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On Tuesday, the Fourth of July, after the people of St. Cyprian’s have shared a hot dog picnic dinner with the homeless in our area, there will be grand fireworks over the Oldest City in America as we celebrate the nation’s 241st birthday … the anniversary of the date when the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress. For almost two-and-a-half centuries we have been an experiment in democracy … a nation governed by her people. The people who founded this nation were people of faith, and 241 years later faith is still prominent in the discussions about our government. But in a nation with a growing diversity of faith opinions, what role does faith have in determining the rules and laws by which we live in this country?
4 Pentecost
The Sunday Before Independence Day
July 2, 2017
In the name of the God of all Creation,
The God alive in each of us as God was alive in Jesus,
And the power of God known in the Spirit.
Amen.
The Sunday Before Independence Day
July 2, 2017
In the name of the God of all Creation,
The God alive in each of us as God was alive in Jesus,
And the power of God known in the Spirit.
Amen.
So, when faced with the choices about my sermon this morning I had several: The story of the almost sacrifice of Isaac by his father; the reading from Matthew about radical hospitality; or about Independence Day and the intersection of faith and politics in our world today. I even thought I’d let you choose which sermon I’d preach.
On Tuesday, the Fourth of July, after the people of St. Cyprian’s have shared a hot dog picnic dinner with the homeless in our area, there will be grand fireworks over the Oldest City in America as we celebrate the nation’s 241st birthday … the anniversary of the date when the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress. For almost two-and-a-half centuries we have been an experiment in democracy … a nation governed by her people. The people who founded this nation were people of faith, and 241 years later faith is still prominent in the discussions about our government. But in a nation with a growing diversity of faith opinions, what role does faith have in determining the rules and laws by which we live in this country?
The words of the Declaration of Independence are taught in our schools, and we hear them ring in speeches at civic gatherings and in the halls of government. I can remember as a child going on a school fieldtrip to Philadelphia and buying a copy of the Declaration of Independence printed on golden crinkly paper made to look like aged parchment. On it was written:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
The signing of the Declaration of Independence was the defining moment in the history of this country. The founders of our nation were saying that just because we were colonies of Britain it did not make us any less worthy of justice and fairness. Those words were the guiding principal behind everything that was to follow: The Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the interpretation of them in the legislature and courts. In many ways those words function like a mission statement identifying the core values of the people of this nation.
However, living out that mission has not always been easy. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were all white Christian men. They were all Caucasian; they were all Christians; and they were all male. Sixteen of them were Episcopalians. It was the culture of the day, and that culture of privilege was taken for granted by most people, especially those who were white Christian men. So, if “all men are created equal” to whom did this equality apply? Just who was worthy of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?” Did that include literally everyone? Did it include slaves and the Native Americans who were called “Indians”? “All men are created equal.” Was this a generic use of “men” referring to all human beings, or was it specific to the male gender? The issue of which “men” were created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights has not been an easy one for this country to figure out; an issue that often led to violence. In the 21st Century we may take for granted that men and women of all races and colors are considered “equals” under the law, but that was not always the case.
Being a citizen has it rights. It also has its responsibilities. The founders of this country asserted that we are endowed with certain unalienable rights by our Creator. We, as a people of faith, believe that. Our particular faith in this congregation is the Christian faith based upon the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus. We believe that we are citizens of God’s realm. We actually believe that all human life belongs to God’s realm. Justice is one the rights of that citizenship, and sharing justice among all of God’s citizens, present and yet to come, is our responsibility. And we believe that justice embraces “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
On this Sunday before Independence Day I want to acknowledge and affirm the role of faith in the founding of this country. I also believe strongly in the separation of Church and State for the protection of both the Church and the State. In recent years the intersection of faith and government has been very visible in issues such the marriage of same sex couples and the definition of “family.” Issues like abortion rights, Darwin’s theory of evolution vs. “Creationism.” Moreover, there are a whole host of medical issues such as stem cell research, who can authorize the removal of life support in certain cases, and health care for the most vulnerable in our society. If faith had a role at our country’s founding it certainly has a role today. But then, who speaks for the people of faith?
John C. Danforth is a Republican who served for 18 years as a United States Senator from the state of Missouri, and also served as a United States Ambassador to the United Nations. John C. Danforth is also the Rev. John C. Danforth, an Episcopal priest. The Rev. John C. Danforth officiated at the funeral of President Ronald Reagan at the National Cathedral in June of 2004. A year later, in 2005, he wrote an Op-Ed article for the New York Times titled "Onward, Moderate Christian Soldiers." I believe that his piece written 12 years ago is just as relevant today as it was then. The Rev. John C. Danforth wrote:
It would be an oversimplification to say that America's culture wars are now between people of faith and nonbelievers. People of faith are not of one mind, whether on specific issues like stem cell research and government intervention in the case of Terri Schiavo, or the more general issue of how religion relates to politics.
[For those who may not remember, Terry Schiavo was a young woman on life support in St. Petersburg. There was a long legal battle about who had the right to continue or end her dependence upon life support.]
In recent years, conservative Christians have presented themselves as representing the one authentic Christian perspective on politics. With due respect for our conservative friends, equally devout Christians come to very different conclusions.
It is important for those of us who are sometimes called moderates to make the case that we, too, have strongly held Christian convictions, that we speak from the depths of our beliefs, and that our approach to politics is at least as faithful as that of those who are more conservative. Our difference concerns the extent to which government should, or even can, translate religious beliefs into the laws of the state.
People of faith have the right, and perhaps the obligation, to bring their values to bear in politics. Many conservative Christians approach politics with a certainty that they know God's truth, and that they can advance the kingdom of God through governmental action.
Moderate Christians are less certain about when and how our beliefs can be translated into statutory form, not because of a lack of faith in God but because of a healthy acknowledgement of the limitations of human beings. Like conservative Christians, we attend church, read the Bible and say our prayers.
But for us, the only absolute standard of behavior is the commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves. Repeatedly in the Gospels, we find that the Love Commandment takes precedence when it conflicts with laws. We struggle to follow that commandment as we face the realities of everyday living, and we do not agree that our responsibility to live as Christians can be codified by legislators.
We think that efforts to haul references of God into the public square, into schools and courthouses, are far more apt to divide Americans than to advance faith.
For us, religion should be inclusive, and it should seek to bridge the differences that separate people. We do not exclude from worship those whose opinions differ from ours.
Following a Lord who sat at the table with tax collectors and sinners, we welcome to the Lord's table all who would come. Following a Lord who cited love of God and love of neighbor as encompassing all the commandments, we reject a political agenda that displaces that love.
(NY Times, June 17, 2005)
Again, this was written 12 years ago in 2005, but it seems to me to be just as relevant today as it was then.
Our holy scriptures speak of justice and compassion; of hope for a better world for future generations; and of calling us to extraordinary reconciliation. The founders of this nation spoke of justice for everyone; a hope for generations yet to come; and extraordinary inclusion beyond the existing cultural norms.
On this Sunday before Independence Day we are reminded that this nation is filled with people who express their faith in many different ways. Our way takes seriously what Jesus took seriously.
Our faith … even a moderate or progressive Christian faith … has a role in the intersection of faith and government. Being a citizen has it rights. It also has its responsibilities. One or ours is not to be silenced by louder voices. It is important for those of us who are sometimes called moderates or progressives to make the case that we, too, have strongly held Christian convictions, that we speak from the depths of our beliefs, and that our approach to politics is at least as faithful as that of those who are more conservative.
I end with the alternative collect to be read on Independence Day … the Collect for the Nation:
Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace; Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Amen.
On Tuesday, the Fourth of July, after the people of St. Cyprian’s have shared a hot dog picnic dinner with the homeless in our area, there will be grand fireworks over the Oldest City in America as we celebrate the nation’s 241st birthday … the anniversary of the date when the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress. For almost two-and-a-half centuries we have been an experiment in democracy … a nation governed by her people. The people who founded this nation were people of faith, and 241 years later faith is still prominent in the discussions about our government. But in a nation with a growing diversity of faith opinions, what role does faith have in determining the rules and laws by which we live in this country?
The words of the Declaration of Independence are taught in our schools, and we hear them ring in speeches at civic gatherings and in the halls of government. I can remember as a child going on a school fieldtrip to Philadelphia and buying a copy of the Declaration of Independence printed on golden crinkly paper made to look like aged parchment. On it was written:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
The signing of the Declaration of Independence was the defining moment in the history of this country. The founders of our nation were saying that just because we were colonies of Britain it did not make us any less worthy of justice and fairness. Those words were the guiding principal behind everything that was to follow: The Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the interpretation of them in the legislature and courts. In many ways those words function like a mission statement identifying the core values of the people of this nation.
However, living out that mission has not always been easy. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were all white Christian men. They were all Caucasian; they were all Christians; and they were all male. Sixteen of them were Episcopalians. It was the culture of the day, and that culture of privilege was taken for granted by most people, especially those who were white Christian men. So, if “all men are created equal” to whom did this equality apply? Just who was worthy of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?” Did that include literally everyone? Did it include slaves and the Native Americans who were called “Indians”? “All men are created equal.” Was this a generic use of “men” referring to all human beings, or was it specific to the male gender? The issue of which “men” were created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights has not been an easy one for this country to figure out; an issue that often led to violence. In the 21st Century we may take for granted that men and women of all races and colors are considered “equals” under the law, but that was not always the case.
Being a citizen has it rights. It also has its responsibilities. The founders of this country asserted that we are endowed with certain unalienable rights by our Creator. We, as a people of faith, believe that. Our particular faith in this congregation is the Christian faith based upon the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus. We believe that we are citizens of God’s realm. We actually believe that all human life belongs to God’s realm. Justice is one the rights of that citizenship, and sharing justice among all of God’s citizens, present and yet to come, is our responsibility. And we believe that justice embraces “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
On this Sunday before Independence Day I want to acknowledge and affirm the role of faith in the founding of this country. I also believe strongly in the separation of Church and State for the protection of both the Church and the State. In recent years the intersection of faith and government has been very visible in issues such the marriage of same sex couples and the definition of “family.” Issues like abortion rights, Darwin’s theory of evolution vs. “Creationism.” Moreover, there are a whole host of medical issues such as stem cell research, who can authorize the removal of life support in certain cases, and health care for the most vulnerable in our society. If faith had a role at our country’s founding it certainly has a role today. But then, who speaks for the people of faith?
John C. Danforth is a Republican who served for 18 years as a United States Senator from the state of Missouri, and also served as a United States Ambassador to the United Nations. John C. Danforth is also the Rev. John C. Danforth, an Episcopal priest. The Rev. John C. Danforth officiated at the funeral of President Ronald Reagan at the National Cathedral in June of 2004. A year later, in 2005, he wrote an Op-Ed article for the New York Times titled "Onward, Moderate Christian Soldiers." I believe that his piece written 12 years ago is just as relevant today as it was then. The Rev. John C. Danforth wrote:
It would be an oversimplification to say that America's culture wars are now between people of faith and nonbelievers. People of faith are not of one mind, whether on specific issues like stem cell research and government intervention in the case of Terri Schiavo, or the more general issue of how religion relates to politics.
[For those who may not remember, Terry Schiavo was a young woman on life support in St. Petersburg. There was a long legal battle about who had the right to continue or end her dependence upon life support.]
In recent years, conservative Christians have presented themselves as representing the one authentic Christian perspective on politics. With due respect for our conservative friends, equally devout Christians come to very different conclusions.
It is important for those of us who are sometimes called moderates to make the case that we, too, have strongly held Christian convictions, that we speak from the depths of our beliefs, and that our approach to politics is at least as faithful as that of those who are more conservative. Our difference concerns the extent to which government should, or even can, translate religious beliefs into the laws of the state.
People of faith have the right, and perhaps the obligation, to bring their values to bear in politics. Many conservative Christians approach politics with a certainty that they know God's truth, and that they can advance the kingdom of God through governmental action.
Moderate Christians are less certain about when and how our beliefs can be translated into statutory form, not because of a lack of faith in God but because of a healthy acknowledgement of the limitations of human beings. Like conservative Christians, we attend church, read the Bible and say our prayers.
But for us, the only absolute standard of behavior is the commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves. Repeatedly in the Gospels, we find that the Love Commandment takes precedence when it conflicts with laws. We struggle to follow that commandment as we face the realities of everyday living, and we do not agree that our responsibility to live as Christians can be codified by legislators.
We think that efforts to haul references of God into the public square, into schools and courthouses, are far more apt to divide Americans than to advance faith.
For us, religion should be inclusive, and it should seek to bridge the differences that separate people. We do not exclude from worship those whose opinions differ from ours.
Following a Lord who sat at the table with tax collectors and sinners, we welcome to the Lord's table all who would come. Following a Lord who cited love of God and love of neighbor as encompassing all the commandments, we reject a political agenda that displaces that love.
(NY Times, June 17, 2005)
Again, this was written 12 years ago in 2005, but it seems to me to be just as relevant today as it was then.
Our holy scriptures speak of justice and compassion; of hope for a better world for future generations; and of calling us to extraordinary reconciliation. The founders of this nation spoke of justice for everyone; a hope for generations yet to come; and extraordinary inclusion beyond the existing cultural norms.
On this Sunday before Independence Day we are reminded that this nation is filled with people who express their faith in many different ways. Our way takes seriously what Jesus took seriously.
Our faith … even a moderate or progressive Christian faith … has a role in the intersection of faith and government. Being a citizen has it rights. It also has its responsibilities. One or ours is not to be silenced by louder voices. It is important for those of us who are sometimes called moderates or progressives to make the case that we, too, have strongly held Christian convictions, that we speak from the depths of our beliefs, and that our approach to politics is at least as faithful as that of those who are more conservative.
I end with the alternative collect to be read on Independence Day … the Collect for the Nation:
Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace; Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Amen.
