Today, there is a choice for Christians to make: will we choose Christian nationalism, a perversion of Christianity that provides cover for white nationalism and claims power through violent actions against peaceful protesters to stage a photo op with the Bible as a prop? Or, will we choose Christianity, the one shown by St. John’s Church this week, with anti-racist action and works of justice and mercy? Our faith and our religious liberty are at stake.
What is our work to do? It’s a personal question that I believe every White person in this country needs to be asking herself right now. For me, it starts with understanding the roots of racism and implicit bias.
Our daily lives are changing at a rapid pace, only eclipsed by the frightening speed with which the coronavirus is spreading in our country and around the world. Faith surfaces for many as the fundamental framework that gives overwhelming comfort and meaning to life.
We are leaning into that first word in our tagline – faith – and our distinctive nature as a faith-based group. While the day-in, day-out work of our mission may seem less urgent as we face a global public health crisis, the heart of our mission remains vital. Ensuring that every person has the freedom to believe and to act on those beliefs without unnecessary government interference is core to a flourishing human existence.
The specifics of the travel ban have changed over the past three years, but this fact remains: this policy, no matter how much it undergoes chameleon-like aesthetic adjustments, is ultimately rooted in anti-Muslim bias.
