Shortly before the war in Iraq broke out, an organization called "Not in Our Name" was formed. This group solicited the signatures of thousands of people, and it proclaimed that the proposed Iraq War was unjust, and even if the Bush administration went ahead and prosecuted the war on behalf of all Americans, those who signed the document proclaimed that the war would not be waged in their name. The name or names associated with actions, both great and dastardly, are important, for the deeds reflect on the character of those names. When Peter and the other disciples were arrested and brought before the religious leaders, they were asked in whose name they acted. Peter didn't hesitate to give an answer. The man who had been healed had been healed in the name of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, he said, all of them intended to continue preaching and acting in the name of Jesus, for "there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved." Peter was proud to be associated with the name of Jesus, and he was likewise proud to connect Jesus' name with the miraculous healing of a man who had been born lame. Over the centuries the name of Jesus has been associated with many such acts of mercy. Hospitals, soup kitchens, clothing closets, and refugee resettlement programs, just to name a few, have all been started in the name of Christ. Unfortunately, many atrocities have also been committed in Jesus' name: pogroms against the Jews, the Crusades, innumerable internecine wars, and even the extermination of the native inhabitants of the Americas and Australia, again, just to name a few. Events like these tarnish the name of Christ, at the same time as acts of mercy and charity burnish his name. No one can undo the past, but Christians need to be aware of the past as we move forward in this still new millennium. We must support causes that we think reflect the ideals of Jesus, and must vigorously oppose those that do not. A great Christian leader, William Sloane Coffin, who died a couple of weeks ago, was a good example of a Christian who was not afraid to take unpopular stances in favor of or against certain movements in society, based on his understanding of the example of Jesus. He supported the Civil Rights Movement at a time when few other white religious leaders did. He opposed the Vietnam War, again when few other Christian leaders were doing so. We need to learn to follow his example in supporting proposals and deeds that reflect well on the name of Christ and opposing those who don't. And when other Christians support positions that seem completely contrary to the example of Christ, we can't be afraid to stand up and say vociferously, "Not in my name!"
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I am a sheep; I have short legs, and I don't run very fast.
I am a sheep; I usually follow the other sheep, but every now and then I see something that interests me, and I pursue it, sometimes to my own harm.
I am a sheep; some think I'm cute and cuddly, but others think I'm just a tasty snack.
I am a sheep; I have lots of fur, which makes me kind of valuable, but if someone wants to take it, there's nothing I can do to stop them.
I am a sheep; I don't have sharp teeth or a mean bite, so I'm at the mercy of wolves.
I am a sheep; I'm frightened easily by storms at night.
I am a sheep; I'm not the wiliest animal around.
I am a sheep; if I run out of food, who will feed me?
I am a sheep; my parents were sheep, and my grandparents before them, so there's little hope I'll ever be anything else.
I am a sheep; I can't make it on my own.
I am a sheep; I need a shepherd.
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I was taking an online test recently to determine which theologian I was most like. I was given a series of thirty statements, and I had to mark whether I strongly disagreed, disagreed, somewhat disagreed, somewhat agreed, agreed, or strongly agreed with each one. Some questions were easy enough, but one caught my attention. "God hates the sin but loves the sinner." My initial reaction was to say that I strongly agree, but I was hesitant to mark that answer, because the saying is all too often a rallying cry for people who really do hate the sinner along with the sin. (There are also disagreements concerning what are sins.) Of course, those who use the statement regularly deny that they hate the sinner along with the sin, but their words and deeds betray their true feelings. Let's take the issue of homosexuality, which many conservative Christians consider to be a sin. Many outspoken homophobes on the Christian right claim that they love homosexuals, but they hate homosexuality. However, articles on the Web site of the Family Research Institute, a group that criticized James Dobson as being too far to the left on this issue, suggest that homosexuality leads to serial murder, pedophilia, necrophilia, and other terrible acts. Articles on this Web site are thinly veiled--or perhaps completely unveiled--attempts to incite people to hate homosexuals. This site is just one small step removed from the godhatesfags.com site of Kansas "pastor" Fred Phelps. Our reading from 1 John says, "Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action." Inciting people to hate is not love. Neither is failing to stand up to hate speech when we encounter it. May God grant us the courage to love those who are the targets of other people's hate, and to oppose their oppressors in the name of Christ.
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On 28 October 1965, the Second Vatican Council of the Roman Catholic Church issued a startling, amazing document. Nostra Aetate, also known as the Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, shocked many believers by its positive attitude and sense of respect that it showed toward people of other faith traditions. Here are some sample statements from this remarkable document. "Men look to their different religions for an answer to the unsolved riddles of human existence." "Other religions which are found throughout the world attempt in their own ways to calm the hearts of men by outlining a program of life covering doctrine, moral precepts and sacred rites." "The Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions." "The Church, therefore, urges her sons to enter with prudence and charity into discussions and collaborations with members of other religions." Noting the history of rivalry, persecution, and mutual animosity that Christianity has had with other religions, "The sacred Council now pleads with all to forget the past, and urges that a sincere effort be made to achieve mutual understanding; for the benefit of all men, let them together preserve and promote peace, liberty, social justice and moral values." Finally, "We cannot truly pray to God the Father of all if we treat any people in other than brotherly fashion, for all men are created in God's image." Leaving aside the non-inclusive language, these statements indicated that the Catholic Church was ready to take a giant step forward in interfaith relations, a step that some Protestant denominations have also taken but that many more have yet to take. Jesus tells his disciples, "I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd." In its original context these comments referred to the Gentiles, who were to be incorporated into the believing community, which at that point was entirely Jewish. In our day, when the church is almost entirely Gentile, is it possible that Jesus' message to his followers should be interpreted as reaching out to people of other faiths, not in an effort to convert them (though we should always offer the option of joining the Christian fold to those who feel led) but in an attempt to find common ground, to foster respect, and to work together on common goals? I think the answer is clearly yes. As Nostra Aetate proclaims, based on scripture, all people are created in God's image, so we are all brothers and sisters in God. It is time we started acting like it.
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