2024.02.13

Six Degrees to Heresy

In the mid-1990s, a phenomenon arose called “Six Degrees to Kevin Bacon.” The concept behind it was that if you chose an actor, they could be associated with Kevin within six degrees. Everyone in Hollywood could be connected to Kevin Bacon.

I have found throughout my Christian life that this concept happens within the church. Depending on one’s point of view or theological perspective, it doesn’t take long before you can identify who that person considers a heretic. In fact, I would go as far as declaring that everyone, including me, is a heretic from somebody else’s point of view within six degrees.

“J” and I were married in the Spring of 1992. That summer, we attended a wedding where she was a bridesmaid. I was seated at a table with several other people, and a discussion among these arose about the virtues of Rush Limbaugh and what a great Christian he was. I sat and listened quietly, which is hard for me to do in a social context, but I was intrigued by how they could come to this conclusion, especially since none of them had ever met the man. I was no novice about Rush as I routinely listened to him for some time (please don’t judge; it gets more interesting).

The conversation at the guest table then quickly changed, and the next surprise entered the arena. These folks went off on a tangent about Rev. Billy Graham. They declared that he was NOT a Christian. Wow! With emphasis, let me say again: “!woW” I was gobsmacked at this revelation. This legendary giant of evangelicalism was a heretic in their eyes. Was I in an episode of The Twilight Zone?

After my ordination, I quickly discovered that I, too, was a heretic. In my first presbytery, a seminary student referred to me as a “minion” (not the Pixar type) because I dared to question his Christology (look it up if you don’t know this word; it will be good for you). That was my job as a Committee on Preparation for Ministry member. In my second presbytery, a leadership council member was upset because I was asked to serve on said council; I was from “that” church (a more conservative church that stood on Biblical principles). I was also called apostate by an elder from a conservative church who was leaving the denomination. Several years ago, somebody called me a basement dweller who needed to come out of the darkness and into the light (this tidbit came from the pulpit during a sermon at the presbytery meeting while I was sitting there). Let me repeat it, “!woW”

Here’s the rub: these labels were hurled from both ends of the theological spectrum. This is how I learned that I could not be conservative enough for some people or progressive for others.

And after two decades, I am comforted as I am in good company in my status as a heretic: Rev. Billy Graham, N.T. Wright, Rick Warren (and all of Saddleback Church and its four compadres), Beth Moore, John Stott, Rob Bell, Rachel Held Evans, Eugene Peterson, William Paul Young, Andy Stanley, etc. Even more comforting is that the CEO of this “hit” parade is also a heretic who hung on a tree because the Pharisees, Sadducees, Lawyers, and Sanhedrin all decided that he was a heretic.

Now that’s good company!