Faction Friendships

In his recent insightful article on the Gospel Coalition, Pastor Jeremy Linneman argues that (in America at least) people’s already-weak friendships have been diminished and replaced by screen time and ‘faction friendships’ (friendships based on social-political alignment and little else) which have pushed both the society and the church to further polarization.

My own experience as a Pastor suggests that this is not just happening in America. Too many Christians, on both sides of the controversies occasioned by covid, have retreated into their own tribe, making someone’s view of covid, lockdowns or facemasks the shibboleth of orthodoxy. Too many Christians have strained out gnats and swallowed camels—taking strong stands over covid protocols as if fundamental doctrines like the deity of Christ or justification were at stake, while ignoring the crystal clear and far weightier commands like our duty to love one another and consider others more important than ourselves.

And so we have Christians who will not speak to another Christian if he is wearing a facemask—or unless he is wearing a facemask. There are Christians who are suddenly hailing as heroes those with whom they have very little in common on any other issue, but because they are ‘sound’ on the covid question that’s all that matters. Read More