Just
yesterday I was in a nearby city and stopped for a falafel at a 'Mediterranean'
restaurant and engaged the Syrian owner in an interesting conversation.
We both
agreed the fall of Palmyra is unfortunate both to the people who live there and
of course to the historical artifacts that are now in danger of destruction.
It turned
out this very friendly man was a Syriac Christian. Two things caught my eye
that led me to inquire. One was a picture of Christ and the Apostles at the
Last Supper and secondly was a picture of Bashar al-Assad and his wife that was
tucked in the corner behind the cooler.
That
launched an interesting discussion about Syria in recent years. He admitted
frustration with US media coverage of the issues. The US public has never been
given the whole story and while he agreed that Assad was far from the greatest,
in a country like Syria, he was and is necessary for stability. The Christians
in Syria as well as groups like the Druze support Assad and this was long before
the rise of ISIS.
Many
Christians bought into the confusion of American Democracy and their values and
were eager to support rebel movements against Middle Eastern dictators. In many
cases the US has backed and supported these dictators. They almost become a
necessity when you've created fictitious countries as the French and English
were so wont to do in post-WWI era. Democracy in such contexts is almost an
impossibility.
The Assads
were opposed by the US and have long been antagonistic to Israel. They have
acted in collaboration with Iran and consequently with Russia. It is beyond the
understanding of many Christians in the West that these 'Christians' in the
East might have a different take on geopolitics. It's baffling to them that a
'Christian' nation like Armenia might not only find more affinity with Russia
but also might view it in their interests to befriend a nation like Iran.
The same is
true of the Christians in Syria. This man was from the area around Tartous and
his family had been largely protected from the fighting. The western coast
dominated by the Alawites and also containing a significant Christian
population has been largely exempted from the troubles. Tartous also hosts a
Russian naval facility. Largely used for refueling it allows ships in the
Russian fleet to avoid traversing the Bosphorus.
It was an
interesting conversation and I enjoyed it, but I also kept thinking about how
many on the Christian Right for as much as they talk about the Christians in
the Middle East would be completely baffled by this man and his understanding
of the region. I found myself largely in agreement with him though
unfortunately I can't call him a Christian at least as Scripture would define
the term.
His
Christianity has nothing to do with the Bible. It's an ethnic and cultural
identification. In terms of doctrine and worship the Orthodox and certainly the
Syrian variant have little to do with Scripture and in fact it has little
authority in their system. They are keepers of tradition, rites and rituals
that developed in the early days of the Constantinian period when the Church
began to radically turn away from what was left of its earlier Biblicism and
Apostolicity.
The gospel
of salvation by grace through faith would be unknown to him and something that
he would not accept. Again Christianity is for most of these folks a social
identification and since there is no gospel there is precious little in the way
of the transformed life. Worship which must (if we're honest) be labeled as
idolatry does not honour God and the Spirit does not seem to work in their
lives. I am not saying it's impossible for someone to become a Christian under
that system but I don't think there are very many and those that converted when
reading Scripture would become grieved.
That said,
they can be kind and good people. But I can also say that about many Muslims, Hindus
and Jehovah's Witnesses I have met. I can't refer to this man as a brother in
Christ simply because we share a name. The Scriptures, the revelation and
oracles given by God define these terms and concepts. Too often we allow
history and sociology to define these terms and lost scholars will certainly do
so. What else can they do? It makes things confusing but we have to work
through it.
He would say
the Scriptures are defined by the tradition held by the successors of the
Apostles.
Eastern and
Oriental Orthodoxy are quite old and represent a tradition much older than even
pre-Vatican II Roman Catholicism. Their liturgies and traditions indeed go back
to the 5th and 6th centuries and they never went through
what we would call the Middle Ages, the Renaissance or the Enlightenment. Their
thinking and perspectives are different and in some respects preferred when
compared with that of Rome. If I was going to abandon Sola Scriptura and
'convert' to some other form of Christianity I would certainly go the Orthodox
route before I would look toward Rome. But that said, if I reached that point
I'm not sure there would be any Christianity left in me... if I can put it that
way.
I can't call
him a brother but I can appreciate his kindness and be his friend. There is ground
upon which to build but as with many others you would have to get him 'unsaved'
to get him saved. And for the Christians of that world, embracing Biblical
Christianity represents a total break with their community and traditions and
would generate a great deal of antagonism.
I only get
into the city once or twice a year but I will certainly visit him again. God
willing.
In the mean
time we can pray for peace in Syria, for all the people who live there. We can
also pray that the American Empire would quit destroying societies through war.
This type of utter destruction breeds monsters. We saw it in Cambodia and we're
seeing it in the Middle East.
