Following the Christ

“Hosanna to the Son of David!

  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

 Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Matthew 21:9

Dear Friends,

This last weekend, I was at the Alberta and the Territories Synod Council Retreat. I attended as the clergy representative of the South West Area (Calgary). At that retreat, the Rev. Dr. Deborah Ann Taylor did an educational presentation on Christian Nationalism. In case you haven’t heard of Christian Nationalism, this is a political movement in North America which begins with the premise that the United States (and Canada) were founded as Christian nations and that, as such, Christians are the true inheritors and citizens of these countries. The current U.S. administration has relied heavily on their support and Christian Nationalist leaders are a very active voice in decisions regarding proposed laws and policies. Their not-so-veiled goal is to gain control of all levers of government, religion, media, business, education, arts/entertainment, and family so that these nations can once again be Christian nations. For many people in society, they have become the most visible and public face of Christianity and the Church.

This is problematic because their efforts (as judged by their actions) do not stem from the Gospel… or at least not the Good News that I encounter in Scripture and in the person of Jesus. They use the language of God and Jesus but use it to support a vision of society that is dominated by White, Christian citizens where those who are of other races, faiths, or “non-normal” lifestyles are excluded or given no voice. Missing from their vision are Jesus’ concepts of love, inclusion, grace, advocacy for the marginalized, equality, forgiveness, and compassion… that is, Love of neighbour.  As such, this movement is an affront to the Gospel.

As we approach Palm and Passion Sunday, it seems like Jesus encountered a similar disconnect with the people who welcomed him into Jerusalem as the “Messiah.” Many seemed to be expecting him and wanting him to be a great, conquering, military leader like King David… someone who would help them rise up, defeat and cast off the Roman empire’s control. They wanted to reestablish Israel as a religious state, governed by religious laws, and ruled by a great king. This had not served them so well in the past (read 1 & 2 Kings or 1 & 2 Chronicles). More to the point, this vision of what the Kingdom of God looked like was very different from the way Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God:

• Instead of seeking to dominate, Jesus calls us to serve.

• Instead of imposing our faith on others, Jesus invites others to recognize the life that belief in Jesus provides.

• Instead of creating divisions that label, exclude and dehumanize, Jesus calls us to treat all as children of God and worthy of respect.

• Above all, Jesus calls us to love instead of creating fear and terror.

As we walk with Jesus through Holy Week, may we once again humble ourselves and align our thoughts, values and goals with the one who gave his life that we might live.

Peace,

Pastor Phil