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A Letter from our Bishop to You



In these times of angry politics, hard divisions, and hyper-political churches, I fear that when unchurched Americans think of a Christian, many think of the extremely conservative ones who play such a high-profile role in the right wing of our political landscape. While the term “evangelical” can apply to a broad range of Christians, the most politicalized have come to be known as “Evangelicals” in the US. These groups are generally fundamentalists (who take every word in the Bible literally) and Christian Nationalists (who believe Americans are exceptional in God’s eyes, are sure to fly the Stars and Stripes in their churches…and might even think God would recommend a certain Bible that comes with the US Constitution stitched into it).

 

On the other hand, the quieter wing of Christianity in our country (“Mainline Protestant” denominations like Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, and many others) tends to be more liberal. In these churches, women and gay pastors are commonplace, sanctity of life includes much more than a fetus, our Jewish and Muslim neighbors are welcome, and we understand that all people are children of God and, therefore, equally beloved. Sadly, while noisy and angry fundamentalists and Christian Nationalists grab the headlines and stoke the cultural wars that divide our country, the rest of us — who take “love thy neighbor” seriously — have been bullied out of the public eye.


How are we going to be?

 

The question “How are you going to be?” has been coming up and back to me, again and again. The question comes up most often at times when I’m feeling worried about our election. The question feels, to me, like a reassuring nudge from the Holy Spirit, prompting me to focus my energy and thoughts in a different way.

 

I always cringe when “doing” and “being” are pitted against each other, and during the election there are some very important things that we’re called to do. As Lutheran Christians, part of the way we live out our faith is by faithfully participating in civic life: voting, advocacy and engaging with law-making and law-makers. I’ve participated in non-partisan faith-based advocacy for many years, and I’ve seen firsthand the difference it makes when people of faith speak out. Throughout scripture, God’s people are repeatedly exhorted to care for “the alien, the orphan and the widow.” That’s why I vote, and that’s what I’m thinking about when I vote. Voting–and having a plan to vote and encourage others to vote–is an important and faithful thing to do.

 

In addition to the vital doing of these days, there’s also those lingering nudges about being. How am I going to be, in these last days leading up to the election, on election day, and in all the days that follow? How are we going to be, as a church? I think this question is helpful because it’s as much about God as it is about us. It prompts us to think about how we’re going to be rooted and grounded in scripture, in our baptismal calling, and in our core shared identity with our neighbors near and far: beloved children of God.

 

The resources we’re sharing today are focused on helping with that being piece: grounding us in our baptismal liturgy, scripture, and prayers that ELCA worship has gathered for election seasons. In the video, I invite you to participate with me in a beautiful liturgy that comes to us from the ecumenical catechumenate–a way of welcoming people of all ages, but particularly adults, into baptism that dates back to the earliest days of the Church. The liturgy invites us to make the sign of the cross on our heart, our eyes, our hands … even our feet, which sometimes takes some time (or a friend) to accomplish. There is something so tangibly reassuring about remembering Christ’s promises in this way together: we have been marked with this sign of endless, unconditional love, and that gives us our embodied answer, our way to be in the world and in relationship with God and our neighbors.

 

May we perceive the hope to which Christ has called us! And may we be the church, together, praying with and for each other this week and in the days to come.



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