Preach it, Bishop!
A Letter from Iowan Kathleen Moore
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Many self-identified Christians have been upset about a certain bishop in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump lashed out at Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde after she had a direct plea in her prayers that the new administration might lead with mercy and compassion, especially to LGBTQ+ children and immigrants. Trump called Bishop Budde a “radical left, hardline Trump hater” and demanded an apology.
I am retired after 35 years of preaching, and I have never had a congregant ask me for an apology for a sermon or prayer. I’ve had parishioners upset by something in my sermons. We have had some pretty good discussions on a variety of issues. But no one has ever presumed to suggest that my sermons are not what I feel God calls me to preach. They may have thought I was misguided but never questioned whether I was trying to be faithful to the gospel. Bishop Budde, on the other hand, has been receiving death threats.
Many pastors have struggled over Trump policies. How do we lead the church in a Christ-like way when we encounter government actions we believe to be unholy?
We have watched as our country has become more and more influenced by Christian Nationalism. We have winced at the way so many people seem to assume that Christian Nationalism owns the definition of “Christian.” We have longed for a leader who will state unequivocally that the brand of religion we call Christian Nationalism does not reflect Jesus' teaching.
But we cannot now put all our hope on Bishop Budde, or any other Christian leader, to be that leader for whom we long. Martin Luther called for the priesthood of all believers, which means that we are all called to speak and act in Jesus’ name.
We all tend to stay in our silos. I know I do, talking to family, church members and friends. I only talk politics with those who think as I do. I am fortunate that we are on the same page. We are critical that Donald Trump is surrounded by yes-people and no one will contradict him on anything (until now). But as a person of faith, I have long felt I was not fulfilling my calling.
It is time for church leaders and all people of faith who do not subscribe to the more conservative forms of Christianity to speak up. We must call out the discrepancies between the words of Christ and public policies. This cannot be using words as weapons, but instead, in the spirit of Christ, using words to reach out to people with whom we disagree. Can’t we find ways to speak calmly, respectfully, directly, and with love and care for both the people we defend and those with whom we disagree?
We can’t leave this to an occasional bishop or a firebrand preacher. If we are to act as people of faith, we must be willing to gently let others know when we disagree and why, and how we believe Jesus would act.
This is a message primarily for Christians because of the abusive religious words and actions we have experienced in recent years. But all people of faith are called to stand forth to declare what our faith teaches us. Jesus said to love God and love our neighbor.
As we begin a new Trump administration, the rubber hits the road for people of faith.
Kathleen R. Moore
Letters From Iowans is a part of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. We encourage you, our subscribers, to share your perspective in this column. To make your voice heard, use this form to send us your essay:
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Thank you for sharing your insights. It is becoming increasingly difficult to preach the gospel without fear of retribution. But yet, that is the calling of all of us, if we call ourselves Christian. May God give us strength, wisdom and courage in this dangerous time.
If you wish to get involved, Christians Against Christian Nationalism,
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