The Dangers of Tribalism
If he's not against us, then there is a good chance we can at least be on the same side!
Tribalism has become so unhealthy in our modern age that we are now making up "tribes" to belong to because we are so confused about who we are as a people. But that isn't anything new. Tribalism has been unhealthy since we started choosing sides and reducing our identity to either our genetic roots or family ties. All of history is filled with atrocities done in the name of either protecting our tribe or attacking another tribe!
But there are some real treasures in our different communities, and we humans were made to be in communion, so it's a mistake to throw out the baby with the bathwater.
So, how do we learn to discern (quickly becoming one of my favorite sayings) between a healthy joy in our family ties and the unhealthy tribalism that degenerates into racism, insecure arrogance, or even violence? It all begins with seeing our distinctiveness as both a gift AND an invitation to share!
Look at our Gospel Lesson this morning in Mark 9:33-41:
At that time, Jesus and his disciples came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took a child, and put him in the midst of them; and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” John said to him, “Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward.”
The disciples of the Lord come across a man casting out demons in the name of the Lord and they stopped him because he wasn’t part of their group! When they told the Lord, He corrected them with the wisdom that said anyone doing good in the name of the Lord can’t then turn around and speak evil of the Lord. In other words, there are the beginnings of communion here. Don’t snuff that out! It’s the whole point of the Lord’s ministry to build, grow, and foster communion.
Now, before you go too far on the other side of this wisdom and suggest the Lord is teaching that anything goes and as long as any group is claiming to follow the Lord, they are OK, nothing could be further from the truth taught here. No, the Lord isn’t suggesting that this beginning of communion is the end of the journey, but it is a beginning. It’s like suggesting that a kindergartener is the same as a wise teacher. Yes, both are persons, but there is still a development that has to occur for there to be any chance these two persons can communicate well. We should never confuse the launching pad for the finish line!
Our current societal chaos has seen the sick side of tribalism, but we can't make the mistake of dismissing the close ties that bind us. We have to be humble enough and gracious enough to watch our attitudes carefully and constantly ask God to keep us able to discern when things are getting sick. Then we have to be humble enough to repent!
St. Ignatius was a disciple of St. John, the Beloved, one of the 12 Apostles. Tradition suggests that St. Ignatius was the child the Lord sat on His lap in our Gospel lesson today. St. Ignatius was the second Bishop of the great city of Antioch and was a famous and humbler leader of the early Church. Of course, Christianity was illegal during St. Ignatius’ lifetime, and he was such a beloved Christian leader that, when St. Ignatius was 86 years old, the Roman government in Antioch this holy man arrested and brought to the Colosseum in Rome in an attempt to get him to deny Christ. This very holy man said to the leaders, “I have followed the Lord for 86 years, and He has never done me wrong. Why would I deny Him now?” They sent him into the arena with the lions who killed this holy man of God in 107 AD. His holy relics were preserved by the faithful and taken back to Antioch, where they were regarded as great treasures to inspire the Faithful.
Today, where are those places in your life that are enemies of communion and dialogue? Where are the illnesses in your "tribe?" What fears of the “stranger” lurk in your heart that keep you from seeing all people created in God’s image and meant to be in communion with you? To be sure, we always need discernment, but we can never allow the beauty of God’s original intention for us all to escape or be lost to our fears, our prejudices, or our ignorance. We were made to be in communion like the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are in communion. Living a Normal Orthodox Life means everybody belongs!
P.S. As a sharer of the ways and a successor to the throne of the Apostles, O inspired of God, you found discipline to be a means of ascent to divine vision. Wherefore, having rightly divided the word of truth, you did also contest for the Faith even unto blood, O Hieromartyr Ignatius. Intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.