I want to share a few thoughts on the question of Christian values in the public square. Could it be that a spirit of deception is blinding the eyes of the faithful in a very serious way?Here are three key points I hope you, faithful reader, will ponder carefully.
1. Christians have an important message to bring to the public square. This has unfortunately become controversial recently, when it should not be. Part of the blame is on us in the body of Christ; too often our message has been one of power-seeking, devoid of compassion. In the state where I live, we condemn abortion while, at the same time, we deprive distressed women of health care and quality education for the children we want them to bring into the world. If we really want women to have the kind of hope that would bring the children into the world, we should help them understand that we as a society will do our best to make sure those children have a bright future. Instead, we want to criminalize the desperate actions of these women, while at the same time we prefer to reduce our taxes rather than taking up the cause of the distressed. Consider how the prophets like Hosea and Amos regarded such an attitude.
At the same time, there is certainly an antagonistic, secular spirit that would attack even Mother Theresa. I am under no illusion that our message would be completely welcomed if only we lived out our discipleship perfectly.
2. There is no great period to return to in our history. In spite of the Great Awakening, the majority of the church remained blind to the injustice being done to Native Americans and to slaves. Second Great Awakening: same problem. Certainly there were reformers, impelled by the Spirit of Christ, who attacked these injustices head-on. The key fact here is that the reformers spoke out prophetically precisely because America was not so great. America was a land full of injustice; the blood of the workers in the fields cried out from the ground where they were stricken down by the cruel hand of slave owners.
"Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields [and picked your cotton] are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty." - James 5:4
Even the post-WW2 era, the one where we put "In God we trust" on our money, was a time of great injustice. As a matter of federal policy, housing loan guarantees were only provided to white families and were denied to black families. (This was federal policy until 1969!) As a matter of state policy, African-American children were segregated into schools that were separate and anything but equal.
This notion that America was once great (but no longer) is not shared by those whose ancestors were trodden upon. For them, today is a much brighter day--a day when education and housing loans and teaching posts are available to all, regardless of the color of their skin.
I love my country; I have no choice but to do so. My great-uncle gave up the comfort of a tenured university post in order to follow his students to the battlefront. On November 8, 1942, Lt. Rev. Clement Falter died on the beaches of Fadala, Morocco because he refused not to be with his men in their darkest hour. His only weapons were his Bible, his crucifix, his rosary, and his love. Following in that tradition, I have done my best to invest my soul and worldly goods for the good of this nation where God has put me.
But I do not see patriotism, on the one hand, and recognition of injustice, on the other, as contradictory.
3. The church has made a deal with a corrupt, immoral, power-hungry, anti-social liar. We really to his support no matter what, and he in return gives us the Supreme Court justices and affirmation that we crave.
We ignore that....
We ignore that....
Trump is credibly accused of felonious sexual assault by literally dozens of women.
Trump lies dozens of times a day.
He calls those who disagree with him "human scum."
Trump believes his power is completely unaccountable. "I can do whatever I want."
We should keep in mind how the Roman emperors felt about their power, and how they behaved. You have heard of Caligula and Nero, no doubt. They essentially offered a deal to the subjects of the empire: adulate me as unquestioned leader and show me complete loyalty, and in return I will make you prosperous and happy. Most of the empire accepted the deal. Hopefully, you also know that the apostolic fathers declined to make the deal that the emperors offered to them.
We would do well to follow the example of the apostolic fathers.
I do pray for Trump, as the Scripture commands. But I do not seek his affirmation; I have all the affirmation I need in the Spirit of adoption. I expect the world to criticize me, and I count myself blessed. We have it all wrong when we in the church seek harbor from criticism--especially when that harbor comes at the cost of obeisance to a corrupt man.
I prefer to be called "human scum" than to bow the knee to such a corrupt man.
I prefer to be called "human scum" than to bow the knee to such a corrupt man.
