Church vs State--still an issue

We still struggle with separation of church and state. Today’s Lexington newspaper (11-27-20) carries the headline, “Federal judge says Beshear can’t stop classes at religious schools.” In 1980 my Pastor predecessor at Trinity Baptist Church, who was on the State School Board, was debating whether the State has the right to supervise private schools. Private schools were primarily religious schools. My predecessor believed the State did have the right to guarantee all students, whether in public, private or religious schools, were receiving an equal education. Therefore, the State has the right to supervise all schools. With this pandemic, the issues may have changed but we are still debating issues of church and state. My Baptist background says there needs to be a strict division between church and state. Nevertheless, my Baptist colleague ministers, as well as other ministers, will say when they are officiating a wedding, “By the power invested in me by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, I pronounce you husband and wife.” Not much separation of church and state in that statement and action. I believe in consistency. If the State cannot regulate religious schools, then, only the State officials should be conducting marriages. If the couple or family should desire, Ministers and the churches may bless the couple, but not ‘officially’ conduct the wedding.

Leaders Needed

The Lexington newspaper (November 20, 2020) headlines “Kentucky sets ‘staggeringly high’ new record for coronavirus cases” which meant that the Governor established new recommendations for dealing with the pandemic. On the same front page was the article “Republicans denounce [the Governor’s] new COVID-19 restrictions.” When the Republicans were asked about their plan, the newspaper reports “their answers were murky.” It is easy to be a critic, but it is difficult to be a leader. I believe this COVIA-19 is dangerous, and we are in a ‘war’ with an invisible enemy. I know when challenges are difficult, we use denial and/or avoidance rather than face the difficulty. It appears that many of our residents believe that ‘the COVID-19 virus won’t come to me, my family or friends.’ That is denial and avoidance. We cannot deny or avoid this pandemic. It is real and it is dangerous. My prayer and hope are that God will rise up leaders from among us. Whether they be Democrats, Republicans, Independents, etc. is unimportant. We need leaders who can talk and listen to each other without prejudice, i.e., an open mind; as well as a willingness to compromise and negotiate, i.e., not my way or the highway. Leaders are often unpopular but extremely necessary. Politicians are usually popular, but unnecessary. I am praying for God to rise up leaders among us.

Interpreting Scripture Through Our Prejudices

God promised the land to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 13:15-17). I understand that. Much later (perhaps 400 years) under Joshua’s leadership, the Hebrew people took the land from the people who were living there in the name of God’s promise to Abraham (Joshua 3:10). Many, but not all, of those people living in the land during that time may also have been descendants of Abraham. The written record also reads that they were told by God to kill everyone--men, women, and children. (Joshua 6:17, 21 & 24). I have often thought that not only does not seem right or fair; it does not look like the likeness of God which we see in Jesus. I wonder if the authors of the book of Joshua were not prejudiced in the manner with which they wrote their history. Maybe God had plans of another way of fulfilling that promise to Abraham. Using the name of God as motivation can be a powerful temptation for acting out of our prejudices. I think we have been guilty of that in many ways. Folks were prejudiced when they used God to support slavery. Folks were prejudiced when they believed God was with them when they took land from Native Americans and marched them to Oklahoma (ex. the Trail of Tears). In these histories, innocent lives were lost with the prejudiced view that that too was supported by God. I believe we have been prejudiced in the way women have been treated in many Churches. I suspect that we have used the name of God in many ways to support our personal and/or national desires. There is pretty clear evidence of this in our present time. I wonder if the danger of this way of thinking may be what God had in mind when the third commandment was written (Exodus 20:7), “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (KJV); or “for evil purposes.” (GNB). I fear we blame God or try to make God responsible for much of which is not God’s doings, but ours. Lord, in Your mercy forgive us.