This past week, I was reminded how important it is to keep the essentials of the Christian faith in mind. Too often, we Christians get wrapped up in tussles about the non-essentials. And it is precisely those non-essentials that often make the news, which keeps those outside the church from appreciating the essence of the faith.

That is, to many unbelievers, we look a lot like a dysfunctional family in which members don’t agree on anything. Discord and controversy never brought anyone to church.

In all actuality, we really do agree on what matters. And it is the relatively meaningless things that do not make a hill of beans of difference in our salvation that get press. I suppose I have come to see these issues as annoyances — decisions that cause me to shake my head, but don’t keep me from a sound sleep.

Now, I may disagree completely and fervently with what a Christian organization does, but if the action does not detract from the recognition of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, then let’s face it, there are more important things to focus on and get riled up about.

Case in point is the latest fiasco involving former Illinois Representative Denny Hastert. Hastert has been accused of changing the way he withdrew bank funds so he could hide what prosecutors are saying were hush-money payments to a man he abused decades
earlier.

Hastert, the longest-serving Republican Speaker of the House in history, was and is well-loved by many Republican representatives as he championed a few excellent initiatives, including anti-narcotics legislation.

Now, following these accusation, Wheaton College, an excellent Christian college in Wheaton, Ill., just west of Chicago, decided it would take a stand on this. In a sweeping move May 31, Wheaton College chose to not only remove Denny Hastert from its board of advisors of the Center for Economics, Government, and Public Policy, but also change the name of the Center from the J. Dennis Center to the Wheaton Center.

Let’s be clear about something. First, I don’t know what Denny Hastert did years ago. And neither does Wheaton College. Second, Denny Hastert hasn’t been convicted of anything. If he is, then there is plenty of time to decide what to do. I have seen good people’s lives ruined on accusations.

Yet as much as I dislike what Wheaton has done, I defend their right to do it.

My own encounter with Wheaton occurred roughly 15 years ago when a colleague of mine asked if I would throw my hat in the ring for a faculty job at Wheaton. I knew a bit about the college, but not a lot.

After a month or so, an interviewer called me to tell me that I was in their final pool. He explained that he needed to talk to me about a few things, and proceeded to describe a “pledge” I would have to sign.

Now, I get along perfectly well with ultra-conservative Christians and the rules they often bring with them, but when he got to “refrain from alcohol use,” I stopped him cold. “Define ‘refrain,’ ” I asked.

“Well,” my interviewer continued, “we do not condone alcohol use and would ask you to sign a statement that you will refrain from drinking alcohol.” I countered, “I would never come to class after having had a drink or four.” “Well, we mean completely refrain.”

“Do you mean including at my house?” I asked. “It is against our policies,” he stated.

“OK, let me get this right,” I said incredulously, making sure I wasn’t hearing things, “are you saying that if I am cutting my grass at my house on a hot Saturday afternoon in August and someone sees me riding my John Deere with a Guinness in the cup holder, I could lose my job?”

There was hesitation. I did not even need to wait for the “Well, technically yes” answer that came a long five seconds later. That hesitation was all I needed. By the time the interviewer had finished explaining, I had already withdrawn my name from consideration. I could not possibly get my Armstrong contract in the mail faster than I did.

Yes, there are essentials and non-essentials of the Christian faith. I wish we all felt the same way about the non-essentials as we do the essence of our faith. But we don’t. And that is fine.

After all, when it comes to those non-essentials, we all ought to defend everyone’s right to be wrong.