Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 40

 

This post is it: part 40 of 40. It's my last in a series on Christian citizenship, and why I believe mixing Christian identity with American identity is bad for both. Believe it or not, I could go on. Separating faith from national identity is so important to the scriptures, and to the Christian tradition, that I could easily put out another 40. 

But I've made my point and it's time to move on. I hope this has been good food for thought. I don't know too many scholars of the U.S. Constitution or of its framers. But I know quite a few people who view the Bible as a sacred text, and understanding it as their duty. If that describes you, I hope I've given you some strength and guidance in pushing back when people of faith try to glue the flag and cross together. 

Today's reason I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith nation: Because Martin Luther, and many other Christian teachers, taught us to pray for a kingdom of God not within any national boundaries, but within ourselves. 

When Jesus teaches his disciples to pray in Matthew ch. 6 and Luke ch. 11, praying for the Kingdom of God is a very high priority. But when his critics ask where that Kingdom will be, he says, "The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed, nor will they say, 'look, here it is!' or, 'look, there it is!' For, in fact, the Kingdom of God is among/within you." Martin Luther used this concept as a guide when he was trying to explain the "Lord's Prayer" (AKA the "Our Father") for ordinary Christians. This wasn't an off-the-wall speculation, but an explanation grounded in Jesus' own words, about what he meant when he asked his followers to pray, "Your Kingdom come."

God's kingdom comes not from any war of conquest, not from any election won or lost, not from passing any federal law or local policy. God's kingdom comes to our hearts, by the power or the Holy Spirit, through faith in the Good News of Jesus. It's really that simple. There's no greater Kingdom to look for. The one we need most is within.   

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

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 39

 

This post is part 39, and my second to last, in 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.

Today's reason I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith nation: Because as much as I appreciate the country where I live, my faith always has to come first, and when the two conflict, I had better know the difference. 

In my devotional reading for today, Jesus warns his disciples that if any part of you draws you into sin--even a hand, a foot or an eye--it's better to cut it off than risk your relationship with God.

Thankfully, no major Christian movement has ever taken this literally. It's hyperbole. Jesus doesn't really want his followers maiming themselves due to the tiniest mistakes. But he does challenge us to examine what we hold dear--the things that seem as essential to us as our own body parts--and question whether they are helping us or hurting us in connecting with God and our neighbor.

In our congregation's Bible study, we've been talking about civic life and faith. One of the terms we learned was "mega-identity," a combination of social and political factors that is causing people to increasingly identify their political affiliation with who they are at the deepest level. I've seen it in increasingly passionate language on flags, signs, and bumper stickers dotting the countryside, no longer just during election season, not even just in election years, but all the time. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say for many in our country, political partisanship has become a religion, as dear to us as any faith we find in the scriptures--or perhaps so entwined with our religious faith that we think of them as the same thing. 

Echoing my Lord, I'm going to ask: is it time to cut it off? 

I'm not saying we shouldn't vote. I'm not saying we should hold our tongues in matters of national significance. I'm not even saying it's inappropriate to give money to causes or candidates we believe in. I'm asking, have our mega-identities delved too deeply into our hearts? Can we see God's image in the faces of people who disagree with us? Can we still tell our faith and our national or political identity apart? 

This series began because I was looking back on my last ten years of ministry, and asking these questions, and I didn't like the answers I was seeing. You may think I'm blowing it all way out of proportion. I hope I am. But I care deeply for Christ's church. And I would much rather see it enter a new phase of life, cut off from some of its worst impulses, than make life more hellish because we didn't dare question them.     

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

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 38

 

This post is part 38 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.

Today's reason I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith nation: Because this week, as Rosh Hashanah begins, I give thanks for my friendships with Jewish Americans.

I went to elementary school in Bexley, Ohio, a Columbus suburb with a large Jewish population. One of my best friends from 4th to 6th grade was the son of a Conservative rabbi (in Judaism, "conservative" is closer to the middle of the road in theology and practice). I had the honor of sometimes being a guest at sabbath meals and attending Saturday synagogue services. 

On Rosh Hashanah, a new year festival signaled by the blowing of a trumpet, school was out. I wasn't Jewish, so for me, it was just a nice early fall break. I didn't think anything of it. We never had school on Sundays, or Good Friday--half the time spring break coincided with Christian Holy Week--so why wouldn't we also give time off for Jewish holy days?

I valued my friendship with Jordan. He and I would imagine movie scripts together (which often involved him patiently listening to my long-winded pitches and providing notes. He was a great friend!). We shared life together. I was welcomed in his home, and I learned a great deal from his family. 

Though I'm a Christian and I always will be, my time in elementary school formed my worldview in important ways. Every child could benefit greatly from having friends who don't share their faith, and living in a community where more than one faith is honored. When I resist the idea of centering Christianity in the public sphere, I'm not doing it out of "political correctness". I'm doing it because inter-faith friendships and communities have blessed me, and I want that for all our kids.  

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

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 37

 

This post is part 37 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.

Today's reason I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith nation: Because the teachings of my church, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, are at odds with Christian Nationalism. 

In a draft social statement coming up for a vote next summer, our church says, "The ELCA understanding of civic life and faith is at odds with Christian nationalism because the latter seeks to fuse the exercise of political authority with a selected set of supposed 'Christian' ideals. It also asserts that Christianity should be a privileged religion in the United States...Christian nationalists pledge allegiance to their version of the United States, first making the U.S. into an idol and seeing God’s plan in U.S. society as including only those whose religious beliefs fuse with a certain view of that society.” (article 37)

"Christian Nationalism" is a term being used a lot more in the last 5 years than ever before. But that doesn't mean it only began recently. It's been around for a long time, and it has never been faithful to scripture or Christian teachings.

 When we attempt to fuse our Christian beliefs with our political ideology, and when we suggest that God has a special plan for the United States above other nations, we are committing the sin of idolatry. We can't both know Jesus as Lord, and give divine status to our own vision for our country.

God is the Lord of all nations, and God's plan is to make peace with the whole creation through Christ. No nation comes first or last in that scheme: the shortest distance to peace with God is not over any country's border, but the one step in our hearts, to the foot of the cross. 

Learn more about our draft social statement and provide feedback HERE. 

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

  

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 36

 

This post is part 36 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.

Today's reason I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith nation: because Christians have enough to worry about in keeping watch over our own souls, let alone the soul of a nation. 

Colossians, a letter attributed to the Apostle Paul, warns readers not to fall into a long list of bad habits of thought, word and deed, which believers had before they became Christians. Christians today tend to focus on sins related to sex, but right next to "fornication", the letter lists "greed (which is idolatry)" and "anger, wrath, malice, slander and abusive language from your mouth."

The letter's point is not that Christians never do these things--we wouldn't have a letter asking them not to if that were the case--but that seeking Christ helps renew our souls in order to live a new way. 

As I read this in my daily Bible readings, it occurred to me that just focusing on renewing my own soul in Christ is more than a full time job. If I were serious about that, I wouldn't have time to worry about how any local, state or national policies are favorable or unfavorable to Christians, because my main concern would be whether I myself am acting like a Christian. And I would venture a guess that if Christians focused first on our own thoughts, actions and most of all words, we would have more impact on our communities, and our nation, than any law or court case ever could.      

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

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 35

 

This post is part 35 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.

Today's reason I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith world:
because Jesus taught us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. 

Yesterday, September 11, commemorated a tragic day for our country and our world. 23 years ago yesterday, nearly 3,000 lives were lost due to an act of terrorism committed by religious extremists. As people of faith, we have to come to terms with the truth: religious nationalists committed this attack. The men who carefully planned and carried out this act of violence against their perceived enemies, did so out of what they thought was religious devotion and national pride. 

Bear in mind, as I say this, that the vast majority of their fellow Muslims were just as horrified by this violence as the rest of the world: maybe even more so, because they knew better than others what a vile perversion of the Islamic faith Al Qaeda believed and taught. These attackers were so committed to their vision of a world in thrall to their narrow interpretation of Islam, that they saw everyone who did not agree as an enemy, deserving of death. 

Jesus' teaching was the opposite: rather than wishing death on our enemies, we are commanded to pray and wish blessings upon them. Islam, as practiced by most Muslims across the world, has similar teachings. Faith does not grow through violence or political coercion, full stop. In fact, the very moment when we begin to use violence in service to our faith, Jesus teaches, we have stopped living according to it.

I continue to stop for a moment every September 11, and grieve the many lives lost. I also say a prayer for the future, that the peaceful way of Jesus would prevail, first and foremost in the hearts of his followers.   

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

 

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 34

 

Revelation 21:3-4

This post is part 34 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.

Today's reason I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith world:
because nations are temporary.

During the 20th century, American Christians had a lot to say about the end times (eschatology, if you want the fancy term). This isn't new at all: many of Jesus' first followers believed he would return to reign over the world in their own lifetime. Martin Luther in the 16th century suspected it would happen in his own time, too. Needless to say, everyone so far has been incorrect. Often when the pace of change in the world picks up, so do speculations about what the Bible says about end times, and whether there might be clues that "this is it!"

During the Cold War and the following years in America, Christians turned to some of the cosmic battles portrayed in Revelation, and wondered what role the US and its allies (and adversaries) might play in these conflicts. Even in my (still kind of short?) lifetime, preachers have recast Revelation's "beast" many times, from the Soviet Union, to Al Qaeda, even to American political adversaries. While the "bad guy" has conveniently shifted over time, the "good guy" in much of American theology has remained constant: usually the modern-day state of Israel, and, not surprisingly, the United States. 

Bear in mind, before I say anything else, that I love our country very much, and I am thankful to God for the blessing and profound responsibility of being a U.S. citizen. That said, if you're reading Revelation properly, no human nation, not even Israel, is the "good guy." That role is permanently reserved for Jesus, the Lamb. And you can't cast any one human nation as "the Beast," because "the Beast" in Revelation stands in for how every human empire acts: using economic and military power to get what it wants, no matter the consequences to God's children. 

At the end of Revelation, John, the author, sees a new heaven and a new earth, centered in a new Jerusalem, which is open to people from all nations. God will dwell with us, to establish justice, and to wipe every tear from our eyes. The need for earthly divisions based on language, ethnicity, race, class, or nation, will be at an end. 

Why do I want us to be careful in connecting our nation and our Christian faith too closely? Because anything to do with our nation is transient. Impermanent. It will fade away, like a dream, as we wake to eternal life with God. Let's not confuse temporary things with eternal things. 

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

 

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 33

 

From All In: Luther, Christian Faith, and the Public Sphere, by Francisco Herrera, Ph. D.

This post is part 33 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.

Today's reason why I want to be a Christian in a multi-faith nation: because government policies tend to make people worse at authentically being Christians.

That's an insight from Martin Luther's Temporal Authority: to What Extent it Should Be Obeyed (1523). My good friend, Francisco Herrera, reminded me of this text and shared with me his excellent paper on this topic. 

Martin Luther lived in Germany in the Middle Ages, when the line between Church and state was much blurrier, and secular rulers to passed religious laws all the time. Yet even in the 16th century, when the very idea of a secular democracy, much less a Constitution enshrining freedom of religion, was still centuries off, Martin Luther made a point that still stands today. You can't force a person to have faith. If you try, you'll only make them lie about their faith, which, arguably, is worse than not having faith to begin with.

The fatal flaw in the idea of a "Christian Nation" is that the Christian faith cannot be shared through laws and mandates. Even if you could force every public school day to begin with a prayer, you wouldn't be filling schools with students who pray. You'd be filling schools with students who pretend to pray, which is worse than not praying at all. 

While we can't necessarily pass laws to make more Christians, that does not mean Christians should have no part in making laws. Though it is ineffective to make faith a policy, we who have faith are obligated to show love for our neighbors when making policy. A Christian can not be neutral when others are suffering. 

Herrera writes,    

"Therefore, if your neighbor is a victim of racism, though you yourself may not be, Christian love dictates that you must act on their behalf “as much as you can” to fight the systemic sin which they have suffered. Similarly, if a coworker is being harassed because of their sexuality and gender, even if you yourself are no such victim, Christian love dictates that you must act on their behalf, so that '[they] may have peace and that [their] enemy may be curbed.'" -All In, p.4

Can we make a Christian Nation? Martin Luther says "no!" Can living out our faith make our nation better for everyone? Luther, and the Bible, say "yes!" 

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

 

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 32

 

This post is part 32 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.

It's getting to be time for me to wrap this series up. I'm thinking 40 is a nice, round, biblical number. Truly, it's a much higher number than I thought I would reach, but it appears the Bible has a whole lot to say on the topic of nationalism.

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

In the conclusion of the Ephesian letter, an author talks about a topic that makes many Christians squirm: spiritual warfare. He begins this conversation by reminding his readers that this kind of warfare is just that: spiritual. It's spiritual because the enemies of God are spiritual. Even though flesh and blood human beings do all manner of things that make God sad and mad, they are not God's enemies. They are God's children. The enemies of God are spiritual: rulers, authorities, cosmic powers of this present darkness. God has not and will not call disciples of Jesus to make war on other children of God. 

I'm going to say that again. God has not and will not call disciples of Jesus to make war on other children of God. 

But what about the Old Testament Holy Wars? Well, Joshua was not a disciple of Jesus. 

But what about Just War theory? That's a longer conversation, but to me that is never a "calling" from God. "Just war" happens when people are backed into a corner and forced to choose the least egregious way to disobey God. They are not fighting enemies of God. They are fighting God's children. 

What does this have to do with living in a multi-faith nation? 

In a single-faith nation, a nation with just one spiritual perspective, when an enemy of the state arises, Ephesians 6 goes right out the window. The enemy of the state is very quickly portrayed as God's enemy, and the armies of the state very quickly eschew God's armor for real, literal armor. This has happened to predominantly Christian nations throughout Christian history. From the Crusades to the American Civil War to the present-day conflict in Ukraine, we have seen Christians killing Christians believing those other Christians are somehow the enemies of God. 

God does not have human enemies. God's enemies are spiritual. 

Worse yet, in our increasingly polarized culture, you are starting to hear Christians of one party declaring Christians of the other party to be enemies of God. This is not orthodox Christian teaching, and it must not become the norm. 

That's it. That's the post. Nations have human enemies; God doesn't. The end. 

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

 

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 31

 

This post is part 31 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.

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

I talked a bit about the First Commandment in my June 20 Entry, but to avoid giving the whole spotlight to current events, I want to revisit this passage from Exodus 20. 

When I was 12, my dad, a newly ordained Lutheran pastor, took my confirmation class to the mall. In 1993, before online shopping and social media, the mall was still a central gathering point both for commerce and socializing. 

He told us to pretend we had a million dollars, and make a list of everything we'd buy. 

During our discussion afterward, he said the things that get most of our attention, that take a  central place in our lives, that we wake up thinking about and go to bed thinking about, that we trust in when times get tough, that we would spend our hypothetical million dollars on...those can become our "gods."

Luther writes "we are to fear, love and trust God above all things." Anything other than God, which takes an ultimate place in our lives, should be suspect on the face of it. 

Laying my cards on the table here...I think in the United States of America in 2024, many of us have put our nation--or more specifically, our vision for our nation--in God's place. If we put our idea of what America should be above anything else, if we decide our friends and enemies based on that alone, if we trust our political ideology, or those who share it, will save us from any harm, if we filter every single message we hear, even the Gospel message, by whether it supports or challenges our ideology, then it is very possible our ideology has become our god. 

This is always a concern for Christians, but especially at a time of fear and uncertainty, we have to be vigilant. Luther believed our ability to follow every other commandment hung on our ability to follow the first. 

In my state, today is primary election day. I almost didn't remember, because in our society where partisan politics has become 24-hour "entertainment", every day feels like election day. Voting with our conscience is a way we can show love for our neighbor. But voting is not worship. That is for God alone. 

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

 

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 30

This post is part 30 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.

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

Two words. King David. 

This summer, our church has followed the semi-continuous lectionary, which means some our Bible readings have been telling the story of the first few kings of Israel.

We've heard the story of Saul, the first king, who is anointed with oil as a sign of God's blessing, then loses that blessing almost immediately, then tries anything and everything--including murder and black magic--to try to get the blessing back. 

And we've heard the story of King David, who, with God's anointing, defeats the giant Goliath in combat, unites all twelve tribes of Israel, and establishes Jerusalem as a capital--only to turn around and commit adultery with Bathsheba and have her husband murdered. When Nathan, the prophet, tells a parable about a rich man, with many lambs of his own, who stole the lamb of his neighbor just because he could, David is enraged and says the man should be punished. Nathan replies, "you are the man!"

Both Saul and David are anointed kings of Israel. The Hebrew word for "anointed ruler" is usually translated in English as "Messiah" or "Christ." Christians believe that the last and definitive "anointed king" is Jesus, who still reigns in heaven. 

What does this have to do with our own country today? It means Christians enter into civic life knowing that rulers are imperfect. Saul, David, and a long, tragic line of other faithless kings showed us we need to trust in God alone. Christians in modern times don't anoint kings. We don't have Messiahs or Christs, except for Jesus. No human being should ever have our religious devotion. No political figure, no matter how much we agree with or like them, should ever be lifted up as "God's choice" or the "only choice" for people of faith. Jesus, our one and only king, has sent us the Holy Spirit, to guide us in making decisions for ourselves about how to care for one another in our public life. Let's leave the anointing for our baptism--through which we are ALL marked with the cross of our true Christ.  

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

 

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 29

 

This post is part 29 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.

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

In 1520, a few years into the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther wrote a paper called On the Freedom of a Christian. His basic proposition was, 

"A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none.

A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all."

Luther's premise is that our souls are set free only by the Gospel of Christ, which gives us saving faith. No rule imposed by any person can effect salvation the way the Gospel can. We still follow rules, but they can't save us. Spiritually, we are free from the constraints that human rules, even religious rules, can put on us. 

Therefore, spiritually speaking, we are subject to none but Christ.

On the other hand, the faith created by the Gospel gives us the desire to serve others as Christ first served us. 

Therefore, we are servants, subject to all. 

We are beholden to no one for our salvation, but we are committed to serving all people, following the example of Jesus. 

What does this have to do with living in a multi-faith nation? 

The freedoms which Luther described, which come from the Gospel, are grasped by faith alone--not by force. True faith can't be imposed on you by your family, your government, or your schools. It can only come from within. 

Christians are certainly free to choose parochial schools for their children, if that makes sense for their family. But trying to set up an environment where Christian schools have an advantage over public schools, or trying to force public schools to include Christian content in their curriculum, will not produce more faith. It will only show that we have abandoned our calling as dutiful servants of all. A servant does not compel their master to do what the servant thinks right.  

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

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 28

 

This post is part 28 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:

I wanted to avoid tackling news headlines directly in writing these posts, but this one is hard to avoid. 

This week, the state of Louisiana passed a law requiring that every public school classroom have an 11"x14" display of the Ten Commandments. The proponents of the law have stated that it is constitutional because the value of the Ten Commandments is as a foundation for the rule of law, and "not solely religious."

A reminder: The Ten Commandments, found in Exodus Chapter 20, begin with the words, 

"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me."

Do the Ten Commandments represent an early example of public law? Of course.

 But as someone whose job it is to teach young people that the core meaning of all ten of the Ten Commandments is, "we are to fear, love, and trust God above all things,"  to say their meaning is "not solely religious", is frankly an attack on my faith. 

I want my kids to understand that the Ten Commandments are first and foremost about their relationship with God, the Lord, who brought Moses and the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. I want them to see God's law as a sign of God's love, as a guide for free people, as a protection from evil, and most importantly, as a reminder of our need for God's grace and forgiveness, freely offered in Jesus Christ. 

I don't want to have confirmation students coming in with a head full of misguided notions about their own holy texts, that were forced upon them by public school teachers, who in turn had it forced upon them by legislators. I want, and I reserve the right, to exercise my office of teaching the Word of God. God's Church needs a lot of help in a lot of areas, but thanks anyway, Louisiana, we do not need a hand with that. 

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

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 27

 

This post is part 27 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:

In article 13 of its draft social statement, the ELCA says, 

“religion can create divisions in civic life or can contribute to mending the torn social fabric and reconciling divided peoples. This church urges all people of faith to seek a constructive role that counters growing polarization, distrust, and ill will. Religious traditions can offer particular gifts of moral vision, inclusion, and compassion sorely needed in U.S. civic life.”

Christians should be people of peace, not people of division. In the letter to the Ephesians, the apostle writes that Jesus is our peace, because he has broken down the dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles. In Christ, people from very different ethnic and religious backgrounds are one. 

Jesus is our peace, our unity. When we are trying to unite and reconcile our neighbors, when we are pursuing peace instead of mocking and belittling those with whom we disagree, we are acting like people of peace. We are acting like Jesus. When we act out of fear, loudly defending our faith and attacking our neighbors, we are showing people a face of religion that is nothing like the face of Christ. 

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

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 26

 

This post is part 26 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:

In its draft social statement, the ELCA says in article 26, 

“The United States is not a ‘Christian nation.’ It was not founded on specifically Christian principles, though Christians and Christianity did influence its ethos. The premise of the Constitution and its ratification is that the sovereign is ‘we the people,’ not ‘we the Christians’.”

Just as the statement rightly points out that the United States was not founded on specifically Christian principles, the flip side is also true: Jesus himself did not send his followers out to found any new nations! 

His closing command in Matthew's Gospel, often called the "Great Commission," is to make disciples of all the nations. The language, culture, or form of government was not their concern. To say he had any kind of special concern for the land that would one day become the United States is totally unbiblical. What Jesus wanted was for each nation under heaven to have his baptized disciples in its midst.

Seems to me that the question Christians should be asking is less about whether our nations founders were disciples of Jesus, and more about whether we ourselves are.    

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

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 25

 

This post is part 25 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:

A few days before his death, Jesus is approached by two Jewish groups, the Pharisees and the Herodians, and asked whether God's law allows paying taxes to Rome. Without delving too deep into first century history, suffice it to say that Pharisees and Herodians do not normally cooperate, and this question is meant as a trick: it will force Jesus to declare allegiance to a particular side of a political argument at the time. Jesus refuses to take the bait. "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and give to God the things that are God's." (Mark 12:17)

Article 34 of our ELCA's Draft Social Statement on Civic Life and Faith reads, “Christ’s church should not bless any particular political theory; no political system or theory is final or ultimate. To the extent that U.S. government is formed for the general welfare and guided by good principles, whether rooted in Christian ideas or not, it should be affirmed. It is for these reasons that our church objects to religious bodies endorsing or supporting candidates or parties, or exercising partisanship in any way.”

Jesus never joined any party in his own time, and the Church as the Body of Christ should never engage in partisan politics. We vowed at our baptism to "strive for justice and peace in all the earth," which does entail taking an active role in our communities and our political systems. As individuals, we absolutely should take part in the process, and maybe even run for office if the Spirit calls us. But as a church, we dare not, and we will not, say that God endorses only one party in our deeply flawed system. God is not a Republican or a Democrat. Full stop. 

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

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.   

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 23

 

Father John McGovern of Boston, MA, June 7, 1944

This post is part 23 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:

Today, June 6, marks 80 years since the beginning of the Allied invasion at Normandy, France. This annual observance should always give us pause as we remember the soldiers from many nations, and of many faiths, who gave their lives to liberate Europe from the Axis powers. It should be remembered that there were also chaplains of many faiths, unarmed, offering pastoral care and last rites to the frontline soldiers. 

This commemoration marks twenty years since Gerhard Schröder became the first German Chancellor invited to attend the commemoration, a milestone for peace. Unfortunately, this year also marks the third year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which brought war back to the continent of Europe for the first time in many years. 

The prophet Isaiah declares that one day, 

[God] shall judge between the nations

and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

they shall beat their swords into plowshares

and their spears into pruning hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation;

neither shall they learn war anymore.  

-Isaiah 2:4

Looking forward in hope to that day, we must also look backward in repentance for the many days when nations have taken up weapons against one another.

As a Lutheran Christian, I can't let this day pass without observing that it was Christian Nationalism in Germany--the "German Christian" movement, which proclaimed that supporting Hitler and the Nazi party was a sacred Christian duty--which created the need for D Day, and all the precious, irreplaceable children of God who gave their lives there. It was in "Lutheran" churches across Germany, where families were taught that their faith and their national identity were one and the same. 

In the name of peace--the Shalom of God's Reign, proclaimed by Jesus of Nazareth, who lived, died and rose again as a Jew, among Jews--I mourn the toxic spirituality that brought the world to war, and millions of Jews and other minority populations in Europe to annihilation.

In the name of Christ, I pray that the grief of hundreds of thousands of families of many nations and faiths on that day in 1944, will never be repeated. May God make it so. Amen.

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

 

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 22

 

Napoleon crowning himself king, in the presence of the Pope. 

This post is part 22 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.

Here's today's reason I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith nation.

The Prophet Samuel is very skeptical when the tribes of Israel request that he anoint a king over them, “like other nations.” God counsels Samuel to agree to their demand, but says, “they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them” (1 Sam 8:9). Samuel warns the people of the many ways kings take advantage of their people, but the Israelites are adamant that this is still what they want. Samuel relents, and Saul becomes the first king of Israel. 

From the prophets’ perspective, any human king is at best only a stand-in for the direct Reign of God, and often a very poor imitation. Though some Christian nations in the past have anointed their monarchs as “defender of the faith,” from a Biblical perspective, we dare not entrust any human being with too much power or loyalty. 

There is a traditional Lutheran teaching about the "Two Kingdoms," which basically says that God reigns over us in two ways. On "the left hand," God reigns over our society through secular governments. On "the right hand," God reigns over our spirits through the Gospel, by means of the Holy Spirit and faith. The Lutheran reformers warned that these kingdoms should be seen separately.

No government will ever have God's full "stamp of approval," because governments are made up of people. Thankfully, the Reign of God can happen anywhere and everywhere there is faith, hope and love. 

In upcoming posts, I will begin to address a proposed social statement for my denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, on Civic Life and Faith.  You can find the draft statement HERE.

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

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 21

 

This post is part 21 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.

Here's today's reason I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith nation.

The first of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses (1517) states, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, 'Repent,' he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” Luther believed, based on his reading of the Bible, that Jesus wanted people to turn to God out of a sincere inward faith.

Having an external human system “forcing” people to do religious activities, whether it be through religious groups, laws, or social pressure, actually makes it harder to have genuine faith and turn to God. We’ll never know if we’re doing it to satisfy others, or because of faith.

When Christians think back to some "golden age" when "everyone went to church", what we don't often take into account is that they did so under duress. There were negative social consequences for not participating in the Christian faith, so people did it whether they felt a sincere inward faith or not.


With the "end of Christendom," we see the Christian faith no longer operating hand in glove with secular powers. While this may be frustrating for Christians accustomed to being listened to and respected in the public sphere, it does come with an advantage: authenticity. Finally, you can participate in your faith tradition because you want to, not because you feel you have to. Nobody's forcing you to repent. If you do it now, it's because you truly feel Christ's call. This is the dream of many Christians throughout the years, including Luther: following Jesus as we feel called, because it's our own choice.




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

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 20

 

This post is part 20 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.

Here is today's reason I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith nation.

In Isaiah 61, the prophet declares, “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners…” Jesus chooses to read this scroll in his very first sermon in Luke 4, stating the core of . Both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament show God’s priority to be helping the oppressed in our society. That is a priority shared by many different faiths, as well as people of no faith. 

For Christians hoping to align our own nation’s values with God’s values, the good news is: non-Christians want to help! As Ronald Reagan famously said, “It’s amazing what you can get done when you don’t care who gets the credit.” It’s very possible that we could get more of Jesus’ priorities done in our land, if we didn’t mind not having Jesus’ name on them.

For a word on genuine faith from Martin Luther, check out tomorrow's post.

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