Although different denominations will set different requirements, what it means to be a Christian often comes back to the Apostles’ Creed. It means believing in the deity of Jesus, his death and resurrection, the Trinity, and the final judgment.
Will McCorkle
It’s fairly expansive, so it includes Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant believers. This more inclusive stance is beneficial in many ways and has been a source of greater peace between Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox congregations in the 20th and 21st centuries..
However, there is an issue with this definition of what it means to be Christian. What happens when a group of people can say they believe every element of the Apostles’ Creed, but their ethics and morals are not just in tension with Jesus but are actually the opposite of what Jesus taught?
We see this throughout history with the church. Those who were carrying out torture on Jews and Muslims during the Spanish Inquisition or destroying Indigenous villages would say they believed the words of the Apostles’ Creed. The churches in Germany that bowed down to Hitler might also have said something similar. There were churches in the American South during slavery that would believe every word of the creed and yet they would treat other believers like animals. Similarly, people would go to church on Sunday morning and then go watch lynchings in the afternoon.
“Although the definition of what it means to be a Christian should be broad, at some point ethics and morals matter.”
This brings us back to the current moment. where we see Christian nationalism on the rise in such ways that it’s hard to comprehend. We have “Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth quoting the Psalms while justifying an illegal invasion in Iran. We have others cheering on the war because it aligns with their view of eschatology.
Just this week we had a congressman post a video of him and other leaders of the Trump administration as Crusaders. Evangelical Christians in particular are the group most likely to reject refugees and social programs and support war. Although the definition of what it means to be a Christian should be broad, at some point ethics and morals matter. Can we say that just because you believe in the doctrines of the Trinity and the virgin birth you are actually a Christian or a Christian church?
I am not sure we can make that ultimate judgment, and I certainly realize the danger in every denomination or political group saying the other is not Christian. That can lead to its own toxicity and those lines can become narrower over time. I am certainly not saying anyone who has different political or social beliefs than me is not a Christian.
However, there is an uncomfortable conversation we need to have. Otherwise, we are just going to repeat the same atrocities of the past. This is the reason so much of the modern American church stands for the exact opposite of the actual teachings of Jesus. You can believe in the broader concept of Jesus and the Christian “essentials,” but if you reject all his teaching and stand most strongly for war, economic injustice and harsh policies to the poor and immigrants, is that actually Christianity?
That is the tension we need to sit with.
Will McCorkle serves as an education professor in Charleston, S.C., and is a board member with Practice Mercy Border Ministries. He writes on the topics of immigration, peace and faith.