when the president talks to gawd
is every issue black or white
I'm sure you've all read or heard about how a couple of
churches in our fine city have invited the investigation of the IRS. The
Internal Revenue Service has turned their gaze upon these two congregations for
posters, pamphlets and sermons that have been broadcasted at these churches.
Apparently for a few leaders at these congregations, the
reality of faithful and committed homosexuals receiving equal civic rights is
an issue they must speak up about. In fact, the two church leaders interviewed
by the Hawk Eye about the issue came across as quite unapologetic.
They are so committed to this issue that not only is
strong-arming those in the pews appropriate for these gentlemen, but one pastor
even felt justified using a violent metaphor.
Now, as their actions gain the attention of the broader
public and the IRS, we will see if their tune changes. Regardless, at the end
of the day it will be these clergymen themselves who have to sleep with their
decisions. Whether these men repent or not, the law remains the same. In the
United States if any non-profit organization, religious or otherwise, endorses
a particular candidate they have broken their contract of what constitutes
not-for- profit organizational demeanor.
We should note that the extreme behavior of these ministers
validates the opinion of all those folks who do not affiliate with any
religious organization. A recent Pew Survey notes that the general consensus of
these so-called "nones" is that churches are too concerned with power
and a particular political agenda.
The actions of these clergy, though, not only give credence
to popular sentiment; they also beg a question.
The question the extreme partisan stand-taking of these
ministers begs is, what is the role of faith in public life. This question is
especially pertinent in the United States, with our freedom of religion.
In fact, regardless of how each of us feel about the
various candidates, we ought to be a little proud at the religious diversity of
the candidates –
although we must also admit that there is a ways we all
have to go before that freedom of religion is truly a reality. There still is a
lot of stigma out there for people of various faiths...
Regardless.
The laws say that congregations go too far in sponsoring a particular
candidate, and it is worth noting that many faith-based public policy directors
also agree.
No, we churches should not be in the business of telling
y'all how to vote; as if you don't each have a fully-functioning, God-given
brain to help you vote as it is. This, however, does not mean that our faith
has no part in how we live as citizens in this world.
Non-profit organizations, including churches, can legally
take a stand on particular public issues. This allowance is also because of the
freedom of religion in the United States. Each person is free to bring their
particular perspective and commitments to the public discussion.
Certainly bringing one's perspective and commitments to the
public discussion is far and away different from insisting that one must
vote for this or that particular candidate. Bringing our unique perspective to
the debate is also quite different from insisting that our vision on a public
issue is the right one, or even the one God wills.
The tension between bringing our faith commitments to the
discussion and bringing the humility to be open, is a matter of trust. Can we
trust and consider that God may be at work in a way that we hadn't imagined?
Ultimately, though, the tension between our faith life and
our civic life is a matter of stewardship.
Yes, stewardship.
Jesus' words from the Gospel today are particularly suited
to help us navigate the relation of our faith and civic life.
When James and John come up to Jesus they ask for a special
seats at Jesus' glory. Jesus' patience is commendable. Rather than breaking
down and blurting out, "you just don't get it, do you," Jesus gently
reminds these two vying for seats of glory that, that is not the path Jesus
calls disciples to walk. Jesus reminds these two that their calling, like his,
is one of self-sacrifice; one of service to the other.
"The Human One," Jesus says, "came not to be
served, but to serve." In other words, God, and so those who follow God,
walk a path that leads to the other, not to our own glory. This paths of Jesus
leads past the "what's in it for me attitude," to the how can I serve
the other attitude.
It is the same with how we live out our civic and faith
life too. When we enter the public
discussion our question is not to simply to be, "what is in it for
me," but how can policies be written and enacted in a way that all are
cared for.
With Jesus' words ringing in our ear we enter the
discussion with our unique faith perspective; not by insisting that this
candidate is who God would want me to vote for, or that this issue has to be
the only one God wants; but by asking a question.
The question we ask is a unique one. The question we ask
is, "how can this good gift of God, government, be used for the other.
Do you see the difference? The unique faith perspective we
bring to the public discussion is not one that asks, what's in this for me or
how can this gift be used to get me a seat of glory. In fact, our faith commitments
free us from obsessing over one particular party, the other candidate's faith,
and most importantly, ourselves.
This is, in fact, a particularly Lutheran approach as well.
In the modern obsession over religion, we find Martin Luther was quite forward-thinking
when he said that he would rather have a good Turk ruler, rather than an inept
Christian one. In other words, the most important thing we look for in someone
who is seeking public service is their qualifications. In fact, Luther even
allows that God could work though a tyrant, or scoundrel.
What Luther's words convey is that we all are called to
trust God can work through any and all circumstances. This trust proves to be
particularly helpful if one position or candidate is not elected. Rather than
placing our hopes in a person or policy, we trust God. We trust God and
therefore even amidst averse circumstances, or simply having a person or
position we don't prefer elected, we can still carry on our service to the
other.
Freed from having to have faith in a party or position we
can say, whatever your political affiliation I can work with you. We can be
freed to say, it doesn't matter if you're liberal or conservative, Christian or
Muslim, big government or small; we can work with any of you.
We can work with all these folks because for us the most
important thing is that this gift of God is to be used for the other.
The other thing about these commitments that are
particularly Lutheran is the insistence that the good gift of government is a
gift that is given in "trust." Like the endowment that Trinity
has - this gift cannot be used in whichever way we choose. No, a gift given in
trust must be used to fulfill the intent of the giver.
How we live out our civic life is the same. We understand
that government is a gift from God that is given to us in trust. The trust is
that we use that gift God has given, not obsess about what is in it for me, but
to benefit the other.
And we must confess that this perspective is unique.
After the second presidential debate Kathy Saile of the U.S. Conference of
Bishops noted, there has been so much campaign talk about the middle class that
you'd swear what Jesus told us in Matthew 25 was, "verily I say unto you,
whatsoever is done unto the middle class, you have done unto me."
The complete lack of mention of the poor is because the
attitude that government is to be used to benefit the other is quite absent
from contemporary politik. Politicians see no use in mentioning the poor
because the broader electorate has shown that there is no interest in
discussing the election outside of the narrow mindset of 'what's in it for me.'
Yes, this insistence that the gift of government be used as
a tool to serve the other is quite unique. Not only is it unique, though, it is
also good stewarding.
Yes, using any God-given gift, including government, to
bless the other is practicing good stewardship. In the ancient world a steward
was someone who managed the resources of the owner in a way the owner would
desire.
After Jesus calls the twelve to him he tells them that to
be great one must be a servant. As Jesus tells us, the Human one came into the
world not to be served, but to serve. Jesus tells us that God desires not that
we attain glory, but rather that we find glory in caring for the other.
In other words, we are to live out our servanthood by
stewarding God's resources in as God would desire. By using God's gifts in such
a way that all are cared for; in such a way as to care for the other; in such a
way that the poor are not forgotten.
Like using a gift in trust, we work to steward God's gifts,
including government as God would have us. Therefore this gift is not to be
used simply to figure out what is in it for me or to gain a seat of glory; but
instead to serve the other, to care for the vulnerable.
Today is Bread for the World Sunday - we have some special
prayers to help us celebrate this day. Today other churches across the United
States are joining with Bread for the World to proclaim that all should have
enough food, their daily bread.
This insistence is not a liberal or conservative issue.
This insistence is not merely a faith commitment, although it is also that, it
is a humanitarian issue. The fact that people starve to death in a world with
so much abundance, is a scandal.
Today we join with Bread for the World, and so many other
faith communities, to insist that government is about much more than what can I
get out of it. Instead we suggest that government is a tool God has given us to
care for the other. Today we join Bread for the World to say that as people of
faith it is important that all God's children receive care and enough to eat.
Joining our voices with Bread for the World and these other
organizations is not merely a political cause, it is a stewardship cause.
God has blessed us with government, we can all think of
ways we have been blessed by the government; and God has blessed us with our
daily bread, as we all also know.
As people blessed with enough, as people given a charge to
steward, we recognize all of God's gifts are to be shared, and that include
public policy, or our civic life.
That, finally, is how we truly bring our faith commitments
to bear on our civic life. Rather than insisting a candidate look or act one
way or another, we steward God's gift to benefit the other.
Yes there are many that would insist that faith means we
must vote one way or the other. What we insist, however, is that all God's
people are cared for. What we insist is that this gift of God is used for the
benefit of the other.
Today's question is "How have I been blessed to bless
others." There are many ways we can respond to this question. We bless
others through our vocations - the work we do. We bless others through our
relationships - being caring parents and children. We bless others through our
attitude and words.
There are many ways we can each answer this question. Take
some time and write down your answer to have them included in our offering.
Participating in Bread Sunday is certainly one of the ways
we are blessed to bless others. We are citizens of a democracy, we can
participate in the public discussion, we can speak to our legislators. We can
use this gift of our public vocation to bless others by reminding the
electorate and public officials that this good gift of government is not to be
used merely for our own sake, but to bless others.
Amen
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