January 8 Update from Eliana Maxim

‘Jesus said,
‘I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.’ Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him,
‘Surely we are not blind, are we?’”
(John 9:39-40)

Dear friends,

In the midst of the insurrection this past Wednesday in the U.S. Capitol, the Confederate flag was waved alongside the Christian and Nazi flags. After turning a blind eye to this country’s rising Christian nationalism for many years, here it was on vivid display for the world to see. As rioters broke windows and scaled the building fences, a wooden cross was erected.

The sacred symbols of our faith had been fully co-opted by national terrorists in order to legitimize rioting, the breach of federal buildings, and the violation of the U.S. Constitution. This had nothing to do with being conservative or progressive, liberal or traditional. This had everything to do with the mocking and derision of our faith.

As Christians we are called to see the world around us in a different light; to see its truths, no matter how painful or how closely they may hit home; to see how our blindness has wounded others, including God’s very own heart.

The truth is that in those hours of mayhem, we were witnesses to the blatant preferential treatment white rioters receive compared to protestors in past demonstrations. We heard many of these folks identify themselves as being in “God’s Army” or “Trump’s Army”, using the terms interchangeably. Many of them carried banners and posters vulgarly offensive to people of color and immigrants. All of them acted at the urging of an insecure, frightened despot. (Reminiscent of Herod, anyone?)

There was yet another time in history when the world watched white supremacy meld with Christian nationalism to give rise to narcissistic leadership, violence, and death, in order to further a false human construct of power and privilege.  

Good people of faith wrote in opposition: “We reject the false doctrine, as though the church in human arrogance could place the Word and work of the Lord in the service of any arbitrary chosen desires, purposes, and plans.” (The Theological Declaration of Barmen 8.28)

My friends, surely we are not blind are we? We who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior must not avert our eyes from the events on Wednesday or solely pray about them on Sunday. In the midst of hurt and pain, when we grieve and are angry as we were this past week, let us look for God in the chaos.

Let us commit ourselves to not only see the truth of the world around us, but to name it, oppose it in the name of the One who created us all and called it good. 

Rather than declare “But this isn’t us!”, let us confess that sadly, indeed this is us, but we can and will do better. The change starts with each of us because of Emmanuel, because of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. Our faith is not a thing to be transacted by politicians or hooligans. It is sacred and set apart from human depravity. Let us stand firm on this, no matter our political persuasions.

In grace and peace,

Eliana Maxim
Co-Executive Presbyter