I cannot help but wonder if one of the reasons why there appears
to be a growth in right-wing extremism is consequent to the loss of the Christian
narrative that influenced the way in which European societies have
developed. By ‘Christian narrative’ I don’t mean ‘what
the Church teaches’. Rather that story which has encouraged people
to live beyond the confines of humanity’s primitive instincts which drive our
desire for, amongst other things, safety and security. Richard Dawkins named this as the ‘selfish
gene’ and claimed it dominated the evolutionary process, but others have argued
that this is not a correct understanding of the process and believe we evolved
as social rather than individual creatures.
Whichever is correct it does seem clear that, at present, a
selfish current is at work deep within the psyche of our society and there is occurring
a major shift in our cultural identity. After 2000 years of Christian formation which has,
arguably, shaped us and our society in conscious and sub-conscious ways, the
past 50 years have seen an erosion of that process which appears to be speeding
up. The Christian narrative is hardly
heard in our formative development and, whilst many may not have given it
conscious attention, exposure to the telling and retelling of that narrative has
given expression to the best in how we perceived our human calling. It has offered something that has inspired
generations of people to seek to transcend themselves. The Parables of Jesus have been formative in
our cultural development – the Good Samaritan, Prodigal Son, Widows Mite
etc… Now they are no longer normative in
shaping our culture, what is replacing them?
How can we counter the selfish traits that can, so easily, be
determinative? What stories constantly
remind us of the need to forgive? To
know that we are loved in spite of who and what we might be? To welcome the stranger and see a ‘higher
being’ in the foreigner? To be generous. To beware the lure of wealth etc … What common narratives now form us?
Arguably the vote for Brexit was driven by a desire to be
rid of foreigners and separate ourselves from others – both desires being ones
which the Christian narrative warns against.
The hatred that has erupted both here and in the USA has not been
fueled by the Christian narrative, far from it. Rather
the worse in our humanity is being given permission to express itself by those
who peddle the Brexit narrative. And to
ignore the consequences of the narrative that is now being offered, as history
shows us, is deeply dangerous. At
present too many of our leaders are ignoring this and seeking to focus our
attention simply on perceived financial advantages whilst neglecting more
important concerns. And just as Jesus
was deeply critical of those who ignored the ‘weightier demands of the Law’
(cf. Mt. 23) those of us who call ourselves Christians should be pleased that
some politicians are clearly warning us of the dangers of the populist fable gripping so many:
“We are at an ugly
international crossroads. What’s happening in Britain is appalling. What’s
happening across Europe is appalling. It has echoes from the 1930's. And America, the most powerful country in the
world, has just elected a fascist! … I
don’t use the term fascist lightly, (but) What else would you call someone who
threatens to imprison his political opponents? What else would you call somebody who
threatens to not allow people of a certain political faith into their country? What would you say, or what would you call
somebody who was threatening to deport 10 million people?” (Senator Aodhán O'Riordáin addresses the Taoiseach
10.xi.16)
A counter-narrative needs to be offered that appeals to our
social as opposed to selfish genes and reminds us that simplistic solutions
cannot answer our deeper needs. The
Scriptures offer a narrative that is increasingly counter-cultural: where story
after story deals with the lure and corruption of power, the need to beware
hatred of the Other and to learn to love the stranger. The Christian narrative is not easy to hear
and the Church, besotted with issues of sexuality, hardly seems in a place to
proclaim it. Yet I believe that is what
we need to do, in season and – more importantly – at this time when the dark
forces of Evil (and, yes, the Christian narrative presents us with the reality
of evil and how to overcome it) have been welcomed into our midst in the shape
of those who offer lies, trade in fear of the foreigner and seek to place the
acquisition of wealth above the creation of a just society. Whether they realise it or not the likes of
Farage, Trump and their ilk are the heralds of darkness not of light – and by their
fruits we will know them.
