One of the references he made was to "Moralistic therapeutic deism" - MTD for short. One of the co-authors of the study which explored this taught at Clemson, Melinda Lundquist Denton. MTD allows one to approach God as little more than the source (perhaps enforcer) of the rules and/or as the one who responds to and maybe heals our ills. MTD ignores God as the one who looks to social change and as the one who calls us into active communities.
The appointed Gospel for today is Luke 4, where Jesus goes to synagogue and reads from the prophet - "God has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.... release to the captives.... to set at liberty those who are oppressed." While MTD would encourage us to see these acts as spiritual in nature, the remainder of the book of Luke gives a different witness. Jesus is continually working to change the status quo, particularly when the status quo left the marginalized in the margins. Jesus insists that real change happens in the world; change which made life better for all of us.
Moralistic therapeutic deism is preached in many houses of worship. And this analysis is likely to offend some of you. For that I am sorry, and do come and talk to me, rather than slipping away. I will listen, but I will not slip away from my insistence that being a follower of Jesus doesn't stop with moral teachings and miraculous healing. Jesus calls his followers into a community and he sends that community out in the world to proclaim good news to the poor.... release to the captives..... liberty to those who are oppressed. Our faith must be active in bringing the good to the world which God intends for his children.
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