29 August 2005

Some more reflections on Stanley Hauerwas writing about God & America.

...surely the gospel should have something to say about how to go on as a people who can have a shared past by confessing their sin. Here it seems Christians have something constructive to offer to our politics. We have a story of sin and forgiveness forged in the practices of confession and reconciliation that at least offers the kind of hope...we need. The claim that the first task of the church is to be the church, even in America, could turn out to be good news if the challenge before us as Americans is learning how to be a people who can make our past truthfully ours. That the first task of the church is to be the church, therefore, is anything but a withdrawal strategy.

Unfortunately, many faces of popular Christianity have no need of the confession and reconciliation that is outside of a "personal" confession that is between ''me and Jesus." We will never resolve or come with an honest heart to the great dividing lines within our world if we assume we are too go for other because we are "right with Jesus." This past week, the comments by Pat Robertson show just how far the TV and public image of Christianity has become the whore of the consumerism and nationalism of the United States and the powers of the world that want to continue to rule and direct all of life on our planet. Are we so afraid of the truthfulness of our lives that we must find scapegoats who we can blame for all that is wrong in the world!? As people in the the church, we must be quite sure to speak out about the horrors of our past and about the ways we are fooled into being involved in the horrors of the present because we have not had the courage to face ourselves and the many ways we attempt to place our wants and so-called needs above the justice and peace and mercy of the Reign of God. More and more, the voice of Christianity is associated with small minded people who will fight to the death about issues that have little to do with the quality of life within our world. We need to step forward and engage the world from a different perspective than U.S. endorsed Christianity. We need to step in line with the cross of Christ. Odd way to go isn't it!!! We have so much to offer the well being of our global community if we would only come out of the closet and witness to the peaceable Reign of God.

Connection: Speak up in the prayers you offer today. Speak up and do not let the name of the Resurrected Lord be attached to the worldly and self-centered ways of any government power. How do we begin? Simply by beginning to speak up and entering into the fray in ways that we each are able from our own gifts and talents.

Lord, make us instruments of your peace and make us bold to walk and speak with others who go out on the limb of the cross to let you mercy and compassion and justice and peace prevail. Amen.