Let's be honest... the church is a complex organism.
On one hand, Christians have been the leaders in the abolishing of slavery for centuries--but on the other hand, Christians fought to keep slavery legal and in some corners of the world still illegally own slaves.
On one hand, Christianity has produced the most important scientists and discoverers in human history (did you know Sir Isaac Newton wrote more on the topic of theology than he did on science?)--but on the other hand, we made Galileo recant, deny global warming, and fund Ken Ham's "museum."
On one hand, Christians led the way in women's suffrage--on the other, we still perpetuate patriarchy by talking about "Biblical manhood and womanhood" like there is only one right way to operate as either a man or woman in 2015.
On one hand, Christians are leaders in pacifism--but, we can't forget the crusades, the Holocaust, and the dozens of other times that Christians have played a major role in conflict.
In the past, I wanted to deny my connection to the historical evils perpetuated by the church, saying either, "well, they weren't really Christians" or "They didn't know any better, and we do better now" but in the same way that everyone has that family member that you wish wasn't, we have atrocities in our spiritual family tree. We have incredible displays of love and care and discovery and achievement, but we also have incredible displays of selfishness and fear and failure. The church is a complex organism.
And personally, some days I look at our world and the Christian influence on it and (like George Bailey) think maybe it would be better for everyone if the church hadn't been born.
But then I remember that the reason why the church exists is not to tip the scales of cultural value and that the sin of the church can't overwhelm the grace of her bridegroom. So we live in this complex organism because the baby is more precious than the bathwater is putrid. We live in this complex organism because Jesus liberates us from slavery to sin and death. We live in this complex organism because God is our father and the church... is our mother.
