15 December 2005

We continue to look at being in "exile" through the eyes of Walter Brueggemann.

The metaphor of exile may be useful to American Christians as a way of understanding the social context of the church in American culture. The exile of the contemporary American church is that we are bombarded by definitions of reality that are fundamentally alien to the gospel, definitions of reality that come from the military-industrial-scientific empire, which may be characterized as "consumer capitalism." In a variety of ways the voice of this empire wants to reshape our values, fears, and dreams in ways that are fundamentally opposed to the voice of the gospel.

When the "word" of the culture is so powerful and so pervasive, how do we keep the Word of God alive among us? This year there are so many people arguing about the language of Christmas as though we are arguing about the faith. In some ways we are. Those who are bent out of shape by the cultural use of "holiday greetings" don't seem at all bothered by how the nativity of our Lord has been turned into anything but a religious feast day for years. It has been owned by the culture of consumerism for as long as I can remember. Therefore, as followers of Jesus we don't even need to enter into the fuss. We simply go to worship. We praise our God. We listen to the story of the incarnation of our God...and we go off into the world following our Lord, Jesus. Let the powers who love to make this a consumer feast day have their way. We are called to be a witness to something other that what the gods of the culture and the civil religion want and demand of us. Our story does not have to be accepted and adopted by the culture. We listen to this voice crying out in the wilderness...and we continue on our faithful adventure.

Connection: Don't let anyone define your reality. Rather, as followers of Jesus, stay in touch with those who will help define the way of God's Reign as it is breaking in every day.

Stir up our hearts, O God, and lead us into your land of new life and hope. Encourage us to be faithful to the way of your Beloved and be critical of all the voices that try to catch our ear. Amen.