Independence Day and Trinity Sunday: Which Do You Observe?
If I were to set the over/under on the percentage of evangelical churches who said the pledge of allegence and sang the Star Spangeled Banner, I would set it at 88%. What gets me about these churches though is that they would look askance at the suggestion that we say the Apostle's or Nicean Creed or sing The Church's One Foundation. Why are churches who are self-consciously against the Church Calendar (i.e., Trinity Sunday, Ascension Sunday) the very same churches who consistently and without hesitation keep the National Calendar (i.e., Memorial Day and Independence Day)? Why celebrate American holidays but not those holy days the Church has for centuries celebrated? Why wouldn't they confesss what they believe and where their allegences lie by reciting, in unison, the Nicean Creed? [By the by, this kind of thinking is the same that will argue against paedobaptism on the basis that there isn't an explicite command to do so but with in the very next breath ask when you are going to dedicate your baby despite an explicite command to do that!]
There are several reasons for thise kind of thinking I suppose, lack of understanding what worship is about, phobias about things that look remotely Catholic, etc., but not the least, I suggest, is that they have a fundamental misunderstanding of where their loyalties should lie. Our loyalties are not first and foremost with America. How can they be? Our loyalties should first and foremost lie with the Kingdom and the Church, whose job it is to exapand that Kingdom. Now, before you label me anti- or un-American, don't get me wrong. I am thankful for those who have fought in wars to protect America. My grandpa and cousin both served and I have friends and other family who have also served. They are truly heroes. I think America is swell. I'm not interested in living anywhere else and given the right circumstances, I'd fight to protect it. But that is my point. The reasons would have to be darn good ones. But for the Church and Kingdom, I am called daily to fight and I'm much more willing to do that (though I fail at it often). For many, the Church is nothing more than a haven for conservative Republicans and if you aren't one of those you probably aren't Christian. Somewhere along the line, Church and State got all mixed up. We need men and women who are followers of Christ first, and Republicans (or better perhaps, Independents or Libertarians) last.
There are several reasons for thise kind of thinking I suppose, lack of understanding what worship is about, phobias about things that look remotely Catholic, etc., but not the least, I suggest, is that they have a fundamental misunderstanding of where their loyalties should lie. Our loyalties are not first and foremost with America. How can they be? Our loyalties should first and foremost lie with the Kingdom and the Church, whose job it is to exapand that Kingdom. Now, before you label me anti- or un-American, don't get me wrong. I am thankful for those who have fought in wars to protect America. My grandpa and cousin both served and I have friends and other family who have also served. They are truly heroes. I think America is swell. I'm not interested in living anywhere else and given the right circumstances, I'd fight to protect it. But that is my point. The reasons would have to be darn good ones. But for the Church and Kingdom, I am called daily to fight and I'm much more willing to do that (though I fail at it often). For many, the Church is nothing more than a haven for conservative Republicans and if you aren't one of those you probably aren't Christian. Somewhere along the line, Church and State got all mixed up. We need men and women who are followers of Christ first, and Republicans (or better perhaps, Independents or Libertarians) last.
posted by Josh at 7:28 PM
9 Comments:
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I think that the idea of "calendar" is inherent to us. We have to have some sense of where we are in the year and in our culture. A metanarrative. Without the church's calendar, we have to have something, so we choose SuperBowl Sunday, election day, Ind Day, Mother's and Father's Day, etc so we can stay connected.
A bad trade, but perhaps we can have some of both? Or, better than that, all of one and just a teensy bit of the other?
tereo,
I'd love to see the calendar you're creating when you finish.
Josh, first, it was great to see you on Saturday. Your family is beautiful. I'm glad we're family, which almost guarantees we'll see each other again. Lord willing...
Second, I once downloaded a church calendar to my PDA. I immediately regretted the decision. There was probably some good information there, like Trinity Sunday and Ascension Sunday, but every other day was marked with someone who was born or died or wrote or said something. And I couldn't undo it. I spent a while trying to delete everything, but then I just let it go. It copied that info onto my calendar for like the next 10 years.
Anyway, I like your thoughts. I can't comment because I've never thought about it before. Maybe I will ruminate and get back to you.
Oh...and I'll take the Over.
Eric,
Thanks for coming by the blog. Kirsten and I were glad to sit and talk with you and Megan. It's good to hear you are doing so well way out West. I'd love to hear your thoughts once you've ruminated sufficiently.
Ah Tereo, seeing the letter and missing the spirit. I think you've missed it. This was less a tirade and more the pointing out of a bad argument. My purpose was to point out that those who argue, for whatever reason (i.e., not commanded in Scripture), that one ought not keep the Church calendar but who will, without any second thought whatsoever, march out a color guard and sing God Bless America haven't a leg to stand on.
What is more, alluding to Paul's exhortation, to wit, "one man thinks certain days are important and another thinks every day the same" quite simply misses Paul's point. He was speaking about those things which are left up to the individual consciouses of Christians to exercise their freedom in Christ. He was not talking about what is to occur in public corporate worship. If someone wants to blast I'm Proud to be an American in the comfort of his own home then you would be correct to chide me for this little 'tirade'. As it stands, however, this was not what I was doing. I have no bone to pick what that man; those with whom I do have a bone to pick are those who give no thought to what should take place in the public, corporate worship of God's people. What goes on there is, in my mind, fairly regulated by Scripture and it certainly doesn't include Lee Greenwood leading the choir.
Daniel,
I agree with your general idea, but many would argue quite convincingly that although marred and imperfect Western culture was created and spread by the growth of Christianity. If this is not correct the string of coincidences as far as the spread of Christianity and Western culture is unprecedented. I think we should watch out for trendy ideas that assume that their are no reasons rooted in solid theology for things like capitalism and other mainstays of Western culture.
I really like the pledge to the Christian flag and the pledge to the Bible. That's some good stuff.
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