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.

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 19

 

This post is part 19 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.

The apostle Paul writes, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). Christians have historically accepted that diversity within the Church is God’s will. We are different for a reason. 

So when Christians advocate that the Bible or prayer should be taught as an elective during public school hours, we should ask, “whose interpretation of the Bible? And what type of prayer?” There are over 200 Christian sects present in our country today. To suggest that there is one normative, “generic” version of the Christian faith that can and should be presented to all our kids, is not just inaccurate. It’s unbiblical.

For a word on our shared values across faiths, 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.

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 18

 

This post is part 18 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.

Jesus said, “‘Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” He cautioned against loud, wordy public prayers. Instead, he said his followers should go into private rooms and pray to their Father “who is in secret.” This does not mean that our faith should be a secret, or that all prayer should be done in secret. But it does mean that in prayer, our “audience” is not other people, but God. If prayer is led by leaders in secular spaces (like public schools) as a political statement, the focus goes away from God and onto the person praying, and the political statement they are trying to make. 

In public settings (especially where we know there will be people present who do not share our faith), we should be asking ourselves, “what am I saying to God here that I couldn’t have said in my home, my church, or another faith-based event? And why?” 

On September 11, 2019, I had the distinct honor to lead an invocation to begin the session of the Michigan State House of Representatives in Lansing. I came as the guest of Jack O'Malley, my state rep, who at the time was a member of the church I served with, and is still someone I count as a friend. 

I was excited to accept the invitation, but I definitely did so after a time of much prayerful reflection. I needed to be sure that what I said to God on that day would represent not only my own theology and perspective, but allow as many people there as possible (ideally everyone) to connect with their creator in a deeper way. This does not mean I needed to make sure every word I said was something everyone would agree with (in which case I'd have been better off staying seated). But my goal was, at the very least, to remove myself and my own agendas from the conversation, and gather the spirits of those present for a holy moment with God.  

I hope, whatever your faith background, that you do get an opportunity to lead prayer in a public setting at least once in your life. It's not an easy task, but it is rewarding to see people of different stripes brought together. If you're following Jesus' advice in that setting, the number one thing to remember is that, when it's all said and done, you've got an audience of one: God.   

Here's a link to the full video from 2018.

For a word on Christian diversity and our public persona, 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.

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 17

 

This post is part 17 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.

When told by religious authorities to stop preaching in Jesus’ name, Peter says, “we must obey God rather than any human authority.” (Acts 5:29) The first generation of Christians knew they would have to see the difference between human authorities and God’s will, and that they would have to go with what God says. Jesus prepared them, by saying they would be persecuted, imprisoned, and "placed before kings and governors because of my name". Jesus says, "this will give you an opportunity to testify." (Luke 21:13). 

If the disciples of Jesus had met only friendly religious authorities and secular leaders, if they had only been offered power and privilege because of Jesus' name, their faith would have remained weak. They would never have had to choose to obey God over any human authority. They would never have had the opportunity to testify. 

Sometimes our faith becomes stronger, and our witness bolder, in difficult situations where Jesus and our surrounding culture do not see eye to eye. Rather than seeking to make life uniquely easy for Christians in the public sphere, it's better to see the difficulties as opportunities to testify. 

For a word about prayer in secular settings, check out tomorrow's post.

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 16

 

This post is part 16 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.

It's been another busy weekend, but I'm back with another reason I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith nation.

In Daniel 6, Daniel is thrown into the lion’s den for practicing his faith, and praying to God during a time when Darius, a king from Mede, declared that no one in Babylon should pray to anyone but himself for 30 days. 

Daniel's predicament comes as a result of a conspiracy of Darius' officials to specifically target Daniel because of his faith: the 30 days of praying to the king was their idea, because they knew Daniel was obligated to pray to God three times a day. 

As every Sunday School teacher can tell you, Daniel makes it out of the lions' den unharmed: God sends an angel to "shut the lions' mouths." 

This is one of many stories in the Hebrew Bible about how to live as a minority faith in a land that follows other gods. Learning how to resist public pressure is good for our faith.   

For a lesson from Acts about obeying human leaders, check out tomorrow's post.

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 15

 

This post is part 15 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:

Jesus told his disciples that Gentile rulers expect to be exalted above others and served, “but it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant” (Mark 10:43). To seek greater political power for Christians, or greater attention to their concerns than those of their non-Christian neighbors, goes against Jesus’ basic principle of leadership.

For better and for worse, lobbyists have become a part of our political ecosystem. To invest time, money, and staff into lifting up one group's needs before legislators and policy makers is considered "par for the course." The assumption is, If you don't make your own voice heard, you'll get lost in the noise. 

Jesus says, "it is not so among you." 

Our Lord calls us to servant leadership. This does not mean that we never speak up on public issues, but that when we do speak up, it's on behalf of others, especially those who can't speak for themselves. I invite you to take a look at the ELCA Advocacy Page to get a look at what type of work we can do together as Christians in the public sphere. It's less important to Jesus that his name is lifted up in the halls of power, than that we are lifting up the voices of those he called us to serve. 

For some thoughts on Jesus' model for leadership, check out tomorrow's post.

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 14

 

This post is part 14 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:

The Book of Esther tells of a Jewish woman who becomes queen in Persia, and saves her people from annihilation at the hands of an evil royal official named Haman. Haman's plot is exposed and he is killed for his crimes. At Esther’s request, the king allows the Jews in his kingdom to avenge the plans of those who would have destroyed them. 

But even at this key moment, when political power is shifting in favor of the Jews, Esther never asks for the king or any of his officials to become Jewish, or for more political power to be given to the Jews. Esther and her family only desire for Jews to be able to live and prosper in Persia without fear. This is yet another Biblical example of God’s people thriving in a land that does not share their faith. 

    The history of Judaism is all too full of stories of Jews being exiled or killed for their faith, often by Christians. This extends even into present-day antisemitism. Intolerance of minority faiths is the dark side of Christian nationalism. This is part of why I'm continuing to write these posts.

For some thoughts on Jesus' model for leadership, 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. 

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 13

 

This post is part 13 of a series on Christian citizenship, and why I believe mixing Christian identity with American identity is bad for both. My intent in sharing these short Biblical reflections is not to "prooftext", or just compile a list of unrelated Bible verses to support my argument. Rather, I hope to give you little bite-sized thoughts, which I believe represent themes you'll find throughout the Bible and historic Christian teachings.

I hope they make you think.

It's been a few days since my last post. Life has gotten busy!

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

Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, (1529) a short pamphlet teaching the basics of the Christian faith, encourages the “head of the household” to teach the faith to their family. Luther himself was very diligent in teaching his own children the Christian faith, because he saw it as his own responsibility. 

In my Lutheran expression of Christianity, every time we baptize a child, we ask the parents to make some promises: among others, "to teach them the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments," and "to place in their hands the Holy Scriptures." Of course, many families choose to "deputize" the congregation to which they belong, to help them with this task of Christian education. That's the origin things like Sunday School and Confirmation. But make no mistake: it's still my job to fulfill the promise I made at my children's baptism.  

If Christian households advocate teaching of the Christian faith in public schools, they are giving up a very important job God has given to the parents themselves. Also, there is more than one way to interpret the Bible, and taking Christian teaching into a public sphere means one interpretation will gain prominence over others. As many times as some Christian programs will proclaim that they are "generic," there truly is no such thing. Even when we avoid controversial topics, we all teach the Bible with our particular perspective. It's unavoidable. 

I don’t want my children to learn how to pray in their schools because we would likely find that the prayers they would learn would not line up with our beliefs. 

For some Biblical words about survival as a religious minority, and what that can teach those in the majority, 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. 

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 12

This post is part 12 of a series on Christian citizenship, and why I believe mixing Christian identity with American identity is bad for both. My intent in sharing these short Biblical reflections is not to "prooftext", or just compile a list of unrelated Bible verses to support my argument. Rather, I hope to give you little bite-sized thoughts, which I believe represent themes you'll find throughout the Bible and historic Christian teachings.

I hope they make you think.

 

Happy Ascension Day! Today, 40 days after Easter, the Church through much of the world celebrates Jesus meeting his disciples on a mountaintop, sharing some final words with them, and ascending into Heaven. We believe he is now "seated at the right hand of the Father." Jesus rules, not from any land, city, or palace on earth, but from a throne beyond time and space. While we can only speak in images and metaphors about such a place, the Book of Revelation is full of deeply symbolic and creative imagery to help our holy imagination along. 

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

Revelation 7 shows John’s vision of “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Rev 7:9). 

The Christian movement has always been, and will always be, an international movement. Believers in Christ are united not by their nationality or ethnicity, but by their baptism into Christ. In God’s eyes, no nation takes priority. All are made in the image of God, and redeemed by God’s grace.

One day, our divisions based on nation, race and ethnicity will be gone. We won't stop being our unique selves, but we will realize that our true self is rooted in God, not in any nation. 

In anticipation of that day, Christian worship spaces should be treated like "international territory." In the same way that a U.S. Embassy in another country is treated like U.S. soil to all who enter, spaces where Christians are gathered for prayer in Jesus' name become "Heavenly embassies." When worship begins, we are no longer on the soil of any earthly country. We are united with the choirs of Heaven.  

For a lesson in Christian education 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. 

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 11

STATUE OF ARTEMIS, 1st Century Ephesus.
By Gargarapalvin - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=89108995

 

This post is part 11 of a series on Christian citizenship, and why I believe mixing Christian identity with American identity is bad for both. My intent in sharing these short Biblical reflections is not to "prooftext", or just compile a list of unrelated Bible verses to support my argument. Rather, I hope to give you little bite-sized thoughts, which I believe 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 Acts chapter 19, Paul and his companions enter Ephesus, whose local patron deity is the Greek Goddess Artemis. A man named Demetrius, who makes his living casting little silver Artemis statues, gathers other small business owners and plots against Paul, who is cutting into their livelihood by preaching for Jesus and against idols made by human hands. Demetrius whips up a riot of people chanting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” They seek to arrest Paul, but the town clerk convinces them Paul has broken no laws by preaching an alternative faith. 

This mob’s local/national identity and their religion are tied up together in an unhealthy way, and they view Paul’s message as foreign and strange. They react violently against it. Readers of the New Testament should remember times when Christians were on the receiving end of religious nationalism. It wasn’t pretty. That’s why the Gospel, which unites us across national identities, is so revolutionary.  

For God's beautiful vision of an international Church from Revelation, 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.

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 10

 

This post is part 10 of a series on Christian citizenship, and why I believe mixing Christian identity with American identity is bad for both. My intent in sharing these short Biblical reflections is not to "prooftext", or just compile a list of unrelated Bible verses to support my argument. Rather, I hope to give you little bite-sized thoughts, which I believe 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: 

Part of the Law God gives Moses for the people of Israel reads, “The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” (Leviticus 19:33). For the first time in their lives, the people of Israel are free from slavery and in charge of their own civic life. They all share one faith, in the Lord who freed them, and are commanded by God to order their society according to that faith.

Now, God commands the people to not only tolerate foreigners who do not share their faith, but to treat them as equal citizens in every respect. Even now that the Israelites are one people, united in one religious faith, they are commanded to have special sensitivity to religious minorities, and to remember their unjust treatment in Egypt, where they were the foreigners. 

I believe this law still has moral applications today. Even in a Christian-majority country (which may not always be the case for our country), we are still commanded to treat non-majority faiths with as much respect and dignity as members of our own faith.

For a Bible story about a time when Christians were victims of religious nationalism, 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.

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 9

 

This post is part 9 of a series on Christian citizenship, and why I believe mixing Christian identity with American identity is bad for both. My intent in sharing these short Biblical reflections is not to "prooftext", or just compile a list of unrelated Bible verses to support my argument. Rather, I hope to give you little bite-sized thoughts, which I believe 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: 

The “beast” of Revelation 13 is interpreted by most scholars to refer to Roman Emperor Nero, whose title in Jewish gematria (a code assigning each Hebrew letter a number) amounted to the number 666. John, the author of Revelation, was saying that being faithful to Christ, the Lamb of God, will sometimes bring violent opposition from one’s own government and nation. 

I am very, very hesitant to ever follow John's example and identify any leader or government with "the beast." Far too much blood has been spilled throughout Christian history by identifying one's foes with "the beast" of Revelation.  It's too easy to dehumanize others using apocalyptic language.

Yet John's coded reference to the Roman Empire,  and maybe all human empires,  is a stark warning never to identify our religious faith with our nation. Sometimes,  the two come into conflict. 

For some thoughts on welcoming foreigners from the law of Moses, check out Monday's post.

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 8

 

This post is part 8 of a series on Christian citizenship, and why I believe mixing Christian identity with American identity is bad for both. My intent in sharing these short Biblical reflections is not to "prooftext", or just compile a list of unrelated Bible verses to support my argument. Rather, I hope to give you little bite-sized thoughts, which I believe 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: 

Daniel 3 is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego surviving the fiery furnace. They are thrown in there by King Nebuchadnezzar, a Babylonian ruler who set up a golden statue and ordered all Babylonian citizens to bow to it. When the three men don’t kneel, into the fire they go…and God preserves their lives. These three young men show us how to live faithfully as a minority religion in a nation that follows other gods.

There are some parts of the Bible that talk about how to practice faith as one cohesive community that all basically has the same beliefs. But the most powerful and inspiring stories are about God's people surrounded by those who do not share their faith, or even put pressure on them to follow a different faith. 

Being surrounded by a predominantly non-Christian culture or nation can actually clarify our values and strengthen our religious self-identity. Our Jewish neighbors can attest to that. But first, we have to accept that, if we ever did live in a "Christian nation," we don't now.   

For a New Testament example of how Christians reacted when their surrounding culture directly opposed God, 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.

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 7

 

This post is part 7 of a series on Christian citizenship, and why I believe mixing Christian identity with American identity is bad for both. My intent in sharing these short Biblical reflections is not to "prooftext", or just compile a list of unrelated Bible verses to support my argument. Rather, I hope to give you little bite-sized thoughts, which I believe 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: 

The author of 1 Timothy encourages prayers, supplications and thanksgivings “for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.” 

In the late first century, when this letter was written, there were no Christian kings, nor did any Christian occupy any “high position” in government. The leaders being prayed for were all pagans. All of them. Every single one worshiped Greek and Roman gods. 

Yet Timothy and his congregation are encouraged to pray for them “so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.” Early Christians did not see it necessary for their leaders to share their faith, much less set policies based on it, in order for their faith to flourish. To their mind, the task of leaders is to provide for “peaceable lives” for all their citizens, no matter their faith. They can do so sustained by our prayers, but they need not be sustained by a Christian faith of their own.

According to the New Testament, it is not the job of secular leaders to promote Christian values, even if those leaders are Christians themselves (though again, at that time, none of them were). It is enough that leaders protect the citizens and do justice. The spread of faith is the job of the Holy Spirit. 

For a good biblical example of living as a religious minority in a nation that does not share our faith, 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.

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 6

 

This post is part 6 of a series on Christian citizenship, and why I believe mixing Christian identity with American identity is bad for both. My intent in sharing these short Biblical reflections is not to "prooftext", or just compile a list of unrelated Bible verses to support my argument. Rather, I hope to give you little bite-sized thoughts, which I believe 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: 

The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7). The kingdom of Judah actually was a faith-based Kingdom that supposedly only worshiped the Lord, but they lost that kingdom and went into exile in Babylon. Jeremiah and other prophets actually thought that exile in a non-Jewish kingdom was a good thing for God’s people and would lead to greater covenant faithfulness. In the meantime, he asked people to pray for Babylon. 

The major theme of the book of Jeremiah--not just a verse here and there, but the thrust of all 52 chapters--is that sometimes God uses a kingdom that does not worship God (Babylon) to hold accountable a kingdom that claims to worship God (Judah). Sometimes exile in a faithless kingdom is a right and just punishment for not being true to our covenant with God. 

In our lives today, I wouldn't say that any person or group of people should call bad circumstances a direct "punishment" from God. But I would say that challenging times can help us grow, if we let them. If it is God's will that Christians have a lot less influence in Western culture (and I tend to believe it is), then this "exile" can teach us something. For one thing, according to Jeremiah, it can teach us how to pray for a city (or a country) that may not share our values. Not to pray that it will become more like us, but simply for its welfare, knowing that its welfare is connected to our own. 

 For some thoughts on praying for non-believing leaders, 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.