The Third Rail of the Church

"Social Security is the third rail of American politics. Touch it, and you die." - President Bartlett, "The West Wing"


One of my favorite quotes from "The West Wing" was about the idea of the third rail. It comes from the concept in trains, where the electrified third rail helped power the train. If you touched it, and all that current, you would die.

In "The West Wing," and often in politics, the Third Rail is Social Security (or immigration, or taxes, etc.). It's an issue that, if a politician tries to tackle it, can kill their career. It's an interesting idea that can be applied to a lot of different things.

Today, conservative members of the Presbyterian Church (USA) sent out a letter expressing their sorrow over decisions made at the General Assembly. The denomination, as a whole, took more steps toward embracing marriage equality, affirming same sex marriage, and changing its official position. It's hardly new news — for the PC (USA) or mainline Christian denominations in general. It's tough to hear, and tough to see, but it feels like more of the same from the past few years.

To me, marriage equality is the Third Rail of the modern church. It's not that I don't think the issue is important, I do. I think it's crucial, and I'm saddened to see so many Christians and so many mainline churches and denominations ignoring the clear principles of Scripture. It's a problem. But that doesn't make the issue any less of a Third Rail.

To me, it's the Third Rail of the modern church for a number of reasons. It damages our relationship with each other, it damages our relationship with the world, and it distracts from our mission.

First, it damages the church. Marriage equality has become the most divisive issue in the modern church. It's led to church splits, years of arguments, and plenty of attacks that go against the spirit of Scripture. Again, don't get me wrong, I think this is an important issue because it impacts our theology and understanding of Scripture. But it's been terribly destructive to the church, and will continue to be for years to come.

Second, it damages our relationship to the world. This issue brings out the worst in Christians, especially those on the conservative end theologically. Often the way that's expressed is hateful to those who need to hear the Gospel the most - those engaging in a life of sin. The world sees a few people uttering hate speech and claiming to represent the church, and that's what they think of the church as a whole.

Finally, it is damaging to our mission. We are called, by Jesus Christ, to spread the Gospel. That is the Great Commission. The problem with debates like this is that it turns the focus of the church inward, to itself. The more that happens, the less time we spend engaging the world and living out our mission.

Again, this is a crucial issue. It's an important issue. It's a BIblical issue. I just wish it wasn't the only issue Christians seemed focused on.