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.
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