The Bungee Cord. 10-7-24

Hello,

Christian nationalism?

From its very beginning, Christianity has not been monolithic. As a matter of fact, several books of the Bible are written as a result of the diversity of teachings in the Christian faith. In its early days, there was a strong group of people, led by the Disciple Peter, who believed that before you became Christian you had to become a Jew, and after you were Christian, you had to live under Jewish religious regulations. Alongside of that group was another group of Christians, led by the Apostle Paul, who believed that Jesus’ death and resurrection had opened God’s door to people just the way they were, and their lives were to be shaped by the Holy Spirit as a potter shapes clay. Actually, that is what the book of Galatians is all about.

Ultimately, it was decided that both understandings could live with mutual respect as they followed Jesus. Those who were baptized, both Jew and Gentile, could walk hand in hand as brothers and sisters of Christ. As time rolled along, people tried to summarize the Christian faith and created Creeds, to be guardrails for the followers of Christ. Within these guardrails, Christians have walked their walk of faith, rejoicing together and sharing God’s love in Christ to all.

One way that I image the Christian faith is to see it like a marching band filling the world with thrilling and beautiful music. Trumpets. Trombones. Tubas. Drums. Glockenspiels. Flutes. Clarinets. Led by the drum master, Jesus, the music is the best when each instrument is played to perfection. I know that when my kids were young and learning an instrument for the band, they were led to play the instrument that most fit their physical characteristics. One a trumpet. One a drummer. One a tuba player. As they each learned how to play their instrument with precision, the better the band sounded.

That is how I see the diversity in the Christian faith. Groups of Christians, because of their common characteristics, play their instrument of faith together making room for a variety of people and creating a beautiful sound. But when a group of folks marching under Jesus’ leadership, puts down their instruments and pulls out blaring sirens, such a noise drowns out the music that Jesus is directing.

Although there may be those who disagree with me, in my perception of the Christian band today, that is exactly what is happening with Christian nationalism, a group of people who have pulled out their blaring sirens and have tried to overwhelm the band with noise of dominance, hatred, and arrogance. When I read the witness to Jesus, beginning with the songs of creation and carrying through the song of the New Creation in Christ, I don’t hear songs of crushing dominance. When Jesus’ disciples asked if he wanted a city to be treated like Sodom and Gomorrah (destroyed with fire and brimstone), Jesus said no. When one of his disciples took out his sword and cut off the ear of one who had come to take Jesus away, Jesus said to put their swords away. When Jesus hung on the cross and the people mocked him, spat on him, and tore his clothes off him, Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

This I know from the Bible: when Jesus was asked if he was a king, Jesus responded, “‘My kingdom is not from this world.” With those words coming out of Jesus’ mouth and hitting my ears, it is clear to me that anyone who asserts that allegiance to any government or leader is the sound coming from Jesus’ direction is not playing a song that Jesus is leading, but instead drowning Jesus out with a painful siren.

I write this in my Bungee Cord, because I know that there are those who are hearing what comes out of the mouths of people who call themselves “Christian nationalist” and say that they want no part of that piercing siren. Me either. That is why I invite you to keep your ears open to a different sound coming from many churches and many people. It is a song of love and mercy, of a God who so loves all people that God invested his whole self in embracing all people, a God who doesn’t bring hatred but brings kindness, a God who doesn’t squash people as if they were cockroaches but instead gives them a whole new abundant life, a God who said the person without sin can throw the first stone, and God who said that he would be with us always, even to the end of the age. It is a beautiful song and sound….for you to hear….and for you to share. “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called Children of God. And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1

Have a great week.

God’s grace and peace, (ggap)

Pastor Jerry Nuernberger

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