Dear friends,
We’re probably all familiar with the adage that in polite company, it’s best to avoid bringing up politics or religion. It’s not uncommon to hear folks say that the church is no place for politics. I completely concur that the church is no place for partisan politics. But politics itself (defined, in its most elemental form, as “the set of activities associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status”)—well, Jesus talked about that all the time.
The Jews of Jesus’ day were being crushed by Roman imperialism, and like the many Old Testament prophets who preceded him, Jesus spoke—emphatically—about justice and restoration. Luke tells us that Jesus began his ministry in Galilee by announcing a reversal of the world’s power relations: The Spirit of the Lord… has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:18-19). In the face of the mighty Roman Empire, Jesus preached that the Kingdom of God had arrived—a direct threat to Rome’s rule. It’s no surprise that Jesus was executed by the Roman government through crucifixion, the torture meted out to political subversives.
A clergy friend of mine has this quote from Desmond Tutu in her email signature line: “I don’t preach a social gospel; I preach the gospel, period. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is concerned for the whole person. When people were hungry, Jesus didn’t say, ‘Now is that political or social?’ He said, ‘I feed you.’ Because the good news to a hungry person is bread.”
If Jesus spoke so often and so openly about how we are to treat one another—especially poor people, the oppressed, and our enemies—then those of us who wish to follow him must allow his words to shape our speech and our lives. And we who dare to preach have a particular responsibility to ensure that we are faithfully proclaiming Jesus’ words and deeds—even when doing so is challenging. Even when it sounds like we think that a worship service is a place for politics. Because Jesus certainly did.
May we at St. Andrew’s have the grace and courage to speak and listen about the ways Jesus calls us to reach out to the “least of these.” I am grateful to be engaging in this important work with each of you.
Blessings. -Anne
