Budgets Are Moral Documents

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

On Tuesday, February 25, the US House of Representatives passed a budget by the slimmest of margins (217-215). Once a budget is passed by the House, it goes to the Senate, where it will likely be met with a competing budget that will have to go through a process of “reconciliation.” The final budget may look different from the House version–at least I hope so.

The budget passed by the House was exactly what the President wanted–$4.5 trillion in tax cuts, about $2 trillion in spending cuts, but with spending increases in the hundreds of billions of dollars for the military and border security over the next 10 years..

So who suffers from the spending cuts? Though the budget is not specific to program, it is widely assumed that the cuts will be targeted at programs that make up the safety net for poor and working families–programs like Medicaid (healthcare), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – aka SNAP (hunger), and HeadStart (early childhood education).

And who benefits from the tax cuts? The budget proposal extends the President’s previous tax cuts which reduced corporate rates from 35% to 21%. Tesla (owned by Elon Musk) has paid NOTHING in federal taxes in 2 of the last 3 years despite making a profit in each year. And giving tax cuts to the wealthy increases the national debt. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that the deficit would increase at least $2.8 trillion to the deficit in the next 10 years. (see Financial Times).

In the end, most of us lose with this budget. Budgets that make the rich richer on the backs of the poor aren’t just unfair, they are immoral. Proverbs 22:16 speaks to the immorality of robbing the poor and giving gifts to the rich. “One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.” God’s justice protects the afflicted. Jesus announced his mission to “announce good news to the poor.” This budget is an announcement of bad news for anyone already struggling. Reducing SNAP benefits while grocery prices continue to rise is condemning children and seniors to malnutrition. Cutting Medicaid is sentencing people to sickness and death. Cutting HeadStart is delivering children to the school to prison pipeline. Every cut to the social safety net is a cut to the heart of Jesus.

These cuts expose the truth. The very same people who called for the elimination of foreign aid so we can take care of the problems in the US, actually have no interest in helping people or solving social problems. The cuts make it obvious that their priority is their own wealth and power. And God has a name for that: idolatry.

Now is the time to tell our Senators that we will not accept a budget that delivers hardship to those already suffering. We will not accept any cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, HeadStart or any other social program that protects the vulnerable and is necessary to their survival. We. will not accept an immoral, idolatrous budget. Period.

Justice Takes Sides

~ Bruce Ray ~ 1 Comment

My wife has a collection of T-shirts that express a variety of opinions depending on the circumstances. One says, simply, “Ugh!’ (She got that one while running a school during COVID.) Another shouts, “I dissent,” quoting Ruth Bader Ginsburg. (She dissents a lot lately.) Yet another defiantly declares, “We will not go back.” Last week, she announced that she has found her next T-shirt. It says “Justice Takes Sides.”

The T-shirt is available at https://justicetakessides.com, a site developed by Dr. Jemar Tisby, a public historian, author, speaker and a Christian.. I regularly follow his Substack, “Footnotes”. Here’s why he created the T-shirt:

Elie Wiesel, a holocaust survivor and the recipient of the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize, included the following statement in his acceptance speech:

We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere.

Neutrality has consequences. As Tisby writes: “Neutrality in situations of injustice only supports the status quo. It only aids the empowered and further harms the disempowered.”

The prophets of Hebrew Scripture took sides, calling out and condemning injustice and demanding accountability for the perpetrators of oppression. There was no space for neutrality; no room for fence-sitting. .

Isaiah shouts: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20 – NRSVUE) and “Woe to those who make iniquitous decrees, who write oppressive statutes, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, to make widows their spoil and to plunder orphans!” (Isaiah 10:1-2 – NRSVUE)

Jeremiah cries out: “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness and his upper rooms by injustice, who makes his neighbors work for nothing and does not give them their wages.” (Jeremiah 22:13 – NRSVUE)

Amos calls out: “Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and lounge on their couches and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the stall…, who drink wine from bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!” (Amos 6:4, 6 – NRSVUE)

And in the tradition of the prophets, Jesus announces: ““Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” (Matthew 23:25 – NRSVUE)

In this precarious time, it is the right time to ask ourselves, “Which side am I on?” The side of justice or the side of oppression? The side of the prophets or the side of the oppressors? The side of truth or the side of disinformation and alternative facts? The side of the marginalized or the side of the powerful? The side of healing or the side of harm?

When the most vulnerable are being sacrificed on the altar of “efficiency” and threatened by the forces of “unbridled greed”, sitting on the fence isn’t an option. Because sitting on the fence is actually taking the side of injustice.

The Lie of Inevitability

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Y’all have heard the quote: “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” I’ve heard it; I’ve seen it; I’ve affirmed its truth. I’ve also listened to others speak it with a despairing tone. No matter how much we want justice, truth and integrity to thrive, it won’t happen. Those with power will be corrupted. And corruption will ultimately win. It’s too late. There is nothing that can be done about it. It is inevitable.

Psalm 11 is written by David as a response to people who are watching the foundations of the social order crumbling around them. They see what is happening: “The foundations of law and order have collapsed! What can the righteous do?” In their minds, the only option in the face of this inevitable collapse is to find the exit. They say, “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!”

But David refuses to flee. He refuses to believe the lie of inevitability and the despair that leads to giving up. He writes: “I trust in the Lord for protection.” David’s not going anywhere. Instead of “flight,” he is going to stick around to “fight”, trusting in the God of justice and righteousness.

Let me go back to the quote ab out corrupting power. When English Catholic historian Lord Dalberg-Acton wrote it in 1887 in a letter to a Bishop , it was not to state the inevitable, but to issue a warning of the dangers of concentrated authority. Power becomes abusive and corrupt when there are no checks, no guardrails, no resistance. Concentrated authority is the problem. Steadfast resistance to autocracy is the solution.

Sherrylin Ifill, a civil rights attorney, writes on her Substack:

Despair and believing that you are powerless is a form of “obeying in advance” which ensures the victory of autocracy. I understand the exhaustion, anger, the feeling of being overwhelmed and the grief that those of us who believe in democracy, equality and justice are experiencing right now. And painful as it is, I have accepted that there are no guarantees that we can overcome all that we are facing. But I do know that unless we fight, we cannot prevail.”

Autocracy wants us to believe that we are powerless. Autocracy thrives on despair. When someone asks, “What can the righteous do?, autocracy is standing behind us, whispering in our ear, “There’s nothing you can do, so do nothing.” But it’s a lie.

What can the righteous do? The are many ways to resist autocracy, but the one way that is available to 100% of us is to raise our voice. Whether it be on the street in non-violent protest or calling our elected representatives and senators to voice our demands as their constituents, our voices can make a difference. Don’t know who represents you? Don’t what to say? 5calls.org is a simple tool to help you speak clearly and simply on issues you care about. I used it today. I encourage you to check it out.

Let’s stand firm in our faith and act for God’s justice. Remember the word of the Psalmist: “The righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see [God’s] face.” (Psalm 11:7)

Is This What You Voted For?

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Every day, there is yet another assault on our faith, our freedom, our constitutional rights, and our democracy. The government is methodically being dismantled by unelected, unaccountable appointees using illegal and unconstitutional means. We are watching an internal coup.

And while some (mostly Democratic) Senators and Representatives have spoken boldly in opposition to the take over the Treasury Department, the closing of USAID, the unconstitutional firing of Inspectors General, the illegal withholding of grants, the elimination of DEI policies and programs, etc.; many more congresspeople have either been silent or are publicly supporting the takeover.

Why are we shocked at what is happening? This is what #47 said he would do, and he’s doing it with a speed that would impress Adolf Hilter (who dismantled the Weimar Republic and its constitution in 53 days)! When he was campaigning for President, #47 made his agenda clear–a policy agenda articulated by Project 2025 (though he strenuously denied knowing anything about it). Mass Deportations. “De-weaponizing” the Department of Justice and the FBI. Scaling back USAID and placing it under the direction of the State Department. Ending DEI programs. Drill, Baby, Drill! It’s all there and the executive orders mirror it–sometimes almost word for word.

Lots of people I know voted for #47 because he was going to secure the southern border and make sure “the worst criminals.” would be taken off our streets, restoring order–especially in our cities. But something different happened. On the day of his inauguration, he signed an executive order to begin the deportation. Six days later, ICE agents descended on Chicago and other “sanctuary cities” and arrested hundreds of undocumented individuals–many with no criminal arrests or convictions. When asked about the arrests on January 28, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that “the Trump administration sees all undocumented immigrants as “criminals” and isn’t just seeking to deport those who commit violent acts.” Families were separated; children were traumatized; non-citizens with and without documents felt fear and anxiety.

And then it got worse. By executive order, #47 rescinded Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans. And announced daily arrest quotas for ICE agents. Could it get worse? Yep.

#47 placed a 90-day freeze on Refugee Resettlement and the funding agencies tasked with helping refugees (including Christians experiencing religious persecution in their home countries) count on. Those agencies (World Relief, Church World Services and many other faith-based agencies) have been forced to furlough staff and end assistance for those in the process of resettlement. The closure of USAID has also shut down humanitarian assistance provided by organizations like World Relief. The innocent will die.

On February 2, billionaire Elon Musk and his unconstitutional “Department of Government Efficiency” called funding of Lutheran Family Services–a faith-based organization with a 150 year history of service in multiple states including Illinois–“illegal payments,” that “must be shut down” citing General Michael Flynn, who posted on X: “Now it’s the “Lutheran” faith (this use of “religion” as a money laundering operation must end): Lutheran Family Services and affiliated organizations receive massive amounts of taxpayer dollars, and the numbers speak for themselves.” The work of the gospel is under direct attack!

Is this what you voted for? Maybe it isn’t, but it is what you got. I’m fighting the temptation to say, “I told you so!” but pointing the finger and blaming isn’t helpful. It only shuts people down, So, instead of heaping guilt on those who voted for this administration but may be having second thoughts, I want to say this:

If the acts and executive orders of the past two weeks are taking this country in a direction that is different than you expected or want, please consider changing your own direction. It is difficult to admit when we’ve been scammed, and we tend to try to hide it because we feel shame and guilt. We’ve all experienced it, but hiding isn’t helpful for our souls. Adam and Eve know something about that. They hid after making a life-altering (bad) decision, afraid of exposure. But, God still sought them out. There were consequences, but God mercifully covered their exposure. Voting for Donald Trump has had real-life consequences–many of them threatening to human flourishing, but God is still seeking us, ready to help us confront our complicity and lead us to transformation.. The apostle John wrote, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, [the one] who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” It’s time for an altar call!

Will you stand up and speak up for Jesus’s kingdom values of neighbor-love and justice, or will you minimize (or worse–justify) the current crisis and just hope that things will work out? I hope you have the courage to honestly face this existential crisis, turn from the way of destruction, and walk anew in the way of Jesus.

The ‘Real’ Dr. King

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Today, most Americans will enjoy a day off from school and work—not because of the frigid temperatures and not because of the Inauguration, but because the nation will honor America’s greatest advocate of civil and human rights—the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Today, we will share his quotes on social media, lift up his “dream” and maybe even sing freedom songs. Today, we love Dr. King. 

But let’s be clear.  When King was alive, he was a thorn in America’s side and was condemned and vilified for his vision of America. In 1967, King was named “the most hated man in America” because of his condemnation of the evils of racism, materialism and militarism.  

“The evils of capitalism are as real as the evils of militarism and racism. The problems of racial injustice and economic injustice cannot be solved without a radical redistribution of political and economic power.” – Dr. King to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) board. March 30, 1967.  

Throughout his public ministry, King articulated a vision of the Beloved Community in which everyone,“regardless of their race, sex, religion, or creed, is equally valued and has the opportunity to thrive.”  In 1968, he and his trusted advisor, Bayard Rustin, developed a “Freedom Budget” and a plan to eliminate poverty that became known as the Economic Bill of Rights, demanding full employment, a guaranteed annual income and affordable housing.

King’s vision was truly radical—akin to Jesus’s announcement good news for the poor and the upside-down kingdom of heaven. King’s vision was diverse and inclusive—like the radical diversity and inclusion of Jesus’s followers—women as well as men, eunuchs, Samaritans and Gentiles as well as Jews.  And like Jesus’s message, King’s message was too radical for most people—even most Christians—and the response was an assassin’s bullet.  We killed the prophet.

But now, we love Dr. King.  We have erected monuments and statues, named highways and schools and bridges after him and set aside a holiday in his honor, but let’s be honest….we have failed to honor his vision.  It was too radical for Americans in 1967. It is still too radical.  We lift up the “dream”, but, as a nation, we continue to perpetrate the nightmare of racism, materialism and militarism.  We declare that “all people are created equal”; that we are the “land of the free”; that we are “one nation under God;” but we cast our ballots for a leader who promises great privilege for a few and vilifies anyone who protests as “threats to America’s greatness.” Today exposes our hypocrisy.  

Before Rev. King was killed on April 4, 1968, he had prepared his sermon for the following Sunday. It was entitled, “Why America May Go to Hell.”  We are well on our way. 

Link HERE to read the sermon King never preached. 

Palm Sunday 2024

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Sermon delivered at the Logan Square Ecumenical Alliance Combined Worship Service At Humboldt Park United Methodist Church by Rev. Bruce Ray
March 24, 2024

Good morning! Hosanna! Hosanna!

I have a confession to make. When I agreed to preach on this Palm Sunday, I didn’t realize that the gospel text would be from Mark’s gospel. Now, I love the Gospel of Mark, but his version of the Triumphal Entry isn’t my favorite. First, it’s the shortest version. And yet Mark spends 7 verses on getting a colt for Jesus, but only 2 verses on the procession into Jerusalem. Yes, it has the shouts of Hosanna and the cloaks and branches, but it feels anti-climactic. And it just ends too quietly with Jesus slipping away to enjoy an evening in Bethany.

I much prefer Luke’s longer version. So that’s all I’m going to say about Mark. Luke’s version especially resonated for me this year, given our efforts over the past five weeks of Lent to pass the Bring Chicago Home referendum.

Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion states, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” That’s the only thing I remember from high school science. But what I’ve learned is that what’s true in physics is also true in social and spiritual situation. Every action for good and for God is met with an equal and opposite reaction in opposition to it.

Every time Jesus pushed forward his message of the Kingdom of Heaven and his mission, he got push-back. When Jesus healed people on the sabbath he was accused of being a law-breaker. When Jesus set demonized people free, he was accused of being in league with Satan. When he included people on the margins, he was called names. He was called “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” and a “Samaritan.” Trust me, those were not compliments.

From the beginning of his ministry, those with power saw him as a dangerous threat to the social order and they were determined to stop him. We see this play out in Luke’s version of Palm Sunday. When Jesus entered Jerusalem amid the shouts and chants, he was immediately confronted by a group of Pharisees demanding that he shut it down. “Turn down the volume!” But Jesus refused to back down, telling his critics that silencing his followers wouldn’t stop the movement. Even the rocks would take up the chants. Then, Jesus entered the temple where he disrupted the marketplace, driving out the merchants, and upsetting the authorities. Luke ends the story with the Chief Priests, the teachers of the Law and the leaders of the people plotting to kill Jesus to shut down the movement once and for all. Every action for God and justice meets resistance and hostile opposition.

But did all the push-back and opposition stop Jesus? Did the character assassination and the accusations and threats to his life silence him? No. He pressed forward, continuing the mission and spreading the message that God’s vision for the world was arriving. And though he knew that going to Jerusalem was full of risk—including the cross – he didn’t back down or turn around.

Throughout Lent, we pushed forward with God’s vision of the world—a vision of decent, affordable, safe housing for everyone. Many of us supported and worked for the passage of the Bring Chicago Home referendum to reduce homelessness in Chicago. But there was push-back. Those with a vested interest in keeping things the way they are fought the change. Realtors. Developers. Landlords. And they pushed back—HARD. They distorted the message. They resorted to lies. They used lawsuits. They used threats of higher rents and property taxes. Unfortunately, they succeeded. The referendum failed. I was disappointed. I was deflated. I was defeated. I know many of you felt the same way—maybe you still feel that way.

But here is the question before us today. Will we back down? Will we let the defeat of the referendum end the movement for housing for all? Jesus’s story didn’t end on Palm Sunday or even Good Friday, and our story didn’t end on election day, March 19, 2024. In fact, while we were going to the polls that day, God was downtown, breaking down a door that had been locked shut for over 15 years.

For years, the Chicago Housing Authority had promised to renovate Lathrop Homes as part of their plan for transformation. The renovation was completed on the buildings north of Diversey, and then it stopped. The buildings on the south side of Lathrop Homes were abandoned and neglected. On December 10, 2022, we took Las Posadas back to Lathrop Homes. We followed Mary and Joseph through the decaying and abandoned apartment buildings seeking shelter for holy families. We marched to tell CHA to keep their promise, renovate the buildings and open housing for hundreds of low and moderate-income families. And after we marched and chanted, nothing happened. Nothing changed. Nothing. Until… March 19, 2024.

That day, the Board of the Chicago Housing Authority met and approved the plans and financing for the next phase of the redevelopment of Lathrop Homes. In 2025, 300 units of housing will open on the south side of Diversey. And 100 units will be reserved for families who qualify for public housing. What moved the CHA to take action after so many years and so much silence? No one knows for sure. No one can explain it. It was a miracle. And from where I stand, that means God had everything to do with it. God moved CHA. Praise God!

You see? We are Jesus people. We are kingdom-vision people. We are resurrection people! Will we back down? I ask you again: Will we back down? Will we be silent? Will we give up or give in? We will not! In the words of the Apostle Paul, “we will be strong and immovable always abounding in the Lord’s work, because we know… we KNOW… say it with me: “WE KNOW” our work is not in vain. And we pray and we believe that God’s kingdom WILL come, and God’s will WILL BE DONE on earth as it is in heaven. Amen? Amen! So…

[SING]
Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around, turn me around, turn me around.
Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around! I’m gonna keep on a-walkin, keep on a-talkin,
Marchin’ on to Freedom Land.

Amen.

2023 Pride Sunday

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

Today we celebrated Pride Sunday as an “Open and Affirming” congregation. What follows is the adapted text of today’s sermon.

Today marks the first time that KANSA has celebrated Pride Sunday. This week, we received the documentation from the Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ that we are an officially recognized “Open and Affirming” congregation! (Yes, there was applause!) Every day this week, I have hung our Pride Flag to announce to our community that the Oasis and our church are safe places for every gender identity, expression and orientation.

While we may be a safe place, there are a growing number of places where it is dangerous to be LGBTQ+. In Uganda, the President recently signed one of the toughest anti-LGBTQ laws in the world. The law stipulates a 20-year prison sentence for “promoting homosexuality” and decrees the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality.” It is even a crime to identify as LGBTQ. A Ugandan human rights activist has called the new law “state-sponsored homophobia and transphobia.”

You’re probably thinking, “Thank God I live in the United States!” Not so fast. Even here in the United States, LGBTQ+ rights are being threatened. This week, the Supreme Court determined that religious businesses and organizations are exempt from anti-discrimination laws regarding employment of LGBTQ+ folks. Even more troubling, the American Civil Liberties Union is currently tracking 491 bills across the United States that target LGBTQ+ rights—a record number. These bills address everything from State-issued IDs to bathroom access to school curricula to gender affirming medical care.

Last month, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that makes it a crime for a medical professional to recommend or perform gender affirming surgery on anyone under age 18. And parents of minor trans children can be charged with child endangerment if they seek gender affirming care for their children and risk losing custody of their children to the State.

But as bad as Florida is at protecting LGBTQ+ rights, it’s Texas that takes the cake. Currently, there are 53 anti-LGBTQIA bills being considered there. Kimberly Shappley knows how unsafe Texas can be. Kimberly is the mother of Kai, her trans daughter. When 5-year-old Kai announced to her mother, “I’m a boy,” Kimberly tried to forced Kai to change. Kimberly was a devout member of a conservative church that taught that anything outside of the male/female binary was sinful. But no matter what Kimberly did, Kai (who also goes by the name Esther) insisted that she was a girl. Kimberly finally chose to support her daughter. But when the Texas Attorney General pushed for the passage of a bill that would have made gender affirming medical procedures for minors the equivalent of “child abuse,” Kimberly knew she had to fight for Kai and for herself. She was joined by other mothers of trans children who testified against the bill through a marathon legislative session. Kai also shared her story. Unexpectedly, the bill was defeated, but there was a cost. Because of her support for her daughter, Kimberly was shunned by her church, her family stopped talking to her and her community isolated her. And Kai suffered from the rejection too. At one point, little Kai prayed that God would take her to heaven.

We know that when LGBTQ+ people are condemned or harassed or rejected, death is seriously considered as an option. According to the National Institutes of Health, 82% of transgender individuals have considered killing themselves and 40% have attempted suicide. Rates are highest among transgender youth. But the rates significantly decrease for those with supportive families and communities. Thankfully, little Kai had a mother that accepted and advocated for her. Kimberley decided to leave her hometown and move to Austin—the only place in the state that felt safe to raise her daughter. (Update: In 2022, Kimberly made the decision to move out of Texas due to the number of anti-trans bills being considered by the Texas legislature.)

I hear these stories and statistic and I hear echoes of the story of Ishmael and his mother, Hagar. While Ishmael wasn’t non-binary, he was still seen as a threat to the peace and stability of his family and was rejected and kicked out of the house. This is the experience of so many trans and non-binary youth, rejected and kicked out of their communities when they don’t conform to expected gender norms. These youth often end up in the wilderness of homelessness, sex work and self-destructive behavior.

I’ve often been bothered by God’s response to Abraham. Why did God tell Abraham to listen to Sarah and do whatever she said? Why would God sanction kicking Hagar and Ishmael to the curb? But looking at the story more closely, I’m beginning to believe that God was actually liberating Hagar and Ishmael from their oppression–oppression that began the moment Ishmael was born to Hagar. As scary as the wilderness can be, the two of them were finally free from harassment and enslavement. The wilderness wasn’t a place of punishment; it was a sanctuary where they could heal and be given a fresh start. God took them out of their oppression and set them on a new course. By God’s promise of a wonderful future for Ishmael and God’s provision of water in a life-or-death moment, Ishmael learned that his life mattered to God. God had plans for his life. He would thrive. Rejection wasn’t the end of Ishmael’s story; it was a new beginning! Rejection isn’t the end of your story either. God has plans for you too. You matter to God. You have a future.

And you have a community. Kai Shappley (who is now 11 years old) was fortunate to have a mother that refused to reject her–even when others did. And Kimberley Shappley was fortunate to meet Liz Dyer—another Christian mother who refused to reject her gay son. Liz is the founder of “Mama Bears,” a national network of mothers who are fighting for protections for the rights of their LGBTQ+ children. They have become well-known as the crazy Christian ladies who show up at Pride parades and offer free Mama Bear hugs to anyone who wants them. These women are reminding the LGBTQ+ community that God’s love has no boundaries and rejection shouldn’t be the end of anyone’s story.

My hope and prayer is that people of every gender identity, expression and orientation will find mama bears (and even some papa bears) among us, and that they will find God’s healing and new beginnings though this community of faith.

Together, let’s make sure that rejection isn’t the end of anyone’s story. Together, let’s be the witnesses of God’s liberation and a reminder that nothing—not insults, not harassment, not name-calling, not weaponized Bible verses, not laws, not even death-threats—can diminish anyone’s God-given and God-affirmed value. Will we make mistakes? Probably. Will we be perfect in our affirmations? Probably not. But it is what we are committed to become–a sanctuary where life is renewed. Together, let’s work side by side to make sure rejection isn’t the end of anyone’s story. Let’s be allies to make God’s diverse, inclusive, rainbow-filled future a glorious reality here and now. Amen? Amen!

To learn more about Kai, Kimberly and the Mama Bears, watch “Mama Bears,” a 80-minute documentary from Independent Lens (link below). You can also follow Kai on Twitter @kaishappley.

https://player.pbs.org/viralplayer/3069311762/

Daily Prayer for Lent / Oración Para Cuaresma

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Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of All, when we consider the variety and diversity of all that You have made, we stand in humble wonder and praise. All of creation reveals Your inexhaustible creativity, Your wild imagination and Your inclusive love. Even within the human species, created in your image, You show us that you do not have one template, but many: Not one skin tone, but many; not one shape, but many; not one gender, but many. Yet we have turned Your gift of human diversity into a basis for exclusion and discrimination—and in so doing, we have diminished Your image and robbed You of glory. Forgive us. During this Lenten season, grant us eyes to see every difference as an invitation to delight in the mystery of You. Grant us hearts to treat every uniqueness—not as a threat, but as wonder to be celebrated. Grant us minds to imagine and hands to create a community where every sex, every gender, every orientation, every variation is valued and celebrated and loved without limits. We pray this in the name of the One who is graciously transforming us day by day into the fullness of Your likeness. Amen.

Creador, Redentor y Sustentador de todo, cuando consideramos la variedad y la diversidad de todo lo que has hecho, nos detenemos en el asombro humilde y en elogios. Toda la creación revela tu creatividad inagotable, tu imaginación salvaje y tu amor inclusivo. Incluso dentro de la especie humana, creada a tu imagen, nos muestras que no tienes solo una plantilla, sino muchas: no un tono de piel, sino muchos; No es una forma, sino muchas; No es un género, sino muchos. Sin embargo, hemos convertido tu don de la diversidad humana en una base de exclusión y discriminación, y al hacerlo, hemos disminuido tu imagen y hemos robado tu gloria. Perdónanos. Durante este tiempo de Cuaresma, concédenos los ojos para ver cada diferencia como una invitación para deleitarnos en tu misterio. Concédenos corazones para tratar cada singularidad, no como una amenaza, sino como una maravilla para celebrar. Concédenos imaginación y las manos para crear una comunidad donde cada sexo, cada género, cada orientación, cada variación se valore, y se celebre y ame sin límites. Oramos esto en nombre de aquel que nos está transformando a la plenitud de tu similitud para tu gracia. Amén

2023 Lenten Compact / Pacto de Cuaresma

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“Love Without Limits: Fast for Gender Justice”

“Amor sin límites: Un Ayuno para Justicia de Género”

And don’t let the eunuchs say,
    ‘I’m a dried-up tree with no children and no future.’
For this is what the Lord says:
I will bless those eunuchs who keep my Sabbath days holy
and who choose to do what pleases me  and commit their lives to me.
I will give them—within the walls of my house—a memorial and a name
    far greater than sons and daughters could give.
For the name I give them is an everlasting one. It will never disappear!

Isaiah 56:3b-5 (NLT)

What is a “Compact”? 

A compact is a covenantal agreement among a group of people. Those who voluntarily enter a compact bind themselves to a set of guidelines and standards for the purpose of accomplishing personal and corporate goals.

A Communal Fast 

Lent is often considered a personal time to give up some food or beverage, focus ourselves on God, and reflect on the idols that we have been told we cannot live without. As in past Lenten seasons, this Lent we are calling for a communal fast that focuses us not only on our relationship to God, but also on an aspect of our relationship to our communities, our nation and our world. We are calling the members and friends of KANSA to a true fast – one that is not just the act of denying oneself of something – but a fast that creates justice and reconciliation, by breaking the yokes that bind us and the yokes that bind our neighbors.

In Isaiah 58:6-7, the Lord makes clear what a true fast should accomplish:

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”

This Lent, we will identify the ways that our LGBTQIA+ siblings have been oppressed and held in chains by social bigotry, legalistic religion, and the gender binary. We will consider the ways that the Bible has been distorted to vilify and condemn all LBGTQIA+ people. We will work for liberation of all God’s children from bondage to lies and false narratives. We will commit ourselves to love without limits.

Why a Compact for “Gender Justice?” 

Just as the early church argued about the issue of including “unclean” Gentiles in the body of Christ, the Church today is dividing over whether LGBTQI individuals should be allowed to participate fully in the life of the church. The United Methodist Church is currently fracturing over the question of LGBTQI ordination, and the Worldwide Anglican Communion is in jeopardy after African archbishops threatened to withdraw following the Church of England’s decision to allow priests to bless same-sex civil ceremonies.  Last month, Pope Francis announced that the Catholic Church will no longer consider homosexuality a crime but will continue to consider it a sin.  LGBTQI Roman Catholics have challenged his statement.  

Despite Jesus’s command to “love your neighbors as themselves,” some extreme Christian groups such as Westboro Baptist Church continue to use Scripture, hate language and fear mongering to dehumanize and condemn LGBTQI people. Their message often rouses people to do violence against non-conforming individuals and groups. Other churches and denominations may not agree with the tactics of extremism, but they still affirm the male-female binary through their pulpits and printed statements.  

Other churches have taken a softer approach—welcoming the LGBTQI community but limiting their participation unless they “repent” of their non-binary identity, change their behavior and agree to a vow of celibacy.  

The Episcopal Church is officially “open and affirming”— celebrating all genders as gifts from God and including them fully in the life of the church.  The United Church of Christ also encourages its member churches to be “open and affirming.” However, every UCC congregation makes its own decisions about the issue.  Since Kimball Avenue UCC and Iglesia Episcopal de Nuestra Señora de las Américas are in a collaborative partnership, Kimball is considering pursuing officially recognition as an “Open and Affirming” congregation.  This Compact is a first step and NSA’s participation is vital to the process. 

Why “Gender Justice” Can’t Wait

One might ask, “Why do we need to make a decision now?”  The truth is, we don’t need to make a decision immediately. However, the LGBTQI community has heard the message of rejection loud and clear from the Church throughout history and want nothing to do with Christ or the Church.  Research shows that upwards of 20% of Millennials and Gen Z identify as queer—not fitting into the gender binary and see the church as judgmental, intolerant, and irrelevant. But the urgency is not about church attendance.  It’s about being a church that faithfully pursues God’s vision for the world and seeks to advance the mission of Christ—a mission of liberation and compassion.  It’s about working to ensure that LGBTQI people in the US and around the world are released from the chains of oppression so they can finally thrive and be treated as fully human—not people who need to be fixed. 

While there has been progress in gaining legal protections and civil rights on the Federal level, members of the LGBTQI community are still at high risk for unemployment, homelessness, bullying, suicide, and violence. There are still 18 states—mostly in the south—that do not have explicit laws banning housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Two states (Arkansas and Tennessee) have even passed laws that prohibit the passage of local nondiscrimination ordinances.  Already this year, more than 120 laws have been introduced in states to restrict LGBTQI inclusion and rights—breaking a record set in 2022. The transgender community is most often targeted by these laws, and trans youth and trans women are especially at risk. 

Sadly, the Church that identifies itself with the Christ who ate with “outcasts and sinners” and that was moved by the Holy Spirit to fully include Samaritans, Gentiles and eunuchs has become the place most likely to reject those who identify as LGBTQI.  We are called to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God. The time to fulfill our call for Gender Justice is now.

How Can We Fast for Gender Justice?

CONSIDER ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING WAYS:

  • GIVE UP MALE-FEMALE BINARY ASSUMPTIONS

Our assumptions about sex and gender determine most of our behaviors.  Our faith has traditionally taught us that the male-female binary is God’s created order and that any identity or expression outside of the binary is sinful.  Our culture has maintained the binary by gendering colors, toys, clothing and behaviors.  During Lent, we will test those assumptions against Scripture, science, and what we are learning about diversity within the rest of creation.  

  • GIVE UP GENDERED LANGUAGE FOR GOD

While we may not believe that God is male, the pronouns he/him/his have been used for God—gendering God as male for a culture that is patriarchal.  We have gendered God most often as ‘Father’ and our images of God are most often male.  Yet, when God created human beings, God said, “Let US make human beings in OUR image to be like US.” (Genesis 1:26 – emphasis added).  God then created human beings—both male and female—in the image of God.  As theologian Marcus Borg reminds us, “How can women be [made] in the image of God if God cannot be imaged in female form?”[1]  We will  give up exclusive male pronouns and names for God and use new images that expand our understanding of God beyond the binary. 

  • GIVE UP THE “CLOBBER PASSAGES” THAT HAVE BEEN USED TO ABUSE

Certain passages of Scripture have become known as “Clobber passages”—weaponized verses used to condemn LGBTQI people as abominations deserving damnation.  We’ve heard them often enough that we think we understand them, but do we? During Lent, we will take another look at what the “Clobber Passages” really say (or don’t say) about sex and gender. 

In Essentials, Unity; In Non-essentials, Liberty; In All Things, Charity

We recognize that we come from a variety of religious backgrounds and theologies.  Some of us grown up with theologies that condemn same-sex relationships and queer identities. Some of us have LGBTQI family members that have forced us to grapple with the issue. Some of us have LGBTQI friends and work colleagues who identify as Christian. Some of us are in the process of finding our own place in the gender spectrum and wonder if God fully accepts us.  However, wherever you are on the journey in discerning God’s will regarding LGBTQI inclusion, let us all agree on these essential truths:

  1. Every person—no matter their gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation—is created in the image and God and should be treated with respect, dignity and love.  
  2. No one deserves to be harassed, discriminated against, legislated against or killed simply because of being outside the gender binary.  

We may disagree on some things along the way.  Our discussions may be uncomfortable and challenging, but let’s agree to remain open to the Spirit and in all things, be gracious and charitable toward one another as we seek God’s direction.  

May we enter Lent remembering the words of Peter to the “unclean” Gentile, Cornelius: “God has shown me very clearly that God doesn’t reject anyone but accepts everyone who worships God….” (Acts 10:34-35 -rephrased)

[1] ― Marcus J. Borg, The God We Never Knew: Beyond Dogmatic Religion to a More Authentic Contemporary Faith

EN ESPAÑOL

Y no dejes que los eunucos digan, Soy un árbol seco sin hijos y sin futuro. Porque así dice el Señor: Bendeciré a los eunucos que santifiquen mis días de reposo y que eligen hacer lo que me agrada y me entregan su vida. Les daré, dentro de los muros de mi casa, un memorial y un nombre mucho mayor de lo que los hijos y las hijas podrían dar. 
Porque el nombre que les doy es eterno. ¡Nunca desaparecerá!

Isaiah 56:3b-5 (NLT)

¿Qué es un “Pacto”? 

Un pacto es un acuerdo de pacto entre un grupo de personas. Aquellos que entran voluntariamente en un pacto se obligan a sí mismos a un conjunto de pautas y estándares con el propósito de lograr metas personales y corporativas.

Un ayuno comunal

La Cuaresma a menudo se considera un tiempo personal para dejar de comer o beber, enfocarnos en Dios y reflexionar sobre los ídolos sin los cuales nos han dicho que no podemos vivir. Como en tiempos de Cuaresma anteriores, esta Cuaresma estamos llamando a un ayuno comunitario que nos enfoque no solo en nuestra relación con Dios, sino también en un aspecto de nuestra relación con nuestras comunidades, nuestra nación y nuestro mundo. Hacemos un llamado a los miembros y amigos de KANSA a un verdadero ayuno, uno que no sea solo el acto de negarse a sí mismo de algo, sino un ayuno que genere justicia y reconciliación, rompiendo los yugos que nos atan a nosotros y los yugos que atan a nuestros vecinos.

El Senor aclara lo que el ayuno verdadero debe lograr.  

» Esta es la clase de ayuno que quiero: pongan en libertad a los que están encarcelados injustamente;  alivien la carga de los que trabajan para ustedes. Dejen en libertad a los oprimidos  y suelten las cadenas que atan a la gente. Compartan su comida con los hambrientos  y den refugio a los que no tienen hogar; denles ropa a quienes la necesiten  y no se escondan de parientes que precisen su ayuda ».                              Isaías 58:6-7 (NLT)

Esta Cuaresma, identificaremos las formas en que nuestros hermanos LGBTQIA+ han sido oprimidos y encadenados por la intolerancia social, la religión legalista y el género binario. Consideraremos las formas en que la Biblia ha sido distorsionada para vilipendiar y condenar a todas las personas LBGTQIA+. Trabajaremos por la liberación de todos los hijos de Dios de la esclavitud de las mentiras y las falsas narrativas. Nos comprometeremos a amar sin límites.

¿Por qué un Pacto por la “Justicia de Género?” 

Así como la iglesia primitiva discutió sobre el tema de incluir a los gentiles “inmundos” en el cuerpo de Cristo, la iglesia de hoy está dividida sobre si se debe permitir que las personas LGBTQI participen plenamente en la vida de la iglesia. La Iglesia Metodista Unida está actualmente dividida por la cuestión de la ordenación LGBTQI, y la Comunión Anglicana Mundial está en peligro después de que los arzobispos africanos amenazaron con retirarse tras la decisión de la Iglesia de Inglaterra de permitir que los sacerdotes bendigan ceremonias civiles entre personas del mismo sexo. El mes pasado, el Papa Francisco anunció que la Iglesia Católica ya no considerará la homosexualidad como un crimen, sino que seguirá considerándola un pecado. Los católicos romanos LGBTQI han cuestionado su declaración.

A pesar del mandato de Jesús de “amar a tu prójimo como a sí mismo”, algunos grupos cristianos extremos, como la Iglesia Bautista de Westboro, continúan usando las Escrituras, el lenguaje del odio y el miedo para deshumanizar y condenar a las personas LGBTQI. Su mensaje a menudo incita a la gente a ejercer violencia contra individuos y grupos que no se conforman. Es posible que otras iglesias y denominaciones no estén de acuerdo con las tácticas del extremismo, pero aun así afirman el binomio hombre-mujer a través de sus púlpitos y declaraciones impresas.

Otras iglesias han adoptado un enfoque más suave, dando la bienvenida a la comunidad LGBTQI pero limitando su participación a menos que se “arrepientan” de su identidad no binaria, cambien su comportamiento y acepten un voto de celibato.

La Iglesia Episcopal es oficialmente “abierta y afirmativa”, celebrando todos los géneros como dones de Dios e incluyéndolos plenamente en la vida de la iglesia. La Iglesia Unida de Cristo también alienta a sus iglesias miembros a ser “abiertas y afirmativas”. Sin embargo, cada congregación de la UCC toma sus propias decisiones sobre el tema. Dado que Kimball Avenue UCC y la Iglesia Episcopal de Nuestra Señora de las Américas están en una asociación de colaboración, Kimball está considerando buscar el reconocimiento oficial como una congregación “Abierta y Afirmante”. Este Pacto es un primer paso y la participación de la NSA es vital para el proceso.

Por quê “Justicia de género” no puede esperar

Uno podría preguntarse: “¿Por qué necesitamos tomar una decisión ahora?” La verdad es que no necesitamos tomar una decisión inmediatamente. Sin embargo, la comunidad LGBTQI ha escuchado alto y claro el mensaje de rechazo de la Iglesia a lo largo de la historia y no quiere tener nada que ver con Cristo o la Iglesia. Las investigaciones muestran que más del 20 % de los Millennials y Gen Z se identifican como queer, que no encajan en el binario de género y ven a la iglesia como crítica, intolerante e irrelevante. Pero la urgencia no se trata de asistir a la iglesia. Se trata de ser una iglesia que persigue fielmente la visión de Dios para el mundo y busca avanzar en la misión de Cristo, una misión de liberación y compasión. Se trata de trabajar para garantizar que las personas LGBTQI en los EE. UU. y en todo el mundo se liberen de las cadenas de la opresión para que finalmente puedan prosperar y ser tratadas como seres humanos, no como personas que necesitan ser reparadas.

Si bien ha habido avances en la obtención de protecciones legales y derechos civiles a nivel federal, los miembros de la comunidad LGBTQI todavía corren un alto riesgo de desempleo, falta de vivienda, intimidación, suicidio y violencia. Todavía hay 18 estados, la mayoría en el sur, que no tienen leyes explícitas que prohíban la discriminación en la vivienda por motivos de orientación sexual e identidad de género. Dos estados (Arkansas y Tennessee) incluso han aprobado leyes que prohíben la aprobación de ordenanzas locales contra la discriminación. Ya este año, se han introducido más de 120 leyes en los estados para restringir la inclusión y los derechos LGBTQI, rompiendo un récord establecido en 2022. La comunidad transgénero es el objetivo más frecuente de estas leyes, y los jóvenes trans y las mujeres trans están especialmente en riesgo.

Lamentablemente, la Iglesia que se identifica con el Cristo que comió con los “marginados y pecadores” y que fue movida por el Espíritu Santo para incluir plenamente a samaritanos, gentiles y eunucos, se ha convertido en el lugar más propenso a rechazar a quienes se identifican como LGBTQI. Estamos llamados a hacer justicia, amar la misericordia y caminar humildemente con Dios. El momento de cumplir con nuestro llamado por la Justicia de Género es ahora.

¿Cómo podemos ayunar por la justicia de género?

CONSIDERE UNA O MÁS DE LAS SIGUIENTES MANERAS:

•    RENUNCIA A LAS SUPOSICIONES BINARIAS MASCULINO-HEMBRA

Nuestras suposiciones sobre el sexo y el género determinan la mayoría de nuestros comportamientos. Nuestra fe nos ha enseñado tradicionalmente que el binario masculino-femenino es el orden creado por Dios y que cualquier identidad o expresión fuera del binario es pecaminosa. Nuestra cultura ha mantenido el binario al generar colores, juguetes, ropa y comportamientos. Durante la Cuaresma, probaremos esas suposiciones contra las Escrituras, la ciencia y lo que estamos aprendiendo sobre la diversidad dentro del resto de la creación.

•     ABANDONA EL LENGUAJE DE GÉNERO POR DIOS

Si bien es posible que no creamos que Dios es masculino, los pronombres él/su se han usado para Dios, lo que genera a Dios como masculino para una cultura patriarcal. Hemos clasificado a Dios con mayor frecuencia como ‘Padre’ y nuestras imágenes de Dios son con mayor frecuencia masculinas. Sin embargo, cuando Dios creó a los seres humanos, dijo: “Hagamos seres humanos a NUESTRA imagen para que sean como NOSOTROS”. (Génesis 1:26 – énfasis añadido). Luego, Dios creó a los seres humanos, tanto hombres como mujeres, a imagen de Dios. Como nos recuerda el teólogo Marcus Borg, “¿Cómo pueden las mujeres ser [hechas] a la imagen de Dios si Dios no puede ser representado en forma femenina?” Renunciaremos a los pronombres y nombres masculinos exclusivos de Dios y usaremos nuevas imágenes que amplíen nuestra comprensión de Dios más allá del binario.

•     RENUNCIA A LOS “PASAJES DE CLOBBER” QUE HAN SIDO UTILIZADOS PARA ABUSAR

Ciertos pasajes de las Escrituras se conocen como “pasajes de Clobber”, versos armados que se usan para condenar a las personas LGBTQI como abominaciones que merecen condenación. Los hemos escuchado con tanta frecuencia que creemos que los entendemos, pero ¿lo hacemos? Durante la Cuaresma, echaremos otro vistazo a lo que los “Pasajes de Clobber” realmente dicen (o no dicen) sobre el sexo y el género.

En esenciales, unidad; En no esenciales, libertad; En todas las cosas, la caridad

Reconocemos que venimos de una variedad de trasfondos religiosos y teologías. Algunos de nosotros crecimos con teologías que condenan las relaciones entre personas del mismo sexo y las identidades queer. Algunos de nosotros tenemos familiares LGBTQI que nos han obligado a lidiar con el problema. Algunos de nosotros tenemos amigos LGBTQI y compañeros de trabajo que se identifican como cristianos. Algunos de nosotros estamos en el proceso de encontrar nuestro propio lugar en el espectro de género y nos preguntamos si Dios nos acepta por completo. Sin embargo, donde sea que se encuentre en el camino para discernir la voluntad de Dios con respecto a la inclusión LGBTQI, estemos todos de acuerdo con estas verdades esenciales:

  1. Toda persona, sin importar su identidad de género, expresión de género u orientación sexual, es creada a imagen y semejanza de Dios y debe ser tratada con respeto, dignidad y amor.
  2. Nadie merece ser acosado, discriminado, legislado o asesinado simplemente por estar fuera del binario de género.

Podemos estar en desacuerdo en algunas cosas en el camino. Nuestras conversaciones pueden ser incómodas y desafiantes, pero acordemos permanecer abiertos al Espíritu y, en todas las cosas, ser amables y caritativos unos con otros mientras buscamos la dirección de Dios.

Que entremos en Cuaresma recordando las palabras de Pedro al gentil “inmundo”, Cornelio: “Dios me ha mostrado muy claramente que Dios no rechaza a nadie, sino que acepta a todo el que adora a Dios…”. (Hechos 10:34-35 – reformulado)

What is the 4th of July?

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

Sermon delivered on July 3, 2022

In 2003, Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, preached a sermon that shook the nation and almost ended Barak Obama’s 2008 campaign for President.  Entitled, “Confusing God and Government,” Rev. Wright went through a litany of all the ways that the US had failed to do what was just and right. And at the end, he dropped the equivalent of an F-Bomb.  He said, “We’re supposed to sing, “God bless America?” No. No. No. Not God bless America; God damn America.”  

The soundbite went viral, and he was quickly condemned as the leader of a hate group. But he was just telling the truth–truth no one wanted to hear.

From the arrival of the first colonists to this day, our nation has committed unspeakable atrocities and often with the full support of people who claimed to be Bible-believing Christians:  Slavery, forced removal of indigenous peoples from their land, massacres and cultural genocide, the invasion and occupation of sovereign nations–some to this day, interference in democratic elections. support of coups, internment camp, mass incarceration, family separation, expulsions of American citizens of foreign ancestry, and the list goes on and on.  Can God really bless America?

170 years ago, before Rev. Wright, another Black man stood before a large crowd on the occasion of Independence Day. It was July 4, 1852. Former slave, Frederick Douglass, delivered a speech entitled, “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?” Listen to his answer…

What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.

Go where you may, search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the old world, travel through South America, search out every abuse, and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me, that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival.

On this 4th of July, while so many celebrate freedom from the tyranny of English rule, we must acknowledge that not everyone is free.  And so, I ask the questions: What is the 4th of July to women this year? What is this day to immigrants, indigenous tribes and people of color? What is this day to LGBTQ+ folks? It is nothing but the reminder that the ideals of this nation and the inalienable rights outlined in the Declaration are empty promises and hollow platitudes.  It is the reminder that freedoms given can be quickly and decisively taken back.  It is the reminder that liberty and justice, full citizenship and equal participation in society, is reserved and protected by the few for the few. Despite the words, it was never intended to be for ALL.  

But what increases the duplicity of this day is that many people who claim to be followers of Christ are still using their voice and vote to ensure the restoration of bondage, oppression and second-class citizenship, convinced that the church’s call is to protect the nation from the threat of “godless sinners” who are out to destroy the very foundations of our “Christian nation”.  And like the ancestors, they support the acts of injustice with God’s holy word.   As Fredrick Douglass so elegantly pointed out, it is hypocrisy. And because of the hypocrisy, “God’s holy name is slandered among the nations.” (Romans 2:24) 

The nation needs a reckoning.  The nation needs a moral revival. The nation needs reformation. But equally necessary is a reckoning in the church. The church needs a moral revival and a new reformation that ends its deadly alliance with Christian nationalism, paternalism and white supremacy and pledges itself to an authentic Christianity rooted in Jesus’s radical mission of love.

On this 4th of July, the Spirit is calling the church to be the church of Jesus Christ–not the cheerleader of the empire; the Spirit is calling the church to be the church of Jesus Christ to speak and live the truth–not repeat the lies and deceptions of the powers that be; the Spirit is calling the church to be the church of Jesus Christ to defend the rights of the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalized—not ignore them—or worse–to blame them for their condition; The Spirit is calling the church to be the church of Jesus Christ to repent from the wicked ways of greed, hate, disenfranchisement, and arrogant supremacy and return to the ways of love for God and love for others—the ways that lead to the justice, mercy and humility. 

The Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”  (Isaiah 29:13) That is an accurate assessment of the current state of the American Church—giving only lip service to the ways of Christ while turning to the ways that serve and preserve its own interests.  

Lord, in your mercy, forgive us and grant us new hearts—hearts of flesh activated by Your Spirit ready to do your will as revealed to us by Christ, who came, not to be served but to serve and to give his life for us. Remove from our hearts every evil and every attitude that denies the full personhood of others.  Create in us clean hearts that seek first the kingdom of God and God’s justice. Fill our hearts with love for God and love for others that results in what the Lord requires—to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God. To the glory of your name in the church and throughout the world. Amen.