The War on Christmas...It's Not About Coffee Cups!

Whelp, we’ve all probably heard about and seen the new red Starbucks coffee cups.   We’ve also heard certain extremist Christian groups claiming to the world that this is another “war on Christmas.”  However, as a Christian, I can tell you that there isn’t really a war on Christmas (well there is, but it is not because of the lack of holiday symbols on coffee cups, or the fact that it is politically correct to say “Happy Holidays” over “Merry Christmas,” or even the fact that public places like a county courthouse front lawn can no longer have a nativity scene, but more on this later; keep reading!).  All this “war on Christmas” business has more to do with power and supremacy than an attack on a certain religion.

When these Christian extremists cry out in outrage over Starbuck’s attack on Christmas by not placing holiday symbols on their cups this year (yes, that’s what is pissing them off; and, by the way, the symbols are of stockings and candy canes of things of that nature, not religious symbols like the nativity or the cross), what they are really saying is, “We think the only religion that anybody should believe is Christianity!  Our religion is superior to all others.  All other religions are worthless and wrong!”  I can tell you that I don’t agree with this, nor do I think it is true. 

Firstly, to declare that Christianity is the only “true religion” is to place God in a box.  Now don’t get me wrong, as a Christian I strongly believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and is the means that leads me to God, as well as the means that leads me to salvation.  However, to say that this is the only way that God can bring people salvation or lead people to God would be very short sided on my part.  God is far beyond my understanding or any human understanding.  God can’t be placed in a box.  We cannot put human limitations on God.  This is really part of having faith.  The mysteries of God are so beyond us that it leads us to continue to seek out God so that we can more fully understand this God who loves us beyond measure, and (from a Christian point of view) became human in order to reconcile humanity back to God.  But to say that God can only save through Christ is to place a limitation on God.  For me it’s a both/and understanding.  God indeed saves through Christ, but perhaps God saves in other ways (and through other religions) too.  

Secondly, and more politically, no one religion can hinder another religion in this country.  To make everything about Christmas is to infringe on this right of all people in the United States.  And I don’t buy the argument that not having a Christmas tree in your store or having a lack of holiday symbols on a coffee cup infringes upon Christianity; just as working with a LGTBQ person isn’t an infringement upon Christianity.  Why do I believe this?  Well, because in the Old and New Testaments there are passages that talk about loving and respecting neighbors and enemies (Leviticus 19:34; Luke 10:25-37 for example).  To force Christianity on someone or to declare that you cannot work because of a LGTBQ person is not loving or respecting neighbor and downright not Christian!  JESUS IS ALWAYS ABOUT LOVE AND RESPECT!!!

Thirdly, there is a war on Christmas, but it has more to do with the fact that Christmas has become way too commercialized!  Santa Claus has become the idol for Christmas.  Black Friday has become the new worship.  Presents have become the new hope we long for this time of year.  And the worse part about this is that, for most Christians, we buy into commercialized Christmas!  We convince ourselves that you cannot have a “perfect” Christmas without a tree and lots of decorations, presents under that tree that stack up to the ceiling, a huge amount of Christmas cookies and other goodies, and Santa Claus (which, by the way, the Santa we have come to know in our modern age was actually an invention of Coca-Cola.  Notice his suit looks an awful lot like a coke can/bottle.). 

All of this war on Christmas that has to do with pointless symbols and idols is, in fact, causing a war on Christmas because it is taking away from what Christmas is all about.  Christmas is about the amazing gift of God’s grace that penetrates humanity.  It is about the incarnation; God taking on human flesh.  It is about our invulnerable God taking on vulnerability in order to forever and intimately connect us with God.  It is about understanding the magnitude of that gift and how it transforms us, through its love for us, to give of ourselves to each other.  As I have seen on Facebook memes, “If you want to put the ‘Christ’ back in Christmas, feed the hungry, cloth the naked, care for the sick, and visit the prisoner.”  In other words, LOVE EACH OTHER!!!

So, if you’re going to fight the war on Christmas, do what Starbucks did.  Starbucks, in response to the red cups, donated $350,000 to Lutheran World Relief.  In other words, if you really want to fight the war on Christmas, give of yourself, out of love, in some way this holiday season.  For in doing that, you are proclaiming the hope and love that we find in Christ’s birth.

See you in the conversation,

Pastor Zach

Jesus Politics...It's Not What You Think!

So, this past Tuesday was Election Day, and it got me thinking about the church and politics.  Now, I know several people who believe that the church and politics should stay separate entities.  These people commonly use the phrase, “after all, Jesus wasn’t a politician.”  However, there are also several people who think that the church’s “morals” and beliefs should guide any politician’s agenda.  So, which one should the church follow?  Should the church stay out of politics or guide political agendas?

Well, before I answer these questions, I want to make one thing clear.  Following Jesus is a political statement!  To be a follower of Jesus is to live a certain way and act a certain way towards others.  This is why we consider Christianity to be a lifestyle.  But, by claiming Jesus as Lord, you are also saying that Jesus is the one you’re loyal to and who you are willing to follow.  Jesus is your ruler!  When claiming to be a follower of Jesus, you are claiming that, above all else, you will follow Jesus and not any other government.

Now, I realize that my last sentence is a loaded one.  I also realize that people could misinterpret that statement to mean that Christianity trumps government, which could open up a whole can of nasty worms.  For example, it is this kind of thinking that has caused the whole Kim Davis controversy.  It is this kind of thinking that has caused some politicians to try and use Christianity as a means to oppress others.  They state that they are “following Jesus,” but, really, they are just oppressing others and casting fear to gain power.

To be a true political follower of Jesus is to act exactly like Jesus acted when he roamed the earth.  To be a true political follower of Jesus is to sit and eat with those society has cast aside—prison inmates, the poor, the mentally ill, the LGTBQ community, black people, the woman who had an abortion, people who have gone through divorce, and all those who are oppressed or stripped of power.  It is to love every single person (including our enemies!).  The be a political follower of Jesus is to speak out against oppressive systems that take advantage of other people; to work for peace instead of violence; to value all life above everything else. 

There are conservative politicians out there that talk about making America a Christian nation once again, founded on Christian morals.  Firstly, America was never a Christian nation.  Yes, it was founded by Christian puritans who felt the Church of England had become too Catholic; but, it was made clear in the development of our constitution that our forefathers wanted a land where anyone was free to practice their religion without consequences or punishment.  Secondly, when these politicians talk about Christian morals, they aren’t actually talking about following Jesus.  If they were, then they would have political platforms that dealt more with destroying financial systems that make the rich richer and everyone else poorer; they would be for finding alternatives to mass incarceration; they would be for equal rights for LGTBQ families; they would fight of systems of racism; and they would do everything to promote life for all of creation. 

 Most conservative politicians out there who claim to be Christian and that their faith guides their political agenda are actually using Christianity in a wrongful and hurtful way.  They aren’t living by true Christian politics, but by their own agendas and then using them under the guise of Christianity in order to gain votes and power.  I believe, back in Jesus’ time, he referred to these people as “vipers.” 

 So, as you continue to decide on which candidates to vote for in 2016, just remember, unless candidates are trying to fight systems of oppression; doing what they can to help the poor; supporting the rights of all people; working for peace; and promoting life for all of creation (including all of the earth!); they are not being followers of Jesus, and therefore are not truly using Christianity to guide their political agendas.

*THIS MESSAGE WAS BROUGHT YOU BY THE TRUE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS POLITICAL CAMPAIGN!*

See you in the conversation,

Pastor Zach

 

Halloween is a Christian Holiday!!

So tomorrow evening is All Hallow’s Eve, or, as we know it today, Halloween.  I have always had mixed feelings about this holiday.  On the one hand, it is a fun holiday where kids can go trick-or-treating, where fun parties occur, and where people can dress up and make-believe.  I, of course, am a big fan of Halloween candy!  On the other hand, what I don’t like about Halloween are those who use the holiday as an excuse to cause mischief and chaos; those that use it for purposes of frightening others for a laugh. 

The interesting thing about Halloween is that its origins come out of the Celtic druid tradition over 3,000 years ago.  The Celtic culture would celebrate a day called Souan.  This was a day when the Celtics believed nature was changing from summer to winter; the last day of the harvest.  It was believed that, on this day, the spirits of those who died in the past year would roam the earth.  They believed some spirits to be mischievous and so they would offer the spirits treats and gifts to appease them so they wouldn’t stay and “haunt” you.

As the Romans conquered northern Europe, the Souan festival along with the Roman celebration of the Harvest began to merge.  Because it was a Pagan festival, the Catholic Church tried to convert Pagans by turning the holiday into a religious event.  Thus the Church created All Saints day.  The night before All Saints was known as All Hallow’s Eve, because, to be hallowed was considered to be holy. Later, the Church also added All Souls day to commemorate all those who had died, since pagan tradition was big on celebrating all the dead, not just the “holy” dead.

Today, obviously, Halloween is more about dressing up and having fun.  However, there are still people out there that want to use Halloween as a way to “worship” evil and create Chaos.  Unfortunately, there are Christian churches out there who also do this.  There are a lot of conservative Christian churches who will host a “Hell House,” on Halloween.  The hope is that that they will scare you into becoming a follower of Jesus.  Hell houses will often show you scenes of punishment for people who behaved badly in their lives (ex: a murder in an electric chair; a woman in hell for having an abortion; a nonbeliever’s eternal torment). 

It is my opinion that these “Christian” hell houses are probably one of the most evil things that comes out of Halloween.  Jesus never tried to scare people into following him.  Yes, Jesus did mention that there could be consequences for placing other idols above God, but Jesus never condemned anyone to hell.  Instead, Christ acted out of love.  Yes, he got mad, but it was because people were placing the Law above love. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, I think Halloween is worth celebrating, but not because we need to scare people into following Christ, or we need to scare people in general.  I think Halloween needs to be celebrated because it gives children a chance to play and make-believe.  But, more importantly, I also think Halloween should be celebrated because its origins are in connecting our world with the spirit world; the dead.  We do this not because we believe in spirits roaming the earth (not anymore for a lot of us), but because we believe in life.  We believe in life after death.  Halloween can be a celebration of life!  It can be a reminder to us that there is life after death and that life is found in Christ Jesus. 

So, put on your costume, take the kids trick-or-treating, go to that Halloween party, and remember that this holiday is a celebration of the dead; a celebration of life after death! 

See you in the conversation,

Pastor Zach

Have We Turned the Church into a Business?

So I have to come clean and admit that I have been struggling with my ecclesiology (my understanding of the function of the church) lately.  Article 7 of the Augsburg Confession, which is part of our Lutheran confessions/doctrine (see Book of Concord), states: “The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the gospel is rightly taught and the sacraments are rightly administered.”  Now, while I believe this statement to be the true identity of the Christian Church, I feel like a lot of churches in the United States are not operating with this understanding.  In fact, I feel that a lot of churches in this country are operating under a business model instead of a gospel model.

Business model?  I’m really beginning to question of what is the true goal of churches in the United States.  Now, I realize I’m generalizing here and hopefully not all churches function this way (I’m certainly trying to keep the church I serve at from functioning as a business), but I also know that I have heard many a pastor and congregation talk about growth from a business standpoint instead of a gospel standpoint.

 So what do I mean by a business model?  Well, a lot of churches have to measure their success by tangible numbers of members.  One of the questions I frequently get asked from other pastors and church goers is: “So, how big is your church?”  That’s it.  We are asked to measure success by the amount of active members we have at our churches.  The more active members you have, the more successful you are considered to be as a church.  And, obviously, the more active members you have, the more money your church can use for various programs in order to draw more people into the church.  So, lots of members = successful ministry!

Because this is how many churches view success, we have turned the Church’s mission into a business model where the main goal is to “convert” more people to become loyal to the Church; more specifically, “my church.”  Like a successful ad campaign, the more we can entice people to the programs of our church, the more likely they will “buy into” our church.  And, of course, the more people we have, the more elaborate our advertising (a.k.a. our programs) can be.  The more money we can spend on awesome and fun programs, the more people we will get to buy into our church.  There’s a pretty big (in terms of membership) nondenominational church in my community that offers a summer Bible school program where children can learn horseback riding while learning about God.  How cool is that?!  Who wouldn’t want to bring their child to that program?  Only here’s the question, would they still come if you took away the horseback riding?

So, what’s the problem, don’t we want to “convert” more people to Christ?  Our calling as a church has always been to proclaim the gospel to all whom we meet through conversation and action.  The purpose of doing this is to make others aware of the good news that we all have been freed from the punishment of sin and death through Christ’s death and resurrection.  The Holy Spirit uses us (which we are the church) in order to bring others to God through the proclamation of the gospel.  This should be the sole focus of the church.

The problem with putting so much emphasis on programs in order to get people to “buy into” our church (and I mean our individual churches, not the Christian Church in general) is that the focus of the church becomes all about growing the membership, “putting butts in seats” as the saying goes.  We turn the church into a business organism where the mission becomes about fueling the church’s membership, so that “my church” can last the test of time.

A lot of churches who are struggling to maintain membership numbers in order to keep their budgets in the black aren’t afraid of not being able to proclaim the gospel anymore (although, again, I’m generalizing from experience and I’m sure there are those out there who don’t want to close because they still feel called to proclaim the gospel), but they are afraid that they will lose their church building and their faith community.  They are afraid that their business-church will close.  So, they do all they can to encourage more people to join and give money to the church so that it can survive!  Like the stock market, the more investors you can get to buy into your business the more capital you will have to help your business grow.

But here’s the thing, Jesus never asked us to grow our churches.  Instead, Jesus has always asked us to go out and proclaim the good news to people; to proclaim the gospel!  This is the sole purpose of church—to share with the world the freedom we have in the gospel proclamation!  Because of this, the church’s mission has never been about creating more members; it has always been about sharing the gospel (a.k.a. God’s love) with all people. 

This means that, as a church, we need to move away from the business model and once again embrace the mission of going out a sharing the gospel with people, as well as gathering together to share in the sacraments, God’s physical means of grace, each week through the liturgy.  Success shouldn’t be measured by how many seats you fill at worship or how many people are in your Christian Education programs, but by how well we are proclaiming the gospel to others and how well we are building Christ-centered relationships with each other.

But what if my church closes?  I recognize that it can be hard to think about the fact that a church might have to close someday, especially if it was the church you grew up in.  Part of the gift of a faith community is the relationships we build with our church family members.  It can be hard to think that there could come a day where the church family we cherish will no longer exist.  However, I have two thoughts on this matter.  Firstly, we must remember that it isn’t “our” church, but it is God’s church.  Just because the church we grew up in might close does not mean that God’s church has died.  God has great plans instore for the whole Christian church.  This is why, in the ELCA at least, when a church closes we call it the completion of the church’s mission.  Their mission is complete, but other church’s still have a mission to carry on.  Because of this, when a church closes, it should be viewed as a thing to celebrate (even though it is at the same time a powerful loss that causes much grief).  This also gives people, who were at the congregation that closed, the opportunity to bring their gifts and talents to another faith community so that the mission of the whole Christian Church can continue.

Secondly, if we are so afraid of our church closing that we spend a lot of time and money getting people to buy into our church through programs, then do we really trust that God has a purpose for the church?  Focusing on just proclaiming the gospel and building Christ-centered relationships is a huge act of faith.  It causes us to put the growth into God’s hands and let God take lead.  This can be really scary (especially if you’re a control freak!).  Yet, it is also freeing to know that God is in charge and that any growth we experience is really up to God.  All we have to do is go out and proclaim the gospel and build Christ-centered relationships, we then trust that God will do God’s thing and transform the hearts of others (yes, through us!).  After all, who are we loyal to; the gospel or “my church?”  I would like to think it is the gospel.

 

See you in the conversation,
Pastor Zach

What Jesus Really Says About Divorce

The gospel text for last week was Mark 10:2-16, which tells the story of some Pharisees coming to Jesus and asking him how he viewed the law on divorce.  There were two schools of thought back then; the first school believed that a man could only divorce his wife in the case of adultery.  The other school was much more relaxed and felt that a man could divorce his wife for any reason.  Because of the latter school of thought, Moses listed in the law, in the book of Deuteronomy (cf. Deut. 24:1-4), that a man could issue his wife a certificate of divorce and divorce her.  The certificate was to certify that the woman hadn’t committed adultery and could be remarried.

Now, when the Pharisees asked Jesus what his interpretation of the law was (after all, Pharisees love to debate the meaning and intent of God’s law!), Jesus gave a radical answer in saying, “Because of your hardness of heart [Moses] wrote this commandment for you,” (Mar. 10:5b).  Then Jesus goes on to teach them and the disciples about how God created marriage to be a good gift and that the hardness of human hearts had twisted it and turned it into something hurtful.  Does this statement from Jesus mean that he abhors anyone who has been divorced?

It is my opinion that the answer to this question is no.  I don’t think Jesus was speaking about divorce itself, but rather the way a man could be free to divorce his wife for any reason, even if he didn’t like the way she looked.  Women couldn’t divorce their husbands if they didn’t like their husbands, for women were considered property.  Only men held the power to divorce, and Moses’ law made it easy for a man to divorce his wife for any reason.

But what about verses 10-12, when the disciples ask Jesus for further interpretation?  Most New Testament scholars believe that these two verses were not original to Mark’s gospel but a later addition.  This means that a scribe, at a later time, decided to add in his own interpretation to Mark’s story.  So, in my opinion, verses 10-12 are a human interpretation added later to try and make it more clear what Jesus was teaching.  This happens frequently in the gospels, especially with the more difficult teachings of Jesus.

So what is Jesus saying about divorce?  Well, if we go back to Genesis 2, we know that God created Adam and that Adam wanted a companion.  God brought Adam every creature that had been created, but none of them were a suitable companion for him.  Because of this, God placed Adam in a deep sleep and then God performed surgery and made woman out of a pair of Adam’s ribs.  God did this so that Adam would have a companion to love and journey through life with.  Out of love, God gave Adam a companion.

The original intent of God was that we humans would come together and be companions to each other; that two people could join in union together and start a family together.  However, because we live in a broken world where evil and sin pervert God’s good creation (which includes us!), divorce happens and relationships become broken.  So, when Jesus references Genesis 2 in verses 6-9 he is stating the original intent of marriage and human relationships.  Now, with this statement he is not condemning those who have gotten divorce, and he is not telling them that there is no place in God’s Kingdom for people who have been divorced.  He is just naming the reality that broken relationships happen due to evil and sin which causes human hearts to harden.

So where’s the good news?  Well, the good news is that, through his death and resurrection, Christ Jesus has reconciled the world.  Christ has destroyed the influence of evil and sin over us and has freed us to live in love and faith.  Christ did this because Christ Jesus knows the pain of broken relationships.  He knows the hurt that can happen when a marriage reaches the place of divorce.  Christ died to reconcile relationships, mainly our relationship with God which was broken since Adam, but also so that we would be freed to reconcile our own relationships.  This means that, while broken relationships and divorce will still happen, Christ has freed us to try and mend relationships, to act with forgiveness, and to form new relationships when previous relationships break and cannot be mended.  In other words, when divorce happens, Christ Jesus gives us forgiveness, healing, and others so that we can move on from the broken relationship.  Jesus gives us forgiveness so that we can know that God still loves us even though our marriage has ended.  Jesus gives us healing so that we can come to understand that we aren’t defined by our broken relationship, but that our true identity is still—beloved child of God.  Jesus surrounds us with others so that we can still find companionship.  That companionship may not result in another marriage (although it could), but it will mean that Christ will surround us with family, friends, neighbors, and our faith community to help us continue on in the journey so that we don’t have to walk through life alone.

So how should the church treat divorce?  Well, since Christ Jesus brings forgiveness, healing, and others to those who have divorced or have suffered from a broken relationship, we, the church, the Body of Christ, should also treat those who have divorced with forgiveness, healing, and surround them with love.  Divorce is a realty of our fallen world, yet God gave us each other so that we could have companionship throughout life.  That companionship is a gift of God’s love to us and for us.  To deny anyone that gift because they are divorced is to continue perverting God’s good creation and to act with hardened hearts. 

See you in the conversation,

Pastor Zach      

I'm Back! Plus, A Word (Okay, Several Words) About Gun Violence

Well, after a long hiatus, my blog is back under a new name (the former name was In My Theological Opinion).  I stopped blogging due to a change in my pastoral call and a move for my family.  Back in January my family and I moved to Cedar Rapids, IA and I began my new call as pastor of St. Andrew Lutheran Church ELCA in northeast Cedar Rapids.  Before that, I was busy into the call process and didn't have time to blog.  Since moving to Cedar Rapids, life has been crazy with selling our house; moving from a temporary apartment into our new home; my daughter starting child care (and potty training!), my wife starting nursing school, and the adjustment to my new call.  Now, after nine months of getting used to our new surroundings, I am ready to blog again! 

So, in light of (but not taken lightly!) the 294th mass shooting(http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/01/2015-274-days-294-mass-shootings-hundreds-dead/) this year in the United States alone, happening yesterday in Roseburg, OR at Umpqua Community College, here is my first post back.

Many people in the country (including myself) are asking the question: "Why?"  Why haven't we pursued further gun regulations?  Why haven't we addressed better means for treating mental health?  Why do politicians just pray and not act?  Why have we allowed another act of gun violence to happen in our country?  And the questions go on and on.

I'm sure there are many different reasons why things haven't changed in our country in regards to gun control, but I believe one of the biggest reasons is the fear of being vulnerable.  In her book The Power and Vulnerability of Love: A Theological Anthropology,

Elizabeth O'Donnell Gandolfo writes about how we as humans have an anxiety of being vulnerable, for being vulnerable places us in a place of weakness and danger.  Because of this fear, many of us try to do everything we can to pursue invulnerability (which she mentions can never be achieved by us for vulnerability is very much a part of our human nature).  Our pursuit of invulnerability leads us to create systems of oppression (i.e. not sharing resources with others) in order that we and our immediate families will survive and carry on.  The pursuit of invulnerability also leads us to deny the humanity in others, for other humans can be a threat to us.

It is my opinion that, for many Americans who carry guns, they fear the loss of power they have; they fear becoming vulnerable by not being able to defend themselves with a weapon.  But I also wonder if some of these people who carry guns also fail to recognize the person in other people.  That they see other people as potential dangerous objects instead of just another person. 

Now, I can tell you that not everyone who owns a gun has this fear, this attitude of needing to carry a weapon for self-defense.  When I was serving in northwestern Minnesota, I had several hunters in my congregation.  These people never frightened me because they knew that their shotgun was a hunting tool and nothing more.  They made sure to educate their children and/or grandchildren on proper gun safety, and they did not carry semi-automatic weapons.  Also, these hunters valued human life and taught their children to value life.

It is not the deer hunters of this country that causes me concern; rather, it is the attitude of those who want to carry guns for self-defense that causes me to worry.  It is also disconcerting to me that people can get access to military grade weapons.  Further gun control is needed in this country for sure! 

However, I do wonder if, in addition to gun control, there might be a way for us to do a better job at uplifting the humanity in each other; to recognize each person as created in God's image and therefore a beloved child of God.  This can only happen if we are willing to connect to each other's person, and we do that by a willingness to be vulnerable with each other.  When we share in each other's hardships, fears, anxieties, and joys, we connect to each other and we begin to empathize and develop compassion for each other.  In those moments of connection, Christ Jesus becomes manifest in the relationship.  In other words, as we connect to each other, we proclaim the love of Christ to each other.  That love has the power to transform our fears and worries into life.

When we are willing to connect to each other's person, we no longer see each other as objects or as dangerous; instead, we see each other as human and as God's good creation.  Remember, God created us good (Genesis 1:31).  Yes, evil is a reality in our world that can corrupt us, but we were originally created to be good. If we recognize the divinity in each other through being vulnerable with each other, then the fear will be replaced with love, and that gives us hope.

See you in the conversation!
Zach