1802 Onaway S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49506.