Christianity or Christianism

Christianity or Christianism

William Saffire, in his New York Times Magazine On Language column, introduced me to a pair of useful terms: Christianism and Christianist.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first of the two can be traced back to the seventeenth century. In 1674, R. Godfrey wrote of a "Heathenish Christianism". In 1855, I. Taylor identified an "easy, overweening, and egotistic Christianism". These examples in the OED demonstrate that the term as a long history of derogatory use. Christianist appears to be of more recent coinage.

I think that both of these terms will be helpful. For a long time I have resented the necessity of adding the modifier "progressive" or "liberal" to the word "Christian" in order to differentiate an approach to Christianity that differs from that propounded by extreme conservatives. Many people have told me that we stand for basic Christianity and shouldn’t have to use an adjective in describing our network. Now we have the opportunity for making a distinction between our understanding of Christianity and that proclaimed by the extremists.

Christians are people who practice Christianity. They do their best to follow the way taught and lived by Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus stands at the center of the constellation of symbols by which they make sense out of their existence.

Christianists are devotees of Christianism. They use Christian symbols in propounding an ideology that they want to impose on society. They make sense out of their existence by convincing themselves that they are right and that any who disagree are outside of God’s favor.

Christianism can appear at either end of the political spectrum. For example, Pat Robertson is a Christianist on the right, while Jim Wallis is a Christianist of the left. Both sides claim to be representing the mind of God, and both want to translate their positions into public policy.

Although using derogatory terms is often a less than admirable strategy in dealing with differences of opinion, such terms can sometimes bring clarity to an argument. In this case, I think it is important to insist on the distinction between Christianity – a religion, and Christianism – a political ideology.

For more on the subject, see the comments of Ruth Walker for the Christian Science Monitor and Rob Kall on Op-Ed News.

Comments

[John]

Christians are followers of Christ. They may or may not get involved in 'Christianism,' a term I don't put much stock in but to each his own. Christians are not perfect creatures yet, nor are you for you are adding more divisiveness to the pot. The terms 'liberal' and 'conservative' Christians seem to work rather well. I know which I am and which you are. Blessings.

[JACK LARSON]

I AM SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THE DICTIONARY IS BEING USED!!! GOOD JOB!!!! NOW, ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE IT IS STATED THAT THE FOLLOWER'S OF THE MESSIAH WERE CALLED CHRISTIANS. IT DOESN'T SAY THAT THEY THEMSELVES IDENTIFIED WITH THIS TERM. AT THE TIME, THE TERM CHRISTIAN WAS USED AS AN INSULT.....CHRISTIAN MEANS STUPID... THE MESSIAH WAS A HEBREW JEW FROM ISRAEL AND WITH THIS IN MIND HE DID NOT CREATE A NEW MOVEMENT. HE DIDN'T GO TO CHURCH HE WENT TO THE SINAGOGUE.... HE CAME TO UNITE NOT TO DIVIDE....SHALOM