Christianity at the Crossroads

 Second Thursday after the Epiphany

The conservative-evangelical magazine Chrisianity Today had an article this week entitled "We Worship With the Magi, not the MAGA." On the other hand, a white evangelical megachurch pastor, Jeremiah Johnson, who has been a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, denounced the Capitol violence and rebuked President Trump last Thursday. Over the weekend he and his family received massive numbers of death, kidnap, and torture threats, many from his own church members. 

I have committed myself to staying non-political, or at least non-partisan, on the blog. Yet still I'm dealing with Frances Casey's comment last week asking what the churches can do in the wake of last Wednesday's insurrection. Of course the first and most obvious answer is--pray. I'm doing it. I hope you are. Beyond that I am much at a loss as I read more and more about the extremist right-wing hate groups and white supremacist groups. At this point I am more into description and analysis than into prescription.

Here are a few disturbing incidents that have struck me the last few weeks. Yesterday a Pentecostal Church in North Carolina had three members die of Covid in the same day. They had been worshipping en masse without masks in their church. Their pastor had been telling them that Coronavirus was a way for the government to control them and keep them from worshipping.

In the week before the election I saw news footage of President and Mrs. Trump on the front row at a Sunday service of a Pentecostal Church. In part of the service a woman who was declared to have the gift of prophecy prophesied that Donald Trump would be re-elected.

Paula White, the president's spiritual advisor, has repeatedly declared that Donald Trump was placed in the presidency by God. That sentiment is echoed throughout much of the Evangelical and Pentecostal world.

More than one article in the Charismatic/Pentecostal magazine, Charisma, has proclaimed Donald Trump to be the Messiah. 

 

My faith teaches me that all people can be redeemed. That redemption is not just soul saving to go to heaven. It is redemption for this life as well. How can we redeem the lives of people who believe that trying to overthrow the United States government is God's will for them?

 

John Wesley's "Three Simple Rules," are "Do good. Do no harm. Stay in love with God."

 

How do we convince extremist evangelicals, Pentecostals, and fundamentalists that our God is a God of Love, that Jesus Christ taught us non-violence and "Love your enemies,"and that Christianity is not racist?

 

How do we convince an increasingly secular law-abiding public that Christianity is truth and that the insurrectionists and their sympathizers do not represent the Christian faith?

My apologies for these thoughts being a bit random. I look forward to returning to my usual topics tomorrow. 

Pray for peace in the United States of America.

Faithfully,

Christian