Batman

The Superhero is almost always placed in a city. Why? Perhaps because the creators see cities as particularly needing superheroes. Or perhaps because there is a general sense that the battle for the future of our civilization will be fought out in cities. And the most urban of all the superheroes is Batman, the silent defender and guardian of congested street ways. He is master of the street fighting tactics so respected by criminals, to the point where he terrifies the mob. To add even more wallop, he can also handle the just as dirty trust fund politics as Bruce Wayne. If there is evil, he can fight it and win.

Notice, however,that his methodology is so deeply different from that of Christ or so many others of His followers. This direct confrontation is similar to Christ's blunt words for the Pharisees, but it is tough to imagine Christ beating up criminals with his bare hands. Christ somehow knew how to bring thieves and prostitutes and soldiers to Himself, without having to beat them up or answer them back or win a confrontation or vindicate himself. Those upsy, self-righteous Pharisees got the rough end of his tongue, to be sure, and once he made a knot of cords for extortionists making money off piety. But they should have known better.

If there is a hope for the modern American city, and while there is life there is hope, the overall strategy must be less Batmanesque and more Christ-like. To a Christians, this would seem obvious at first glance. But how, in particular, must this change in mindset be worked out?

It means not expecting people to cease to be single mothers, or welfare recipients, or homeless before they are accepted by the church. It means not assuming that Christian devotion is synonymous with middle class, suburban lifestyle choices. In the past two and a half months,I have met quite a few suburbanites trying to live out their faith in a new urban context. All have a lot to learn (perhaps I feel this kinship because I too have much to learn). Some, however, have yet to realize that the inner city of Buffalo is as different from the suburbs as parts of Africa. In fact, I have been to European countries more like the American suburbs than American cities are like American suburbs.

It is time for cross-cultural missions to happen in America's backyard. But, just as the foreign mission field is changing from crusade-heavy, evangelistic outreaches to development and educational work, so it is time for American Christians to decide to develop American communities and American schools for Christ's kingdom. It is what He would want done.