[Editor’s note: The original version of this blog post responding to Jen Hatmaker was published at Patheos Evangelical Channel’s Faith & Chelsen: Tackling Tough Topics in Church and Culture, on October 26, 2016. Click here to read it.]
Best-selling author Jen Hatmaker is a popular figure on the Christian conference circuit and women’s Bible study reading lists, especially following her family’s well-received HGTV fixer-upper show airing last year. Hatmaker has written and said a number of thoughtful, challenging things that placed her products closer to Beth Moore on the Christian Living bookshelves rather than the anything-goes religious lefties. Even so, there were red flags.
While ladies on my social media feed yesterday expressed their surprise at Hatmaker’s candid interview with Religion News Service’s Jonathan Merritt, I was more disappointed than shocked. If you missed yesterday’s interview, Hatmaker shared her views on same-sex marriage, the pro-life movement, Black Lives Matter, and the 2016 Election.
It’s not Jen Hatmaker’s politics that bothered me. On this utterly bizarre election, she and I agree on many points.
On reading her thoughts on the pro-life movement, I just rolled my eyes at the strawman she creates while saying, “There’s something incredibly disingenuous about a Christian community that screams about abortion, but then refuses to support the very programs that are going to stabilize vulnerable, economically fragile families that decide to keep their kids.” Right. It’s only religious lefties who believe this talking point and I’m probably not going to change their minds. Because if you actually get involved in the pro-life movement, which is young and vibrant, you see the same people marching beside you at the annual March for Life are the same people volunteering in non-profit pregnancy centers, opening their homes to foster children, or quietly offering financial support to the single moms in their churches.
So moving on to, what I’d say, is the most disappointing portion of the interview. When asked by Jonathan Merritt if an LGBT relationship can be holy, Hatmaker answered:
I do. And my views here are tender. This is a very nuanced conversation, and it’s hard to nail down in one sitting. I’ve seen too much pain and rejection at the intersection of the gay community and the church. Every believer that witnesses that much overwhelming sorrow should be tender enough to do some hard work here.
As I read Hatmaker’s responses—which seems largely based on feelings rather than historic Christian teaching on sexual ethics—my thoughts immediately went to the thousands of young Christian women who devour her books, placing their trust in her instructions for living out a holy life. Young Christian women who are bombarded with pressure from coworkers, professors, and friends to accept marriage is malleable, now listen as their favorite Christian author and mentor says the same. And what of Christian women (and men) who own bakeries and flower shops wrestling with their conscience over catering a same-sex wedding? How deflating or confusing to read Hatmaker’s theological approach to marriage.
I suspect Hatmaker believes her progressive views on same-sex marriage are hinged on compassion and not the tiresome revisionist talking points from some of the Mainline denominations. It’s the same old story, really. Christians with enormous influence for the Kingdom start to revise traditional Christian teaching in hopes of a broader appeal.
We know how that story ends. A congregation of hundreds dwindles down to thirty. This story teaches us a lesson that Hatmaker would be wise to recognize. That is, people ultimately want transformative truth, not a feel-good gospel.
Comment by Justin White on October 27, 2016 at 10:08 am
Thanks be to God for women like Jen Hatmaker who understand that intricacies and nuances of faithful Christian witness and the realities of the culture we are living in.
You say, “if you actually get involved in the pro-life movement, which is young and vibrant, you see the same people marching beside you at the annual March for Life are the same people volunteering in non-profit pregnancy centers, opening their homes to foster children, or quietly offering financial support to the single moms in their churches.”
I thank God for these activists, but without advocating for programs that benefit these women and children (and yes, programs like CHIPs and WIC and medicare/medicaid expansion) it is just paternalism and so many children, particularly children of color, are left out and left suffering. If pro-life activists cared about so many children post-birth, then fewer children would die in poverty. I think this is what Jen Hatmaker is getting at.
As far as the LGBTQ issue, you say that her response seems to be based on emotions. How do you know that? I highly doubt a woman like Jen Hatmaker has just relied on her emotions to foster her position. Maybe she deserves more grace and the benefit of the doubt that her position is based on a more nuanced and robust reading of scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. So instead of writing her off, why not give her some grace? Just a few thoughts.
Comment by Eternity Matters on October 27, 2016 at 10:45 am
“If pro-life activists cared about so many children post-birth, then fewer children would die in poverty.”
You and Hatmaker are “Christian” Leftists repeating ridiculous fallacies. Do you have any idea how much time and money I donate to help the poor or how much I pay in taxes? [Pause] Didn’t think so. So why not stick to the topic, which is whether you should be able to crush and dismember children in the womb? The “pro-lifers don’t care about those outside the womb/haven’t adopted all the children/etc.” canard is false on many levels.
1. If people were slaughtering toddlers, the elderly or anyone else the way they do unborn children, I guarantee that we would be protesting that as well. So we are completely consistent in protecting innocent human lives regardless of location and yes, we do care for life post-birth.
2. You can speak against moral evils all day, every day without being obligated to care for all the victims for life. If mothers were killing toddlers for the same reasons they give for abortions (money, career, love life, pressure from boyfriends / parents, etc.) would you stay quiet? Would you lodge the same criticism at those who spoke against toddler-cide without adopting all the children? Hopefully not. The question is whether the unborn are human beings. They are. At least that’s what all the embryology textbooks say. Just because they are smaller, more dependent and in a unique environment (formerly synonymous with a safe place) doesn’t mean their lives aren’t worthy of protection. The right to life is the foundational human right.
3. The premise is false. Countless pro-lifers help women and children before and after birth with their own time and money. Crisis Pregnancy Centers offers an array of free services. Planned Parenthood and the like make millions via abortion.
4. Asking the government to take money by force from others to supposedly help the poor does not qualify as charity on your part.
5. Do you criticize the American Cancer Society for not working on heart disease? If not, why are you being prideful about your preferred ministry over what others feel called to? That is, if you actually do anything for others at all.
6. Unless they want forced abortions, pro-choicers have the same obligations to help that they put on pro-lifers.
7. The claim that we don’t care about the children outside the womb is demonstrably false. But even if their claim was true, it seems like the greater sin would be to approve of a child being literally crushed and dismembered rather than just not personally feeding someone else’s living child.
8. Imagine saying something similar to justify keeping slavery legal: “You think slavery is wrong but won’t help them get jobs, etc.”
Comment by Karen Wellman on October 28, 2016 at 9:32 pm
This is an excellent response. Your points are some of the best I’ve heard.
Comment by Eternity Matters on November 1, 2016 at 4:13 pm
Thanks! Feel free to use any or all of it without attribution. That is such a common dig at pro-lifers but many don’t know how to defend against it.
Comment by Kiry on September 21, 2017 at 1:00 pm
So, in #4, we can’t allow money the government takes by force to count as our charity, but you’re the exception, eh?
“Do you have any idea how much time and money I donate to help the poor or how much I pay in taxes? [Pause] Didn’t think so.”
Just pick an actual position! Either you want these children in this world so badly — or you don’t.
Comment by Not PC-Whipped on October 27, 2016 at 5:40 pm
You’re right, she does just rely on her emotions,
peer pressure and culture conformity also play a huge role.
Comment by John Schwartz on October 28, 2016 at 10:36 am
“…a more nuanced and robust reading of scripture” ― this is utterly meaningless. Anyone can make scripture say what they want it to. It may be nuanced, but it is nuanced idolatry if it strays from the intended truth and message. Scripture is either true or it is false. There is no in-between. Satan himself came on the scene quite early and played this same game: “Did God really say?”
Comment by Skipper on October 27, 2016 at 11:55 am
That is disappointing coming from someone who gives instructions on holy living! Rather than accepting God’s norms on sexuality, she is offering what seems right in her own mind. It’s always dangerous when we do that.
Comment by Salem on October 30, 2016 at 4:25 pm
Thanks, we’ll work on getting this corrected.
Hatmaker is the new Joel Osteen. Play up the down home folksy side, don’t talk about sin, theology-schmelogy, distort the bible to make it say that Jesus just wants us to be happy, write shallow best selling books, and smile that bleached white smile all the way to the bank.
Same ole prosperity gospel in a hipster package.
Comment by Barnabas on November 2, 2016 at 7:45 pm
Good evening All. I felt compelled for the first time, not to just read the articles & comments, but to join in. It’s tough being a Christian these days,.. and even the last 2016 years if you check the history books (& Acts, Romans, & so on). Please don’t forget that- as my long-time Baptist minister cousin says,.. “Christianity ain’t for sissys,.. ya know!”
So how do we ground ourselves & focus? We get challenged for not being loving or compassionate or tolerant (& challenged is the lower range of confrontation). Issues of gay marriage or abortion beat us over the head. What is the answer? The source of our guidance & comfort is Jesus Christ and The Word. We are to be “Strong in Faith,” while “In the World, but not of the World.” So just ask/re-evaluate yourself a few questions. Do you believe God is serious about what he says? “Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Will of the Lord is.” Have we all fallen prey a bit,.. to the World’s values,.. and Man’s (& Women’s) approval here on Earth? Is it tough to Stand up for the Lord? Yes,.. it is. (As I told my young daughters growing up),.. “Suck it up Buttercup.” I know in my soul what is right by God,.. and what is wrong. (Tho like Paul writes,.. I, also, find it hard to do sometimes). The “Great Comforter” is with me. I will not deny the Lord or the Truth. I condemn before God and to Man, abortion & all acts of homosexuality. I do not condemn, nor do I believe does God, automatically, those engaged in these sins- All can be saved. But I think we are fooling ourselves, if we think God condones such behavior,.. or the Holy Spirit can or will reside in one,.. who does. Or that God is “open-minded” when we will condone such behavior. God still loves them and we must also,.. both love them and Lead Them to Christ. That’s what God demands of us.
So it must start with us,.. US individually and US collectively. Cleanse our own souls, cast the beams from our eyes,.. and be the Ambassadors for Christ we are meant to be.
Peace Be With You.
Comment by Salem on April 19, 2017 at 9:19 pm
Hatmaker is the new Joel Osteen. Play up the down home folksy side, don’t talk about sin, theology-schmelogy, distort the bible to make it say that Jesus just wants us to be happy, write shallow best selling books, and smile that all the way to the bank.
Same ole prosperity gospel in a hipster package.