Christian Nationalism?

How did we permit the phrase “Christian Nationalism” to become stolen from us who know and love the Bible and become a political phrase? If by Christian Nationalism, we mean what Jesus said in Matthew 25 then I am a Christian Nationalist. I believe our nation’s priorities are to be welcoming the stranger who may be of another faith, skin color, language, culture, etc.; taking care of widows and orphans which surely involves universal health care; feeding all who are hungry; taking care of those who have been imprisoned so that they can be fully incorporated and welcomed back into society; making sure everyone has adequate and healthy water to drink which must involve taking care of the earth; seeing that everyone has adequate clothing especially in wintry weather. I did not make up this list of priorities. It is Jesus’ priorities and He said this is how the nations will be judged. I do not believe Biblical Christian Nationalism involves building walls to keep out the strangers, reducing food for the poor, building bigger prisons, shrinking income for the widows and orphans, or permitting a city’s drinking water to become foul. I think we need to let the Bible and Jesus speak for themselves and stop using them for our political and self-serving interests.

Read the Behavior

It angers me when individuals and groups, especially in the political arena, use Biblical terms, phrases, and concepts for their own personal or political agenda with no understanding about what the scriptures mean. We interpret scriptures to fit our personal agendas rather than the work of self-discipline so that our agendas match the scriptures. The answer is stated in the sentence—the need for self-discipline. It also frustrates me when I see those individuals, especially political figures, claiming to be Christian but their personal and political actions say otherwise. I tell my clients in the consulting room, “Read the person’s behavior and there you will find the truth.” Words are easily spoken but behavior, especially habitual behavior like one’s character, is the work of self-discipline which comes neither quickly nor easily. I fear we are creating a very shallow Christianity which is not at all as Jesus taught.

The Quote on the White Board

I was visiting the Abbey of Gethsemani this past weekend and noticed a saying that someone had written on the white board. I asked several of the monks who wrote the saying and was it original. The couple of monks whom I asked did not realize that the quote was there, and they did not know who wrote it or if it was original. I think it is a great quote and one that would help nearly all of us if we could follow it. That quote is “Almost everything is none of my business.” Thanks to whomever for a significant lesson about life.

Those 8 "Passions"

I will be vigilant about my “passions or energies” (later named the ‘deadly sins’— “wrongly” I think, but that is for a blog). Those passions, energies or shall we name them “demons” or “gods” (note the lack of a capital letter) are (1) gluttony (wanting more than I need), (2) lust (desiring others for my pleasure or benefit), (3) greed (thinking about scarcity or I may not have enough), (4) sadness (focusing on what I did not get or have), (5) anger (frustration with not getting what I want), (6) acedia (boredom; restlessness; jumping to the newest, most exciting, things, etc.), (7) vainglory (thinking too highly of myself), and (8) pride (taking credit for what others and God have done). The purpose of these energies is (1st) to blind me to their presence and (2nd) to infect me in such a manner as to diminish and eventually destroy my joy, peace, and contentment. My desire is to be aware that these energies/demons are always nearby. They will never go away or be completely extinguished because they are a part of who I am; therefore, I want to be alert and sensitive to all of them. I will set strong and appropriate boundaries with all of them. (“Thanks”, Evagrius [345-399]. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) called these “sins of the spirit” which, he said, are more dangerous than sins of the flesh).

The Gates

Psalm 24:7-10 says “Lift up your gates and let the Lord come in.” I know this Psalm was meant for the city of Jerusalem. Open the gates of the city and let the Lord come in to reign. We do not have any gates around the city where I live. I do wonder as I meditate on this Psalm what are the “gates” that I have put down that keep the Lord out of my life? Pride is surely such a gate as is vain glory. I too often think too much of myself, my ideas, and plans, etc. Control is such a gate. Control begins in childhood, “I can do it myself so leave me alone!” I fear that has been my attitude about many things, “Lord, I will take over now.” Usually, this spirit can be diagnosed when I make my plans and then ask for the Lord’s blessing. That spirit is not a teaching in the scriptures. I have a friend who refers to the “911 God.” I will call on You, Lord, when there is trouble. I think there are many “gates” in our lives, attitudes, behaviors, etc. which keep the Lord outside. Psalm 24 is correct, we need to lift those gates and ask that the Lord come in.

A Cold Weather Response

The cold weather has blown into central Kentucky. It is hovering around zero degrees. During such fierce weather, I am concerned about those without adequate shelter, including the homeless. There may not be much that I can personally do for them, but I can send money to those organizations, such as Salvation Army, God’s Pantry, Catholic Action Center and many others, that do provide personal assistance. I can also pray and suggest that others will send money because these organizations will see an increase in their utilities and food costs. I also pray that churches would want to open their warm facilities to provide shelter, water, and food. Opening their facilities would require volunteers as well as increasing their utilities and food costs. Nevertheless, I think opening facilities, volunteering, and/or sending money is what Jesus would do.

Institutional Church

I have been a member of the staff of a Baptist Church for 52 years. I have been a student Pastor, Family Life Minister, Pastor, and Pastoral Counselor. As of January 2024, I am no longer on the staff of a Baptist Church and “No,” I have not retired, just altered how I am paid. I think I am ready to leave the institutional Church and its staff positions. I am having difficulty affirming the institution of Church with its denominational arguing, large buildings that are mainly empty during the week, programming primarily for its members, etc. I suspect the real church which Jesus described in the 25th chapter of Matthew’s gospel meets in Alcohol Anonymous and Al-Anon meetings, in food pantry distribution places, where they are building homes for those without shelter, in homeless shelters, etc. I have experienced the presence of God’s Spirit in some conversations that happen in my consulting room as a therapist. I suspect God’s Spirit is alive, changing and redeeming lives in thousands of consulting rooms with therapists who may or may not think of their consulting rooms as places of worship. I believe that God’s Spirit is alive, well and redeeming in thousands of places that are not thought of as places where a person would expect God. God seems not to fit our expectations of a god.