Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 24

 

This post is part 24 of a series on Christian citizenship, and why I believe mixing Christian identity with American identity is bad for both. I hope to give you little bite-sized thoughts, which represent themes you'll find throughout the Bible and historic Christian teachings.

I hope they make you think.

Today's reason why I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith nation:

As summer begins, I'm finding a little more time to read and study. High on my reading list is a draft ELCA  Social Statement on civic life and faith. 

(Social statements are teaching documents designed to guide the congregations and other expressions of our church. They are adopted by a two-thirds majority of ordinary church members at our denomination's churchwide assembly.) 

I'm finding this document to be really useful in reflecting theologically on problems we're facing as a nation. 

Article 9 of the proposed statement reads, 

"To 'walk humbly' with God (Micah 6:8) must include welcoming and acknowledging the ideas, values, and contributions of all people, regardless of their religious tradition or worldview. Christians, as individuals or as the church, have no guaranteed higher or better reasoning than other people in religious or nonreligious communities."

Humility is a core Christian value found in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. To be in a relationship with God, we must acknowledge our human limitations. Christians do not believe we are wiser, more talented, more morally pure, or better able to know the mind of God than other people. In fact, a key part of our theology is that we are sinners, in need of God's grace. Therefore, we are called by God to listen to the ideas of others in conversations about public policy. 

For more background information read this statement from the ELCA's presiding bishop, or learn about Christians Against Christian Nationalism.