More than sound bites....

More than sound bites….

In this long political season, I am continually fascinated and sometimes horrified by the place of religion national arena. I feel totally frustrated when I read or hear statements by preachers or commentators who grandly assume they have the definitive word about the faith I cherish. It’s especially hard when the Christian faith is represented by those whose views are narrow and arrogant (in my opinion). Often these come in religious “sound bites”, consisting of key words and phrases that tend to oversimplify the issues. Considering the religious views of current candidates for public office, as well as media commentators, I’ve found myself wishing that I could instruct them on biblical background and theological perspectives. And here I, too, am a bit arrogant.

When asked a question about the Christian faith, I give much more than sound bites. I tend to respond like the parent in that old story about the child who came home from kindergarten asking, “Where did I come from?” The parent believes the future mental health of the child is at stake, and is thoroughly prepared for this question. She takes a deep breath and goes into a complete physiological explanation of human reproduction. When she pauses, the child responds, “Oh…well, I just wondered…the new kid at school came from Chicago.”

Like that parent, I want to answer every question with a great many words, with deep background and many nuances. But on reflection, I find I do have some relatively brief statements of my faith, borrowing heavily from creeds of the church.

I believe in God as Creator and loving and wise Parent. I believe God works in our lives through the Holy Spirit, through the actions of others, through the events of every day. I believe God wants good for the world and everyone in it, and that God calls us as disciples toward that end. I believe that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to God’s self, showing us what it means to be fully human. I believe in Jesus as the incarnation of God’s love and grace for the world, challenging us to love as he loved. I believe in the Holy Spirit as the comforting, disturbing, and empowering presence of God in our lives. I believe that sin is whatever we do or choose that separates us from God, others, and our best selves, but that, in the paraphrased words of the Apostle Paul, nothing can finally separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. I believe that we are saved from our sin for new life in Christ. I believe that the Kingdom of God is in the midst of us wherever people are feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the sick…and that the Kingdom is always coming, but still to come. I believe that the Holy Scriptures are a great gift, and that we are called to use the best resources we have to understand what they tell us of the past, how they speak to us today, and where they guide us for the future. I believe in the church as the beloved community, the Body of Christ in the world

I am grateful that I was born into a family and a community where the Christian faith—especially the United Methodist expression of it—is cherished, but I know that my experience is not universal. I respect every other expression of faith that leads to life and love, and trust God to know what is in the hearts of all people. And in the end, perhaps I’m willing to affirm a sound bite of sorts, quoting John McMullen’s great friend, the unofficial mayor of south Austin, Danny Young: “Love ‘em all and let God sort ‘em out.” .

I would love to have your comments—I always welcome instruction!