The world is a beautiful, and broken, place. Today more than ever, we see the world’s pain every time we access the news. It is overwhelming, to the point where it is tempting to shut down, burrow in, and ignore the world in hopes that a better day will come. We may feel the need to protect ourselves and our families if we can, knowing that many outside our circle are suffering, and feeling powerless to do anything about it.

 

But this, as we know, is not the call of our faith. At the Synod Assembly in 2024, the Central States Synod adopted a resolution to become a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Synod. We often think about this as being about welcoming members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and it is, but being an RIC Synod is far more than that. At its heart, this resolution is about committing ourselves as a Synod to a deep Gospel value— to embrace all people as beloved of God as we live out our mission: United with Christ in Baptism. Traveling the way of Jesus. Joining God’s reign of justice and radical love in the world.

 

In response to the executive orders and other actions of the current administration, Bishop Candea wrote in February of this year,

“The flurry of executive orders from President Trump that target undocumented and vulnerable immigrants, denounce the humanity and value of transgender and non-binary individuals, and cancel programs that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion of all persons have brought harm, fear, and division to our country rather than healing, hope, and life.”

This is no less true today than it was in February, and since that time, many have been added to the list of those specifically threatened, including immigrants that have documentation, the people of Ukraine and Gaza, lawyers and Department of Justice representatives who have called President Trump’s past and present actions into question, those who depend on social security and Medicaid, and citizens engaging in legal protest against government policies.

 

More concerning, these policies have been defended on the basis of Christian Nationalist principles. These are actions based not in Jesus’ call to love our neighbor, the stranger, the orphan, the widow, and poor with an expansive, inclusive love that has no limits, but in a desire to claim and consolidate power and wealth, and reject all outsiders, no matter what harm it does to those who are vulnerable. These are actions that claim to honor God, while they demand unquestioning obedience to a human being.

 

What, then, are we as church called to do, in such a time as this?

​

1. Call out evil, and name where the vulnerable are being harmed.
   Martin Luther, inspired by his deep and passionate study of scripture, described a theology of the cross focused on the suffering of Christ crucified, and a theology of glory which desires power through our human efforts. Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation says: “A theology of glory calls evil good and good evil. A theology of the cross calls the thing what it actually is.” In other words, theologians of the cross must be bold and prophetic when faced with good and evil; they must call a thing what it is. And this is where we start. In short, we are witnessing evil, and we as Christian Lutheran theologians of the cross, uniting in baptism, traveling the way of Jesus, and joining God’s reign of justice and radical love in the world, must call it evil.
    

2. Pray to use knowledge, wisdom and power to foster the common good.
   The draft of the ELCA’s Social Statement Civic Life and Faith offers helpful guidance to us. It reminds us that Luther taught us that every time we pray for our daily bread, we not only pray that we ourselves have what we need, but that all people, even those who do evil, have what is necessary for abundant life. Civic Life and Faith says ​“. . . human beings are inherently social creatures and necessarily political beings. God’s intent is for human beings to use knowledge, wisdom, and power to foster the common good . . . It is sin when God’s gifts to humans are not used for the neighbor’s good and the self is turned in on itself (Matthew 22:36-40). Sin is expressed both personally and in human systems.” [Pg 4]
    

3. Work together toward a civic life that better reflects God’s vision for a more just and reconciled world.
   There is a need for on-going self-reflection and renewal as individuals and communities of faith, and to not grow weary at a time such as this. Civic Life and Faith goes on to say, “The ELCA encourages individuals and worshipping communities to work together toward a civic life that better reflects God’s vision for a more just and reconciled world. The various forms of advocacy offer ways to press civic leaders and public policy makers to respect the needs and dignity of all persons and our common home, with special concern for the vulnerable.” [Pg 6]
   
   The statement reminds us, “The United States is not a “Christian nation.” It was not founded on specifically Christian principles, though Christians and Christianity did influence its ethos. The premise of the Constitution and its ratification is that the sovereign is “we the people,” not “we the Christians.”” [Pg 7]

 

What, then, are we to do, in such a time as this? Come together, immerse ourselves in the love of God whose promises celebrated in baptism that unifies us never fail. We travel the way that Jesus traveled. And we claim that God’s reign of justice and radical love is not only possible, but inevitable . . . and is already happening, in the now and the not yet.