January 29, 2017 - Fourth Sunday after Epiphany - Total Allegiance

Pastor Michelle was passionate in today's sermon.  She began by preaching:

I’ll never forget the day about twenty years ago, when I was on my seminary internship, and my supervisor said to me, “For every pastor there comes a time when you have to decide, ‘What am I willing to go to the cross for?’” In other words: “For what or for whom am I willing to risk everything—perhaps even my life?…” Looking back, I think my supervisor was right, except that he should’ve said “for every Christian” instead of “for every pastor!…” “For every Christian there comes a times to decide, “For what or for whom am I willing to go to the cross?…” My friends, for me that time is now. As I stand before you today, I’m heartsick and sick in the pit of my stomach because of all the hateful and hurtful things that are happening in our nation and our world. As one called by God to proclaim the Good News of God’s love for the whole world, I cannot and will not remain silent while many of God’s most vulnerable children are being hurt…. Instead, I will do my best to welcome these sisters and brothers as God in Christ Jesus has welcomed me: with open arms and an open heart…. As I stand before you, I have no illusions: I know that those who take a stand for Christ will never win any popularity contests. I don’t care about that. What I do care about is living a life that makes a difference, and for me that means answering God’s call to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. It means fulfilling my call as a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America—a call that is incorporated into the constitution of our church:

*C9.03.   Consistent with the faith and practice of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,
1.Every ordained minister shall:

1)  preach the Word;
2)  administer the sacraments;
3)  conduct public worship;
4)  provide pastoral care; and
5)  speak publicly to the world in solidarity with the poor and oppressed, calling  for justice and proclaiming God’s love for the world.

 (I never thought I’d be quoting from our constitution, but here I am!…)

The church is responding to life differently than it may have in the past and it can be disconcerting. Some of us want church to be a retreat from, or a higher perspective on, the daily troubles we face. This does not appear to be a time where that is happening. 

Some of us express concerns as sermons and the ELCA address national issues and our fellow members organize and participate in dissent.  They ask about the separation of church and state. Certainly this separation principle in the U.S. constitution should be honored and upheld. There is an obvious and slippery slope when claiming God takes sides on political divisions. Creating an environment where different political views are all respected is both vital and needed nationally.

To make things more complicated on Thursday (2/2) the President announced he will "get rid of and totally destroy" a 60-year-old rule that blocks tax-exempt religious groups from endorsing or opposing political candidates. The so-called Johnson amendment was introduced by then-Senator Lyndon B Johnson in 1954. It threatens churches and other religious institutions with the loss of their tax-exempt status should they overstep the mark. At the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC on Thursday Mr Trump said: "Jefferson asked, 'Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?'" Would this change anything for the ELCA, Oregon Synod, or Creator?

Pastor Michelle quoted the ELCA constitution which, in her aside, she said she would have never thought she would be quoting in a sermon. What Pastor Michelle took care to point out is that ELCA constitution clearly states every ordained minister shall speak out publicly for justice. 

As I wrote this the Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates was fired for not defending the administration's 7 nation travel ban executive order because she was unconvinced of the order's legality. I do not think of Yates as a hero. Neither do I call her announcement as "a betrayal of trust".  She acted from conscience. She did what she thought was right.  When we are at our best we all should be doing what we have determined is right. So this administration is bringing many people back to constitutions, questions about national identity, and their individual consciences.

On January 23 the paperwork was filed for the Declaration a National Day of Patriotic Devotion on January 20th. The proclamation starts by describing a "new" national pride (the words "a pride that has always existed in the American soul" seem more accurate to my experience).  The words ring with religious overtones and speak of a shared purpose.  Perhaps if the Women's March on Washington is seen as reaching for that shared purpose, then yes, the U.S. celebrated this proclamation on the 21st as well as the 20th.  It reads as follows:

A new national pride stirs the American soul and inspires the American heart. We are one people, united by a common destiny and a shared purpose.

Freedom is the birthright of all Americans, and to preserve that freedom we must maintain faith in our sacred values and heritage.

Our Constitution is written on parchment, but it lives in the hearts of the American people. There is no freedom where the people do not believe in it; no law where the people do not follow it; and no peace where the people do not pray for it.

There are no greater people than the American citizenry, and as long as we believe in ourselves, and our country, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 20, 2017, as National Day of Patriotic Devotion, in order to strengthen our bonds to each other and to our country -- and to renew the duties of Government to the people.

The President also stated in his inauguration speech:

At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States of America, and through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other. When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.

I am neither angry or surprised by this administration's view. I am not re-litigating the election. However, I cannot agree with the above inaugural words given how I understand my Christian identity.  Nor can I pray for this vision to be realized. I have been lectured throughout my life about the actions or words of true patriotism.  Others may express their patriotism in they understand its meaning. I do reject the notion patriotism's definition needs to be limited to a single, narrow view.

I love my country because it is my country, but if total allegiance to the United States of America is the bedrock of our politics then country replaces God. I discover loyalty to the other through my faith in Christ, not through patriotism. If that makes my patriotism suspect, so be it, I can do no other.  Saying "When you open your heart to patriotism there is no room for prejudice." assumes patriotism of a kind that I have rarely seen demonstrated in my life.

I know many who would disagree.  Megan McArdle, a Bloomfield View columnist wrote, in her thoughtful, articulate article, about Trump's Declaration of a National Day of Patriotic Devotion:

In fact, unabashedly sentimental patriots are in the best position to argue against the excesses that patriotism can enable, because they don’t have to start by proving their loyalty to the nation, rather than some more abstract good that their fellow citizens may reject. What we need is exactly these “empty symbols” such as, er, maybe a National Day of Patriotic Devotion: flags and the national anthem at sporting events and eyes that get a little wet when you hear the words “When in the course of human events … “

She writes "What we need is exactly these “empty symbols”.  Celebrating empty symbols and cheap sentiment strikes me as cynical and demeaning. Finally we come to what is at the heart of this blog - worship. The meaningful symbols of our reverence and devotion to God is what I believe we seek and sometimes achieve in weekly worship. Those symbols can prompt our love in action when we gather and when we walk out Creator's door.

And sometimes we can simply delight in our fellowship together and celebrate what God has given us.