If the Baptist flag is the most prominent decoration in your sanctuary…you might be a fundamentalist.
The Evilest of Days
At the end of October comes a day so horrible and unthinkably evil that it is only spoken of in whispers by fundamentalists. Some go so far as to completely misconstrue the purpose and history behind this day and to claim that they have not been nor will ever be any part of it. I’m speaking, of course, of the celebration of Reformation Day.
Fundamentalists have mixed feelings about the Reformation in general. On the one hand they do dearly love church splits and anything that makes the Pope angry. On the other hand, the Reformation is what gave us Lutherans. Fundies tend to somewhat admire Martin Luther (they do dearly love a rebel as long as the rebellion isn’t against them) apart from his propensity for beer, rough language, and public consubstatiation. They do not, however, have much love in general for anybody who can claim Luther as their spiritual ancestor.
My recommendation for tonight is that you visit your local fundamentalist Harvest Festival (which is coincidentally planned to fall on the same night as that other holiday) dressed as one of the Reformers and reciting the text of Martin Luther’s challenge to “sin boldly.” Find the pastor and suggest that everybody pause to observe the Eucharist. Loudly ask where the beer is and suggest that it might be a good idea to hold baptisms in it. As far as fundamentalists are concerned it will be one of the scariest things they’ve ever experienced.
Ecclesia semper reformanda. Fundamentalists assure me that the best translation of this is “Tracts are better than candy apples.” Make of this what you will.
Disaster Relief
Disaster strikes. People are hurting. People may be sick, hungry or thirsty. They may be displaced from their homes needing a place to sleep or someone to tell them if their loved ones are safe.
When we look down at this scene what would we see Jesus doing amidst the chaos and heartbreak? Can you see him standing at a shelter handing out food and blankets? Easily. In your mind’s eye is he healing the sick and comforting the frightened? Of course. Can you picture him opening the church doors and welcoming in people who need shelter? Without a doubt.
But can you even in your darkest imaginings think of him standing off to one side sermonizing about how it is these people or their parents who have sinned and brought this calamity to pass? Can you see him so completely paranoid of giving a “social gospel” that he is completely unprepared to offer anything in the way of help but moralistic platitudes? Can we in our wildest dreams imagine a self-righteous Christ waggling his finger in the faces of the homeless and hurting and telling them that what they really need is a heavenly home later instead of compassion right now. The mind boggles.
I do not believe that many who claim to be the best behaved Christians have ever really met Christ. Or if they did once meet him they must have found him intolerable to their higher sensibilities.
If you’d like to help with disaster relief, the folks at World Vision are there helping. You can learn more here.
The REAL Reason for Hurricane Sandy
Here I was thinking that this sort of thing was just rain (and sustained winds) falling on the just and unjust. But thanks to defendproclaimthefaith.org, I now know that it’s a judgment of God for America’s lack of support for Israel.
I should have known. It was obvious. I don’t know how I missed it.
GOH: The Value of One
“The Holy Spirit has been working to soften up a heart all He needs is a willing servant to simply do his part”
That’s some amazing theology right there.