A few days ago, conservative talk show host Megyn Kelly claimed on her Fox News show that "For all you kids watching at home, Santa just is white...just because it makes you feel uncomfortable doesn't mean it has to change, you know, I mean, Jesus was a white man, too...that's a verifiable fact, I just want kids to know that."
This statement was in response to a Slate piece by Aisha Harris entitled, "Santa Should Not Be a White Man Anymore", wherein she notes her confusion between seeing a black Santa figurine in her home while white Santas were popularized elsewhere at the mall and her school. Because the real history of St. Nicholas is so far removed from his present iteration as Santa Claus, she argues that it would be easier and less culturally problematic to change him into a penguin. This avoids questions of race and culture and makes him accessible to all. While I see her point about wanting to avoid cultural problems, it might be a good idea to confront the underlying issue of racism in America rather than continue to ignore it.
On that note, I would like to confront the factually incorrect statements made by Kelly in response to Harris.
1) "Santa just is white." -- First, Santa isn't real. So, I'm assuming she's talking about the person upon which his legend is based, St. Nicolas. According to The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, St. Nicholas was born in the fourth century and became the bishop of Myra. Myra is located in present day Turkey. Supposedly, he provided three different girls each with a sack of gold to serve as dowries and rescue them from a life of prostitution. Over time, the legend grew and meshed with Norse legends. Immigrants brought these legends to North America, and the modern Santa Claus was pretty much manufactured by Norman Rockwell, Coca Cola, and other manufacturers of goods that wanted to ramp up Christmas sales.
So what did the the ancient Turkish gift-giver look like? A composite, made from forensic anthropologists who reconstructed his skeleton from his crypt in Bari, Italy, shows that he looked very much like modern day Turkish men. I think we can agree that he doesn't look like a typical white American male, though that categorical racial box is very problematic and fraught with ambiguity. It might be more accurate to say that he would not experience the privileges of being a white male in American society.
2) "Jesus was a white man, too." -- Wrong again. Jesus was a Palestinian Jew in first century Nazareth. This was a poor village in the shadow of the large city of Sepphoris. He, his father and his brothers, while stylized as artistic carpenters in the Christmas story, are actually more akin to day laborers who would have walked miles everyday to find work and survive in the shadow of the powerful Roman rulers who controlled the land. When he grew up, he heard about numerous uprisings to throw off the Roman yoke and started speaking out against the political powers and the religious leaders who collaborated with them. Speaking out too much and being referred to as "The King of the Jews" caused him to be executed for sedition.
Image from the BBC Photo Library
The United States is arguably the Rome of the modern world. We are the most powerful nation on Earth. Jesus would not identify with the privilege of being an average United States citizen. He did not live in abundant opulence like we do, when 50% of the world lives on less than $2.50 a day (80% on less than $10 a day). If Jesus were an American, he would more likely identify as an undocumented immigrant or other poor, oppressed class, given his historical social standing and statement regarding wealth and poverty.
Regarding Jesus's appearance, he most certainly would be flagged for a security check and racially profiled by TSA. According to forensic anthropologists who examined countless remains from that time period to find the most likely image, he looked like a Middle-Eastern male of Arabic descent.
So, what should we do with this information? We should ask ourselves about the images we hold in our minds of important historical or cultural figures. Are they constructed based on fact or to remake someone in our image for our comfort? Does holding on to historically inaccurate images keep us from becoming a more unified society, where we can appreciate and value one another's diversity? Perhaps most importantly, do they keep us from seeing people of all races as precious children of God? If so, we may want to smash these false images as idols and dig deeper for the sake of Jesus's call to love one another as we love ourselves.
Jose Antonio Vargas Flickr Photo by Tiffany L. Clark/Creative Commons
by Rev. Laura Barclay
Last week, I attended a screening of Documented, Jose
Antonio Vargas’ film about his coming out as an undocumented immigrant
after winning the Pulitzer Prize. His journey is honest, poignant, and
humorous. A lesser subject would have cut some of the material showing
the strain of the situation on his familial relations, but the film
never flinches from the raw story.
I sat in on a panel discussion after the screening
filled with members of an organization featured in the film, “DREAMers
Moms.” I had a chance to speak with several of them, and one story stuck
out in particular. One mom left her country for the good of her
children so they would have hope of a positive future in the United
States. She hasn’t seen her mother in 13 years and won’t until
immigration reform is passed into law. If she leaves the U.S., it’s
likely she wouldn’t be allowed to return and care for her children. This
would leave them essentially orphans who would be placed into foster
care. Her mother is now in her 80s, frail and sick. This woman is losing
hope of ever again touching the woman who cared for her, but still
prays daily for a miracle.
Jose mentioned during the panel that a
largely untold side effect of being undocumented is the toll that the
constant fear of deportation and worry about family has on mental
health. As he edited the film, he said, he noticed several points where
he was clearly suffering from depression. I asked panelist Gaby Pacheco,
an immigration activist and Dreamer who also appeared in the
documentary, how she and others she knew developed mental health
strategies for coping with anxiety and depression. She said it is vital
to find others suffering from similar fears and share stories with them.
With a lack of mental health resources for undocumented persons, that
communal sharing is a form of therapy. She also voiced a need for mental
health services to be included in comprehensive immigration reform.
The
documentary will air on CNN, and be screened at film festivals and in
theaters. Don’t miss a chance to see this film and encourage others to
see this story that humanizes immigration reform. Partisan rhetoric has
fueled this issue to a point beyond realism, but this film makes the
political intimate and personal. After you see the film, join the
discussion at organization, www.defineamerican.com. Address the question, “How do you define American?”
I
became passionate about immigration reform a few years ago when working
with pastors Javier Benitez and Hector Villanueva at the Cooperative
Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina. The two work constantly to protect
their parishioners from racial profiling and deportation, especially on
Sunday morning when police camp outside entrances to Hispanic churches
in order to profile and catch potential undocumented persons on the way
to worship. This is intolerable. It is a moral imperative that we find
ways to welcome the stranger as Scripture calls us to do. We must listen
to immigrant stories and respond appropriately out of love. What does a
Christian response to immigration look like in your community?
One of the more painful or disruptive events in life can be the end of a friendship. For various reasons, people lose friends. Sometimes we drift apart as our life experiences differ, sometimes one friend chooses a destructive path and the other one can't follow, and sometimes we try to make something work that simply doesn't. Occasionally, as in failed relationships, we try to look back and figure out where things went wrong.
We ask ourselves the following questions: What if we had done things differently? What if we had been more intentional instead of drifting apart? Should we have endured more before ending the friendship? What happened?
Some of mine have ended for a variety of reasons: geography; mutual drifting apart due to separate interests; he/she or I didn't have the emotional maturity to deal with situations in a friendship; selfishness (again he/she or I); or, occasionally, behavior that crosses the line of what one can tolerate in a friendship (e.g. sexual harassment, violence, etc.).
The truth is, many friendships end. Rev. Shasta Nelson shares several questions one should ask before ending a friendship. These might be helpful in working through the situation you are in or have just experienced. What I really like about this article is that she stresses listening, compassion and forgiveness while understanding that if you have done your part, it might be time to "drift apart."
In the times when I have had to "drift apart" from someone, or someone has had to do that to me, I try to pray for forgiveness for my failings in that relationship and bless the other person. We tend to view everything as one-sided, though that is rarely the case. Instead, I visualize a prayer that is something like the following:
God, I am sorry for my failings in this friendship. Even as I mourn the end of this earthly relationship, I have hope in your heavenly kingdom. In Revelation 7:9, John tells us that he sees,"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, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands." We know that some day we will all carry the palm branches of peace, and we will continue to work in your name to do so. Please bless those who are no longer earthly friends to do the same and to flourish, and may we all keep hope in you, God. Amen.
This helps us acknowledge our own failings while affirming hope in our shared God and blessing those who we are no longer friends with to do the same and to be well. The worst thing you can do is to maintain bitterness that will only hurt your happiness and keep you from being the authentically beautiful child of God that you are. Remember that your former friends have taught you valuable lessons about yourself that you will carry for life and have probably made you a better, more thoughtful and less selfish person.
So blessings to friends, former friends and friends yet to be for your love, compassion, life lessons learned and still to be learned!
Dr. Rodney Sadler This
Monday I went to Raleigh with Rev. Nantambu, Dr. Wherry, and Rev.
Herring to bear witness at the N.C. General Assembly that the policies
that are being discussed in our state legislature are harmful to the poor,
minorities, immigrants, the elderly, our children, and even our
environment. The single party control of
our state legislature and governor’s house mean that policies that would
normally be thwarted by the presence of other voices in debate are able sail
through with minimal opposition.It is
for this reason that I went to lend voice to the concerns of those who are
often voiceless, those who stand the risk of losing not only their access to
unemployment benefits, to Medicaid, and to welfare if they need it, but who
also may well be impeded from voting by voter ID laws and other requirements
that would hamper voter participation.In essence, those most vulnerable in our state might both lose access to
the support system that could sustain them and the opportunity to vote to
regain those rights. I
was compelled to go by more than just the notion of justice, however.I was also compelled to go because the
policies of our legislature, some of which are well on their way to enactment,
are an offense to God.They are an
offense because they violate the principles of ancient Hebrew Scriptures that
posited the king (read government) was responsible to ensure that the rights of
the poor, husbandless women, fatherless children, landless immigrants, the
infirmed, and other socially vulnerable groups would be protected from the
abuses of the powerful.When the king (read
government) failed to address these concerns, worse, when the king (read
government) actively abused these groups, God called forth the prophets to bear
witness to the will of the Lord and to remind the king of his (its)
responsibility.It was for this reason
that I felt led to go; to go and lend my voice to the voice of Amos and Micah
and Isaiah and Jeremiah…and Jesus. We
are at a point in time where our leaders have forgotten that their duty to lead
is circumscribed by more than the dictates of party allegiance and party
politics.Good will and an eye toward
protecting the interests of the socially vulnerable has been thrust aside by a
seemingly predatory attitude that has placed the needs of many North
Carolinians at risk.This is
particularly troubling when the vast majority of our legislators claim to be
people of faith, beholden to the same obligations to those on the margins as
were the kings of old.They are reading
the same sacred Scriptures that we read, yet they seem to have forgotten the
call of the Lord on their lives.It is
to these sisters and brothers that I went to bear witness to the word of God,
hoping to remind them that as people of faith, it is wrong to enact policies
that hurt the “least of these” who are also children of God created in God’s
image.I went in Love to remind them of
God’s concern for all people, hoping that maybe, just maybe they would alter
their policies and remember their responsibility to civility.My hope
that this change in their hearts can happen remains! It
is in this regard that I write to you today, calling on you to go to Raleigh
and bear witness at the State House next Monday,
May 13th.Your witness can come in
the form of bearing a sign, speaking to an elected official, praying with a
group of similarly concerned citizens, taking a parcel of letters to your
representatives, singing a song; mine on Monday came in the form of getting
arrested for civil disobedience. This
was a difficult choice for me to make for many reasons.In part, it was difficult because I had never
been arrested before.I am a nearly 46
year old African American man who had never been handcuffed, fingerprinted,
frisked, booked, mug-shotted, or locked behind bars (except by choice as a
visitor to a prison).I have worn this
as a badge of honor and intended to maintain this streak for the rest of my
life.This avoidance of the criminal
justice system really meant a great deal to me given the statistics related to
black men and incarceration.Further, I
have an extreme aversion to being penned in in any way, so the thought of being
forcibly locked behind bars was particularly repellant to me.But Monday, I chose to allow myself to be
arrested, anyhow. I
chose to be arrested because the issues at stake are too great to ignore.I chose to be arrested because the impact of
this legislation if allowed to pass could mean that our state would return to a
state of affairs in our racial politics akin to the status quo of the
1950’s.I chose to be arrested because
those people most affected by these policies need willing advocates to speak up
for them, with them.I chose to be
arrested because the world that the legislature is threatening to create is not
the one I want to leave to my daughter…
So
I am calling on you to go to Raleigh next Monday, May 13th and to find a way to
bear witness. Your witness may take the
form of any of those forms of protest I suggested or may take another
form. Your witness may even be to join
with me and the 50 or so others who have thus far been arrested. If you choose this form of witness, I would
encourage you to do so fully cognizant of what it could mean. I would not want you to be unaware that it might
require you to return to Raleigh, to perform community service, to stay away
from the GA for a period, to sit in a holding area for a time, to endure the
suffocating feeling of incarceration for a moment, to surrender your control of
your own life for a few hours in the interest of serving God and others. But if you choose this form of witness, I
think it can be a worthwhile means of adding your voice to the growing chorus
of those who are also bearing witness for God.
I
was arrested with a group of wonderful and committed individuals from a range
of different backgrounds.Three were
nationally renowned historians from Duke and UNC concerned about how pending
legislation might impact the future of our state, one was a prominent UNC
medical doctor concerned with the impact of legislation on healthcare for the
poor, another was a lawyer concerned with the implications to taking away
citizens’ rights, three were grannies concerned with the direction of our state
on future generations, two were local presidents of NAACP chapters concerned
with the impact of these proposed policies on minority communities, one was a
veteran interested in protecting our state from enemies foreign and domestic, several were clergy who
proclaimed that the proposed legislation violates the will of the Lord, some
were just concern citizens with no titles or roles who needed to say a word,
and one was even a student a week away from graduating from college concerned
about his own future.We were white and
black and Asian and well-to-do and not-so-well-off and married and single and
parents and grandparents and children.While in the holding area we talked about history and theology and
strategy and unity and even spent time networking and forging alliances across
issues.The experience was not a lonely
one; instead it was from the moment of arrest to the moment of release a time
spent in the fellowship of friends.
And
when we went in, we were not alone; not only did we enter jail knowing that God
went with us, we were also surrounded by a cloud of witnesses including
lawyers, legal observers, news teams, film and audio documentarians, and a host
of affiliated supporters who ensured that the legal proceedings took place
without a hitch, that bail was available if necessary, that support was felt
throughout our brief incarceration, and that a meal and car ride was ready for
us when we were released.All and all
it was a well organized occasion that was choreographed to bring maximum
attention to our efforts to bear witness while ensuring that we were safe and
assured that we were not alone.
We
were not alone. I know this most of all
because throughout that evening I could feel God’s hand upon me, calming me,
encouraging me, comforting me, and empowering me to act with Love. During that time I also heard God speaking to
me as the words of Matthew 25:34-40 resounded in my ears:
34 Then the king will say to those at his
right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
35 for
I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
36 I
was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was
in prison and you visited me.'
37 Then
the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and
gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?
38 And
when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you
clothing?
39 And
when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?'
40
And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of
the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' (Mat
25:34-40 NRS)
These
words reminded me that the way we treat “the least of these,” those who are
hungry and thirsty (impoverished and unemployed), stranger (immigrant
regardless of status), naked (most socially vulnerable), sick (in need of
healthcare), and imprisoned (under the supervision of the criminal justice
system) is the way that we would treat God if God were standing before us. They also reminded me that our care for those
members of our community in need is wholly consequential. In the passage, the offer of eternal life was
determined based upon whether one cared for the God in need incarnate in those
people in need before us. Whether or not
we believe that such a weighty decision can rest on our actions, it is
impossible not to look at such a passage and realize that what we do for or to
the most socially vulnerable matters not only to them, not only to us; it matters to God! So I leave you with
these words as I offer you the challenge to join us in Raleigh next Monday,
May 13th to bear witness however you feel is right; “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least
of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
Rodney Sadler is the Associate Professor of Bible at Union Presbyterian Seminary and a consultant to the Racial Reconciliation Ministry Team of CBFNC.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Paul’s words to the Philippians.)
Chaplains and pastors were once taught to be “a non-anxious presence” while ministering to persons in high anxiety and crises. We learned after a few years that such a goal was too idealistic. Now, chaplains and pastors are encouraged to be “a less anxious” presence during times of crises or high anxiety.
We wish we could follow Paul’s encouragement to be anxious about nothing. The fact is, we are anxious. It’s the way we are made. But we are to address that anxiety by the disciplines of our faith, specifically by prayer. Paul simply reminds us to rejoice, to give thanks, and then present our requests to God.
Sometimes we read Paul’s words and we grit our teeth declaring, “I will not be anxious; I will not be anxious; I will not be anxious.” Have you ever noticed the more you tell yourself not to do something, the more prone you are to do it? Like the MRI technician who kept asking me, “Are you claustrophobic? Do you have a fear of crawling into caves? Would you like anxiety medication? Does it bother you to be in a dark, closed space with no air with a dozen monkeys beating on a tin can placed over your head?” (Actually, he only asked the first question a couple different ways, but they all seemed to say, “Be anxious, this MRI will drive you nuts!”) Then he told me “not to move” while lying in what appeared to be an air conditioned coffin. Please, just give me some strong medication next time and forget the verbal encouragement.
We do get anxious. We could count the ways, but the fact is that anxiety is personal. Some folks just seem genetically engineered or environmentally conditioned to feel high anxiety. For all of us who deal with anxiety, here’s a prayer I like. Maybe it will be one you can say in times of high anxiety, low anxiety, or MRI anxiety:
"Embolden my spirit by the presence of Your Holy Spirit within me. Assure me that nothing separates me from Your love. Remind me that you will provide all my needs. If I must be anxious, let me trust that You will not be, and in that relationship of trust may I know that all will be as You will it. Amen."
Dennis Herman is the interim pastor of Oxford Baptist Church in Oxford, NC. This article originally appeared in their church newsletter, The Forecaster.
It has been a heavy summer in terms of news of all kinds -- local, state, national, and world. In recent weeks, like most people, I have been greatly troubled by the revelation of molestation and cover-ups at Penn State University and the tragic shootings in Colorado. Yet, for me, an additional level of concern grows out of the ambiguous way we respond to these problems as a society.
At first glance, it may seem that there is no ambiguity. Everyone is quick to denounce such shameful behavior. The only arguments are over what the appropriate punishments are. Yet, if we consider the way we attempt to respond to the bigger issues of how to prevent such calamities in the future, our ambiguity is exposed.
We want children to be safe but whenever we attempt to put in place better safety procedures, there is resistance. Here I speak from thirty years of experience. Every attempt I have made to protect children has met resistance. "The church is a community of trust," people will say, "How can we question our own people?" Further, when I have become aware of a problem and dealt with it, there have been some who have been angry with me even knowing what happened.
In regard to the shootings, we know mental health issues have to be taken seriously but again and again we do not. Friends, family members, and various professionals ignore warning signs. We belittle people with mental health challenges and underfund treatment of mental illnesses. And we refuse to take reasonable measures to limit access to weapons. (Yes, people kill people, but they do it a lot more efficiently with certain weapons.)
So, how do we feel as a nation about these problems? If we really are outraged, let's express that sentiment in something more than a passing wave of anger. Let's have the courage to change our behavior. We may never prevent all harm but we can do better. Until we do, our expressions of courage are insincere.
Sikh Temple in Fremont, CA. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Edwards
By Rev. Elizabeth Edwards
I had just arrived at the Y on Sunday when I saw the news scroll across the
screen: MASS SHOOTING AT SIKH TEMPLE. Two weeks before, I would have responded
the way many of us have who are dreadfully accustomed to hearing about such
shootings: a feeling of sadness and shock, a prayer uttered for the victims,
and a return to my routine. But Sunday was different. I stood holding my
breath. Eleven days earlier, the Lakeside pilgrims had visited the Sikh Temple in
Fremont, CA. I won’t say it lessened the horror of the event when I saw Oak
Creek, WI, appear on the screen, but I did feel a sense of relief that the
people who had welcomed us so warmly were safe: people who had brought their
children to the Temple for a program akin to our VBS, people whose faith
obligates them to defend anyone who is being attacked even to the point of
risking their own lives, people who expressed to us concern over being mistaken
for terrorists because of their dark skin and head coverings, people gathered
for fellowship and prayer.
Youth & adults from Lakeside Baptist at the Sikh Temple in Fremont, CA. Participants visited many communities of faith to learn about different worship, beliefs & devotional practices. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Edwards.
On Monday, I received an e-mail from Rick Sample, the CBF missionary in
Fremont who had made the visit with us. He and his wife Lita had taken food to
the Temple and had expressed their prayers and support on behalf of CBF and
their Christian neighbors. Rick was surprised to learn that they were the only
Americans who had reached out to their Sikh neighbors.
The past few days have convinced me more than ever that making an effort to
know and understand our neighbors of all colors and languages and faiths is not
only important for fostering respect and cooperation but also vital to the
health of our communities and a response that our faith in Christ necessitates.
Our pilgrimage experiences were a significant first step in opening our hearts
and minds to others. Perhaps because of the encounters we had in California,
some of our youth will be inspired to devote their lives to reach across lines
of religion and race and economic status to work for peace. Or perhaps one of
us will have an opportunity to speak up when we hear hate-filled or misinformed
speech. But we shouldn’t have to board an airplane to realize our
responsibility.
It is not acceptable that we have come to tolerate or even expect violence,
whether in Colorado or in a Sikh Temple or in the streets of Rocky Mount. It is
not okay that I don’t make the same effort to know and understand my neighbors
across town when I have traveled across the country to do so. Each of us is
called to do our part to wage peace in the face of such violence and hatred.
The example of Christ, and that of our Sikh neighbors, demands it.
For fifty years, comedienne Joan Rivers has made a living off of the question, “Can We Talk?” Her comedy routines typically involve injecting this question into her monologues on humorous subjects that are sometimes taboo. Of course, she doesn’t really expect an answer to her question. She always talks.
National CBF and the Mercer University Center for Theology and Public Life should be commended for initiating a conversation on a subject that is central to our humanity, and therefore to Christian spirituality and discipleship, but unfortunately, is rarely discussed in the church. The conference planners tried to make clear that the purpose of the conference was not to develop policies or make proclamations. Still, anxiety was on high alert in some quarters of the CBF community prior to the conference, out of fear that the conference was simply a smokescreen for launching a particular agenda. Those fears were unfounded.
Though one of the most controversial subjects of our day, homosexuality, was not the focus of the conference, it was on the minds of most conference participants. Plenary sessions, however, covered a wide range of sexuality-related topics, including: identity; discernment; historical and theological resources; covenant; contemporary sociological realities; human sex trafficking; sexual behavior and challenges among young adults, single adults and senior adults; and yes, homosexuality.
Plenary presentations were bracketed by worship, including singing and silence, encouraging conferees to open themselves to the voice of the Spirit. The tone was that of respectful listening and seeking understanding, not antagonistic debate.
A particularly helpful element of the conference was the establishment of Covenant Community Groups. These groups of around fifteen persons met for five dialogue sessions, where we could process and discuss the presentations we heard in plenary sessions. I was surprised at the depth of sharing and the mature level of Christian community our group was able to develop in a short period of time. The conference design of a rhythm between large plenary presentations and small group discussion should be considered for conferences on other topics, as well.
My reflections on the conference have led me to draw several conclusions:
First, this was a courageous first step in resourcing congregations and the CBF community to engage a critically important topic for our time, one which we have neglected, to our peril, for far too long.
Second, my sense (admittedly very subjective) is that those of us who embrace a more traditional sexual ethic (sexual intercourse is only properly expressed within the covenant of marriage) were a minority at the conference. This was not the fault of the conference planners, but because many “CBF regulars” simply chose not to attend. I hope they will participate in this conversation in the future.
Third, I left the conference wanting more in-depth biblical and theological reflection on the topic of sexuality. North Carolina’s own Guy Sayles (pastor of FBC Asheville) delivered a thoughtful presentation on discerning God’s voice, with a creative treatment of the encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. As a people bound together by the Lordship of Christ and the authority of the Scriptures, our efforts to faithfully explore sexuality, even in our contemporary context, must be rooted in the Bible.
During the first dialogue session with my Covenant Community Group, I confessed that as a pastor and a CBF leader (and I think this true for most of us), I have had a “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy with regards to not just one aspect of sexuality, but with all things related to sexuality. This conference was a needed first step to change that reality.
“Can we talk?” As faithful followers of Jesus– “the word [which] became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14), the high priest who is able to sympathize our weaknesses and invites us to approach God’s throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help with all our needs (Hebrews 4:15-16)–we can and we must.
Larry Hovis is the Executive Coordinator of CBFNC. Watch video of the speakers on CBF’s Vimeo Channel. Feel free to utilize them in your own church discussions on sexuality!
As a citizen, I am pleased that in our nation we can debate the issues and qualities of those who we consider electing into offices to serve every person. We are in the midst of watching our democratic system at work in choosing leadership.
As a Christian, I am appalled at the abuse of the Scriptures to serve a political purpose. Candidates promote the worst kind of religion that is judgmental, harsh, legalistic, hate-filled. In seeking to win votes, prayer is turned into a weapon and Jesus is given a party label. They trash the Messiah’s directives to love all and serve all with their stump speeches.
Religion is a powerful weapon and has always been used by faith groups to dehumanize others and justify attacks on the lives of those whom they wish to conquer. Christians often use texts picked out of context to denounce their political opponents and turn people’s trust in God into shouts of rage just as Satan used the Scripture to tempt Jesus in the wilderness to serve the purposes of Satan.
Jesus came, not with the political power of an earthly kingdom, but with God’s power that stands up to the darkness of this world raining justice on people and not an angry religion. The power of Jesus sought to call people’s lives to change toward the good; crossing any cultural boundary to lift up the fallen, hurting, the lonely, the forgotten. The power of Jesus loves enemies and sees all humanity as worthy of coming to God’s table.
Jesus came to be a light to all nations. Let us tell the true story.
Michael Johnson is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Rowland, NC. This article originally appeared in their church newsletter, First Baptist News.
Please read the title of this article. Yes, a “Christian Christmas.” It seems strange that the Christian church would have to fight to recover a season in the church calendar that has the word “Christ” in it. But, would you disagree that much of what happens in our culture during Christmas has nothing whatsoever to do with the remembrance of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh? Is Christmas even recognizable beyond an exercise in rampant, unbridled consumerism? Ask your children, “What is your favorite thing about Christmas?” Will they answer the family meal, the visit to Grandma and Grandpa, or the special parties and get-togethers with friends and others in the community? No. They will answer with one word: presents.
Presents are good. I give presents during Christmas. In fact, gift-giving during Christmas can be a sign of the divine gift-giving we celebrate at Christmas. If we can remember why we give gifts during the Christmas season, we can utilize the practice to teach the real lesson: God so loved the world that he gave His very best gift, His only Son, that whoever might receive this gift would receive also the gifts of forgiveness of sins, of hope for the present and future, and of eternal life. I am certain that a Mom with a Wal-Mart basket full of toys wishing Wal-Mart would bring back layaway practices so she could buy more than anyone has ever needed so she can be the coolest Mom ever has missed the point of the divine gift-giving.
It is not only the presents problem. It is a waiting problem. You’ve heard this before from me, but here it comes again. Before December 25th, the season of Advent invites us to wait and anticipate. Advent allows us to hope for Christmas to arrive so that when December 25th (and the 11 days that follow 12/25 that comprise the 12 days of the Christmas season) does arrive we feel joy and excitement that Christmas has come – similar to those who waited for the Messiah and felt joy and excitement over the news of the birth of the Savior. Here is what I think happens too often: we start hearing Christmas music in late October, we are inundated with commercials and sales flyers full of red and green by early November, we celebrate Thanksgiving with our eyes more focused on Black Friday than the bountiful feast before us, and then December finally arrives. All that before December even appears on the calendar! December, then, ends up becoming a pressure-packed month of worry and panic knowing that time is running out before the big day. And, when Christmas Day dawns (literally for many of you with young children), people are so sick and tired of all things Christmas they can hardly wait to see it go. That makes me so sad.
What, then, would recovering a Christian Christmas entail? Much more than I can write in this article, but here’s a start. First, wait and experience Advent. Second, reflect long and hard about the point of the presents and how the practice of gift-giving can be a sign of the great divine gift-giving. Third, ask yourself if your children truly understand Christmas and work to be sure they do. Fourth, if there are 12 days of the Christmas season (12/25 – 1/5), is there anything Christmas-related you can do after 12/25 to take reduce the stress before 12/25? Fifth, can your family find or create a way to serve others this Christmas (again, not just on 12/25, but during the 12 day season)?
For the first time, I feel like I have some personal understanding of what my Muslim friends must feel like when they fear public judgment of adherents to Islam based on the stories of extremists who claim their faith. What if the only knowledge some have of Christians are Breivik’s actions? Will Christianity be perceived in Norway similarly to how some Americans view Islam in the wake of 9/11?
Dr. Charles Kimball, a Baptist minister and scholar on comparative religion and Islamic studies, wrote a book shortly after the September 11 attacks called When Religion Becomes Evil. He discusses various signs that religion has been corrupted for evil purposes, including the belief that the end justifies any means and the inciting of holy war. I heard a report on NPR where officials said Breivik stated he was sorry that he had to kill so many, but that it was necessary in order to fight the acceptance of diversity in Norway. Similarly, Kimball discusses how the Church during the Inquisition used torture and burnings to root out “heretics” and force conversions. This violent approach caused 40,000 Jews and many Muslims to flee Spain, with others converting under fear and torture (149).
Breivik also believes this is the first in a line of attacks meant to start a holy war to claim Europe for Christians and drive out Muslims. This concept of holy war was embraced by the church to fight Muslims during the crusades, where slaughter of the enemy was considered a “penitential act” (162). However, the Templar scholar in the CNN article was careful to say that even the Knights Templar wouldn’t slaughter innocent civilians as Breivik did.
The point is that no religion is immune to violence or terrorism. While many Christians are shocked, there are documented cases of Christian terrorists, like Timothy McVeigh who carried out the 1995 attack in Oklahoma city (raised a Catholic and angered by government actions against the Branch Davidians in the 1994 Waco, TX, incident), the Ku Klux Klan, and a group called the Army of God, responsible for abortion bombings in the U.S.(45).
Instead of making the argument that Breivik and others are not Christians, it would probably be more productive to acknowledge his beliefs as a distortion and corruption of Christianity and work that much harder to explain Christ’s teachings of love. Kimball states, “Proximate justice and peaceful coexistence are realistic goals for those who avoid the pitfalls of absolute truth claims and who are committed to working toward a better future using means that are consistent with desired ends. People in various faith traditions must be clear among themselves and with one another: holy war is not an option” (212). Christians and Muslims in Europe, the United States, the Middle East and beyond must hold to this statement if we are to consider ourselves sincere followers of God and embrace one another in the spirit of our loving God.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength…Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31 (NIV)
“If God had so willed, He would have created you one community, but [He has not done so] that He may test you in what He has given you; so compete with one another in good works. To God you shall all return and He will tell you the truth about that which you have been disputing” (Qur’an 5:48).
Many of you saw, or rather couldn’t help but see, billboards for the past six months guaranteeing the rapture on May 21. I admit that I rolled my eyes at yet another self-proclaimed prophet who swears they know the hour and day of the Apocalypse (see a list of some of the failed predictions at http://www.religioustolerance.org/end_wrl2.htm). This particular “prophet” has now predicted the end of the world four times (May 21, 1988; September 7, 1994; May 21st, 2011; and now he's rescheduled it for October 21, 2011), and happened to rake in $80 million from contributors between 2005 & 2009.
NPR did before and after stories of the May 21st followers. Many of these people and families had quit their jobs and budgeted only to live to that date. Some choose to believe the date was off by a few days or weeks. Others claim it must have been a spiritual rapture, and that salvation is no longer possible. One more level-headed man said, “we obviously don’t understand the Scriptures the way that we should.”
The humility exhibited in the last statement might be the healthiest approach, and one that we could incorporate into our lives. The danger of a premillenialist eschatological view is that people believe they can escape the problems of the world, being sucked up into heaven. The non-chosen are left to deal with catastrophes while the chosen look down from the clouds. This begs the question: Why care for your neighbor, work for peace and reconciliation, and care of creation if God’s just going to snatch you up before destroying the world? Doesn’t this view negate the work Jesus asked us to do—loving our neighbor, healing the sick, caring for the poor and oppressed? Maybe, after countless failed predictions throughout Christian history, we might just realize that there is not a magic get out of jail free card. As followers of Christ, we must do the hard kingdom work he describes in the gospels through parables and examples.
While there is apocalyptic language, much of it refers to events that have already occurred (like the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE). Some passages talk about Christ returning, but the writer of the Gospel of Matthew cautions in Matthew 24, “about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (NRSV). Wouldn’t it be far more beneficial to spend time meditating on the parables and actions of Jesus rather than obsessing over and potentially misusing the more obscure and puzzling literature of the Bible, especially if we take it out of context and misunderstand the meaning? Jesus’ words and actions are timeless because they address real problems that require a response of hard work and an open heart. To lose sight of this for recycled, failed prophesies doesn’t do the gospel justice.
In an effort to provide different CBF voices in the Christian response to the death of Osama bin Laden, a significant current event, we're providing another post from a CBF minister. Below this post are links to other voices in the CBF network, all with different responses and perspectives.
by Dr. Don Gordon
I found out at the gym this morning that Osama bin Laden had been killed Sunday night (EST). The master-mind of the 9/11 attacks which killed more than 3,000 Americans was shot by Navy Seals in a daring move against his heavily fortified compound in Abbottabad, just inside the eastern border of Pakistan. Bin Laden was true to form in this final assault, using one of his wives as a defensive shield when the bullets started flying. He never regarded the lives of women and children as deserving of special protection during his reigns of terror. They continued to shield him from the consequences of his assault on humanity. Bin Laden’s dead body was buried (dumped?) within 24 hours into the sea. President Obama made the announcement to the American people and the international community in a nine minute televised speech not long after the assault took place. The President offered assurances to families who had lost loved ones in the 9/11 bombings, applauded the skill and courage of those who organized and carried out the raid, and concluded that justice had been done.
In the streets outside the White House and along the pavement of Ground Zero in New York, Americans spontaneously erupted in celebration at bin Laden’s capture and killing. The ten year hunt for bin Laden was over. Two wars—in Iraq and Afghanistan—had begun as a response to his actions and influence. For young Americans who have never known a time when their nation was not under terrorist threat, this death is especially satisfying. A sense of justice has been achieved. An evil man has been eliminated. The death of innocent lives has been has been met with some retribution, albeit a belated case.
How are Christians supposed to respond to the death of bin Laden? No doubt, the reaction is shaped by our proximity to those who have been killed, injured, and made sacrifices in these wars on terror. Our reactions are also shaped by our nationality and geography. American Christians will no doubt react differently to bin Laden’s death than Iraqi Christians or Pakistani Christians. There are Christians in those countries even though they live precariously as minorities. Acknowledging the impact on so many variables in our lives, are there any Christian principles that should shape our own response to the death of a merchant of evil? Fully aware of my own biases and limitations as a Christian who is also an American, I offer a few principles that come to my mind.
First, earthly justice is inferior to divine justice, but it is the means we have to limit the emigration of evil to the four corners of the world. Dietrich Bonhoffer, the Lutheran pastor who participated in plans to assassinate Adolph Hitler, didn’t start out wanting to kill Hitler. Eventually, however, he came to believe that the assassination of Hitler would save a nation, and much of the world, from horrendous evil. Sometimes the imperfect justice meted out on earth is better than unmitigated evil set loose on innocent people. Simply put, the killing of one man is sometimes the lesser of two evils.
Second, killing and death are never times of celebration except to the extent they are precursors to resurrection. I don’t presume to know with divine certainty the eternal destination of any man, but the evidence of bin Laden’s life doesn’t lead me to believe he is "bound for the promised land." In that case, we are faced with the stark reality of a lost, evil soul bound for hell. Christians don’t rejoice that people go to hell. We rejoice that God is the good, just, eternal judge of all people, and that his judgments are expressions of his perfect love and holy character. We rejoice in a holy, perfect God even while we lament the sinfulness of humanity and the terrible consequences that are deservingly received.
Third, Christians are called to be peacemakers in a broken world. This brokenness leads to the need for policemen, armed force, and legitimate authorities using appropriate means to protect the masses. Yet, Christians are called to be different than others. We’re called to turn the other cheek, walk two miles when asked only to walk one, and to love our enemies. This radical ethic should be driving us to make peace, absorb evil, and suffer patiently in obedience to the model of our Savior Jesus Christ. This does not mean we have to become doormats to the world (which is broken), but it does compel us to seek peace more than war, pray for our enemies more than plot their demise, and cooperate with others in promoting goodwill toward humanity.
This is not a recipe for every individual Christian’s response to the news of Osama bin Laden’s capture and killing by the authority of the government of the United States of America. It is simply my effort to offer a word I hope is pastoral, thoughtful, and most important, faithful to the guidance of the Good Shepherd, who came to take away the sins of the world.
Last night, I watched the breaking news story that Osama bin Laden was killed during a gunfight in Pakistan. I sat there, processing the news and trying to figure out how I felt, wondering how this would affect our country and the world. I fell asleep, feeling nothing emotionally, but praying that this military victory would move us closer to the end of our decade long war and bring our troops that much closer to home.
This morning, I awoke to see images from late last night. College students and passers-by partying outside the White House, near Ground Zero, throughout Boston, at a Phillies and Mets game, and on West Point’s campus. I felt a visceral reaction of disappointment. For me, bin Laden’s death is not an occasion for celebration, but one of solemn remembrance for all the soldiers and civilians who’ve died because of his actions. It’s an occasion for caution, as violence usually begets violence, and the government is already issuing warnings to Americans abroad fearing al Qaeda’s revenge. It’s an occasion for thoughtfulness, as bin Laden’s death does not rid the world of terrorism, suffering, or death.
It was telling to me of all the scenes of jubilation, the most poignant were photos released from our soldiers oversees watching the President’s press conference last night. Rather than cheering, they sat solemnly, knowing that this was not the end and that one man’s death will never bring back the thousands of troops and civilians who’ve died. Perhaps the most poignant remarks I heard today were from Carie Lemack, co-founder of the Global Survivors Network, who lost her mother on September 11, 2001. While she felt a sense of relief that no one else would die by his hand, she has been disappointed in the amount of media attention bin Laden and his violence have received over the last decade. Rather, she wants the voice of those who work against terrorism to “be louder than those who advocate for terrorism.” With this violent figurehead gone, what hopes do you have for the future of the world? What good can we do together for peace and justice? Is God calling you to better your church or community? May we always be open to the Spirit with us. Let us pray for our troops and civilians still in danger. May God be with them and hear their cries and fears.
Let us remember those who have died, both military and civilian, in the last decade due to bin Laden’s actions. May they be with God and in peace.
Let us pray for the survivors of war and terrorism. May God walk with them in their grief and be with them throughout the healing process.
Let us pray for the weakening of terrorism in all forms and the strengthening of peace around the world. May we see the in-breaking of God’s kingdom on earth.
