THE doctrine of the anonymous Christian is commonly associated with the Roman Catholic theologian Karl Rahner. It refers to the belief that good people of other faiths are in fact Christians except in name.
But the anonymous Christians I have in mind are a very different breed. In fact, they are entirely different from Rahner’s species. They are easily recognisable in the modern church if one makes an effort to spot them.
What makes them anonymous is that they refuse to be tagged. Even in the pasture where they forage regularly, their names do not appear on the membership roll. They are classified as “visitors”. Their movement is something of a mystery. They time themselves to enter the sanctuary just as the service is about to begin and the moment it is concluded they slip away just as quietly as they came in. But in between their feeding times they are as rarely sighted as the Abominable Snowman.
The paucity of knowledge about these creatures is not because of their scarcity. All the indicators seem to show that they are in fact flourishing extremely well in the warm and congenial climate of the modern church. Large herds of them can be seen grazing contentedly in every fast-growing mega-church. They appear to follow a certain migratory pattern of moving to where there is a lot of action, excitement and entertainment. Since each pasture has its own selling point, be it good music, lively worship or the promise of prosperity (or, what is more likely, a combination of these), their movement depends very much on taste. But generally the leader with the greatest charisma tends to attract the largest number. Of course, whenever a schism or scandal breaks out and upsets the spiritual ecology, the whole herd senses danger and bolts en masse.
By all counts, these creatures are highly adaptable for survival. They are rather shy creatures which keep very much to themselves, and so are often mistaken for rugged individualists. But they are not. An individualist may stand out against the group, but he is equally able, if he so chooses, to stand in to be counted. In either case, he holds himself responsible for his own decision. The church would do well to have more of such individualists.
No, these are not individualists, but creatures that guard their own privacy very jealously while taking refuge in sheer numbers. They are content to be unobtrusive, nameless members of the herd so long as the herd’s mood and direction coincide with their own. They shun publicity for fear that they may be roped in for some unpleasant task. They steer clear of any involvement, thus eliminating altogether any threat to their survival.
To legitimise their claim to a place in the church, they ingeniously privatise the Christian life. They see the church as existing solely for the sake of their personal well-being. The church is not so much a community of mutually responsible members as a place which dispenses spiritual goodies. Understandably, they are usually found in a church of which they are not official members. In this way, they can receive all the benefits without the hassle and risk of being tagged. In short, immersion in anonymity offers maximum protection while exposing them to minimal risk, and hence ensures their survival.
There is yet a second, more insidious, reason for their rapid proliferation. It is said that in some churches they are actually enjoying the status of a protected species. This is because over the years they have been found to be an invaluable addition to the church even if they are not exactly “members”. For when they are satisfied with the service, they could reciprocate with great liberality. Like all good dilettantes, they do not consider price to be a factor if the service is good.
The herd that consumes the grass also leaves behind their rich droppings. It is therefore hard for a church not to try to accommodate them. Sometimes it seems that the entire point of the service is to make sure that the show is supremely entertaining. Satisfaction must be guaranteed to ensure their continual patronage. After all, one cannot be too careful in dealing with such tender, fleet-footed creatures which run at the first sign of trouble. Anonymous Christianity is a high-risk enterprise, but when managed correctly it can be highly lucrative.
But what of their future? I am not one to speculate about the future especially on the basis of the book of Revelation. But I wonder very much if they will ever become a genuinely endangered species. If speculations about the “mark of the beast” (Rev. 13:16,17) were to be believed, then they appear to make excellent candidates for marking which will ensure their survival for a long time yet. For the mark would consist of a number: what better way to remain anonymous than to be identified by a number, like a Swiss bank account? Furthermore, possessing the number, one could buy and sell: what better way to ensure that one’s private needs are met?
The Rev Dr Simon Chan is Dean of Studies at Trinity Theological College and spiritual adviser of Herald Assembly of God.