Twitter has a reputation. Much of it is justified. But not all of it. I have found Twitter to be, at times, a humanizing place. Where we see all manner of behavior. And much of it is cries in the wilderness. To be noticed. Befriended. Supported.
Once again, a conversation about Communion dominated what many Episcopalians saw in their feeds. None of it is actually worth getting into without sitting at a table, something to drink, and time to spend.
What dominated the discourse was, once again, misplaced understanding, strident certainty, and anxious vitriol. It struck many of us as sadly tragic. What a waste of time, and more importantly, opportunity.
Sometimes we feel justified in getting angry on behalf of the oppressed. And sometimes we feel justified in getting angry at the angry. And then, sometimes, we feel justified in getting angry that anyone gets angry. Without the hint of irony. Or introspection. Or, more importantly, fidelity to why the first anger is fundamentally different than the second. Or third.
I get tired of these spats because they make a terrible Christian witness. They also make our church look petty, snotty, and abusive. And while it is easy to throw the whole thing away (“that’s Twitter!”), doing so without dealing with what it reveals, particularly abuse, is, itself, something far short of righteous.
With love,
Drew