CHRISTIAN: It's time to make a new confession | Community

EDITOR'S NOTE: The weekly Heart & Home column by Gina Noe will be back soon. From here, here is a chronicle of Dr. Curtis Christian. Christian's columns typically appear in the Weekend in Inspire Weekend edition.

The general expectation among many Christians in the benches is that pastors should not preach pulpit policy. Because the pulpit is too powerful and too sacred to be misused to advance the pastor's political ideology. And with the exception of the intersection between political action and Christ's ethical teachings, the pulpit should never be a place conducive to political partisanship.

Unfortunately, many Christians in our country do not seem to apply the same expectation to politicians and political leaders. . So many of our political leaders have co-opted the person of Jesus Christ, not for the love and compassion that our Savior taught, but to hide in His holy image for their own political ends and personal gains. And perhaps the reason why we are fighting, even challenging, our political leaders campaigning under the banner of Jesus, is that we Christians have forgotten the mission and message of our Lord. Politicians have been able to politicize and polarize the image of Christ for their own purposes because we Christians have become biblically illiterate and theologically uninformed.

We are witnessing extremely polarizing events in the history of our country: white nationalism; racism; misogyny; harassment; aggression; abuse; and the manifest lie that no longer claims to be true. For this reason, many church leaders believe that the very integrity of the Christian faith is at stake. Church leaders across our country are calling for a new confession of faith at this time of year. national crisis – a confessional declaration to claim the name of Jesus Christ. As a church leader, it is my duty in Christ to tell the truth in humility and love. And when politics undermines our theology, we must examine these policies.

Thus, to claim the name of Jesus Christ, I refer to this confession of faith:

We believe that every human being is made in the image and likeness of God Genesis 1:26 ), and that racial bigotry is a brutal assault on the image of God. Therefore, we reject the resurgence of white nationalism and racism on many fronts, including the highest levels of political leadership. And we reject any political doctrine or strategy that uses race as a tool to divide us.

We believe that the way we treat the hungry, the stranger, the sick, the prisoner, is the way we treat Christ Himself (Matthew 25: 31-46). Therefore, we reject the policies that would abandon the most vulnerable children of God. We deplore the growing attacks against immigrants and refugees. We will not accept the negligence of low income families and children.

We believe that truth is morally central in our lives (Exodus 20:16). Jesus promises that the truth will make us free (John 8:32). Therefore, we reject the lies that have invaded our political and civil life. The normalization of lies presents a deep moral danger to the fabric of society.

We believe that Christ's leadership is service and not dominion (Matthew 20: 25-26). Therefore, we reject any move towards an autocratic political leadership and an authoritarian regime, which threaten the common good.

We believe in Jesus when He calls us to go to all nations and to make disciples (Matthew 28:18). Our churches are part of an international community, and we should, in turn, love and serve all its inhabitants rather than seek first the dominance of our country over all others. Therefore, we reject an "America First" philosophy as theological heresy. We share a patriotic love for our country, but we reject the xenophobic or ethnic nationalism that places our country above others.

Two thousand years ago, claiming Jesus as Lord was a dangerous and political act. Because, if Jesus is the Lord, then Caesar is not. Today, we must recover this name of Jesus – by claiming his holy and powerful name from those who would co – opt him and use it to seek their own gain. Jesus is our light in the darkness. In moments of moral crisis like this, it is time to make a new confession of faith.