Ethnic Christianity

I'm a mutt. One-eighth German, French, shicksa, Slovakian, blonde, Yankee, whitey, and townie. Which makes me hard-pressed to identify with an ethnicity. I once told someone I was half-Catholic. They laughed: "That's like being half-vegetarian." If someone can be half-Jewish, why can't I be half-Catholic?

People often tell me Judaism is a race, an ethnicity, or a people, while Christianity is just a religion. I'm not taking issue with the first part. But as a semi-practicing Methodist who was baptized Catholic, I'd like to out myself right now as an ethnic Christian.

I've heard many Jewish students say that they identify with Jewish culture, but are less tied to the dogma. In fact, as far as I gather, Jews are much less likely to attend a weekly service than Protestants, and certainly less likely than Catholics. However, these same students remain adamant about marrying within the religion, and staunch about wanting to raise their children Jewish.

I am the same way. Since entering college, I rarely attend church other than on holidays, and then mostly in my home town. I have no interest in proselytizing or in choosing my social group based on religion. But I do find a certain bond with other Christians with similar values gained from church, and similar goals for our future in the religion.

I love my church most for being an unconditional community. Perhaps I feel that way more strongly because I don't have a specific ethnic community. But knowing that there will always be a group of people, beyond my family and close friends,with whom I will feel a familial bond is one of the most comforting feelings I know.

Church is a comforting routine of seeing the same people, singing the same songs and reciting the same prayers I've known since childhood. I love seeing the crayon drawings of what the second graders are giving up for Lent. (My favorite is "root beer on Thursdays.") The Alpha-Bit Bible verses I glued and shellacked onto a popsicle-stick background at summer Bible school still decorate my house--it's just about the best medium for a Bible verse I can think of. And though I cowered at the sight of my trigonometry teacher in high school, we'd sit in the same pew and exchange the "sign of peace" on Sundays.

On a larger scale, I know that if people I love are sick or needing help, there is a congregation of hundreds of people who will all pray for me. I do not find comfort in this phenomenon because I think God will answer prayers, solve problems, or listen more because there are 500 people praying rather than two. But it is an awesome feeling to knowthat I have, outside of my friends and family, a community of 500 people who will unconditionally care.

For me, Christianity is more about people than about Jesus. And I don't consider it blasphemy to say so--I think it is a widespread sentiment among us closet Christians.

I can be a Christian and still think that crusading against premarital sex (not unprotected or casual sex, mind you) is about the most worthless cause out there. Maybe a lot of Christians disagree. But other religions have a spectrum of believers too, and not keeping kosher, or wearing slacks, doesn't make others less part of their religious groups.

Also, the fact that Christianity happens to be a more common and "user-friendly" religion (as a Jewish friend of mine calls it) doesn't make it less precious. One of the things I most admire about my religion is that it welcomes all with open arms. Most of us Christians are used to being in the massive majority. But at Yale, we probably are not even a plurality. I think it's a wonderful thing, and I have learned a lot about other religions since coming here.

As a part of this rich diversity, I've also finally learned that there is something about me--a Christian "mutt"--that is distinct and valuable.

Back to Opinion...