As I prepare to listen to the 2nd Presidential Debate, I am struck by something of great concern to me. A few weeks ago, we here in the Midwest experienced a tremendous wind storm that in reality paled in comparison to the effect that it had on Texas. I believe that we as a society are facing an impending storm every bit as real and very much more powerful today. This will be a storm not created by polarized air masses, but by the ever increasing polarization of our society. Just as a thunder storm is precipitated by the collision of two opposing air masses, one warm and one cold, the storm that I perceive approaching will be caused by forces equally as powerful and certainly much less predictable.
Every where that one looks in our society, polarization and its effects can be seen. Politically, we are divided into red states and blue states, Republican and Democrat, and conservative verses liberal. We are further politically divided by pro-war and anti-war, those who would leave our troops in Iraq and those who would bring them home now. We are divided by issues of homosexuality, abortion, bigotry and race. We face the issues of illegal immigration and border security, those who would build an immense wall to keep out the “undesirables,” and others who would welcome all who will come. Our churches are also divided into conservative verses liberal camps, each one flooding our mailboxes and airwaves in an effort to garner support for their particular beliefs and doctrines. We find that it is no longer enough to love our God with all of our minds and souls and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves, we must also pass certain litmus tests of our faith. Each of these tests as well as others are considered by some to be a prerequisite in order to verify that we truly are Christians. Even within our own churches the battles rage over contemporary verse traditional services, hymns verses praise music and even pews verses chairs.
It would be my desire for our society and church to focus on the areas in which we find agreement and then work to reconcile on areas of disagreement. “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).
Reconciliation and forgiveness have always been difficult, however, today they have moved beyond difficult to critical. The world is in a financial crises, we have major powers amassing military forces, atrocities of terror pulling at the very fabric of society, nations hovering on the brink of what could be nuclear war, and ancient local animosities and hatred threatening to become global threats capable of killing millions of people and poisoning millions more.
Every where that one looks in our society, polarization and its effects can be seen. Politically, we are divided into red states and blue states, Republican and Democrat, and conservative verses liberal. We are further politically divided by pro-war and anti-war, those who would leave our troops in Iraq and those who would bring them home now. We are divided by issues of homosexuality, abortion, bigotry and race. We face the issues of illegal immigration and border security, those who would build an immense wall to keep out the “undesirables,” and others who would welcome all who will come. Our churches are also divided into conservative verses liberal camps, each one flooding our mailboxes and airwaves in an effort to garner support for their particular beliefs and doctrines. We find that it is no longer enough to love our God with all of our minds and souls and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves, we must also pass certain litmus tests of our faith. Each of these tests as well as others are considered by some to be a prerequisite in order to verify that we truly are Christians. Even within our own churches the battles rage over contemporary verse traditional services, hymns verses praise music and even pews verses chairs.
It would be my desire for our society and church to focus on the areas in which we find agreement and then work to reconcile on areas of disagreement. “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).
Reconciliation and forgiveness have always been difficult, however, today they have moved beyond difficult to critical. The world is in a financial crises, we have major powers amassing military forces, atrocities of terror pulling at the very fabric of society, nations hovering on the brink of what could be nuclear war, and ancient local animosities and hatred threatening to become global threats capable of killing millions of people and poisoning millions more.
The opening words spoken by Jesus as he began his ministry are: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news" (Mark 1:15). It is time to step forward in faith, and it is time to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. It is also a time to rediscover, even reimagine our faiths, for we cannot send the message of truth into the world if we do not get and understand the message for ourselves.
It is my prayer today that we seek reconciliation and peace, not the peace that the world gives, but the peace that passes all understanding through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
Blessing
1 comment:
Amen. Good post.
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