I cannot rid my mind of scenes from January 6, 2021 and the storming of the US Capitol by an angry mob of disaffected Americans. The violence of what amounts to an armed insurrection resulted in physical injury to hundreds, contributed to the deaths of seven, and seared into our national memory the destruction and profaning of the seat of government carrying out its constitutional duty to certify the election of President Biden.
And what particularly stands out for me is the preponderance of Christian symbols in those photographs and video footage. Crosses intermingled with flags were lifted high and even used to ramrod through the barriers. It would be inaccurate to group all the rioters into one category, but Christian Nationalists were very much in evidence. And in this final sermon in the series, we will explore the reasons why. First, a reminder that a bibliography of print and video resources from a variety of perspectives that informed the series is available in the narthex lobby.
For this sermon, I’m also drawing heavily on what I’ve learned from the Bible study on Revelation taught by pastor/teacher Carl Hansen (though any errors in analysis are mine, so don’t blame Carl!).
Many Christian Nationalists share an apocalyptic worldview that lends a sense of urgency to their mission. That is, they profess a particular interpretation of the “end times” ordained by God as the final battle between good and evil. Waging that battle immerses them in political action, voting for leaders who are God’s appointed ones to restore Christian faith to government, and seeking to impose that narrow version of Christian faith in other areas of society: religion, education, family, media, entertainment and business.
Uncritical support for the State of Israel (and a steady supply of military aid) further reinforces the view that the mighty battle ushering in the return of Christ must take place in the land of the Covenant. True believers, however, will be spared because they will be “raptured” —raised from earth and mortality to join Christ in a glorious, heavenly life.
And all this is derived right from the Bible, in the book of Revelation. . . . and I will tell you that in decades of biblical studies and theological education, and a lifetime devoted to seeking God’s truth, I have never learned any of it. Yes, I read the first of the Left Behind series just because it was a bestseller, but dismissed it as rubbish (and poorly written). I have never preached a sermon proclaiming apocalypse now or later.
My Reformed and Presbyterian roots are deeply tied to historical-critical methods of biblical interpretation, which largely conclude that the Revelation to John was an encoded message of hope to persecuted first-century Christians, urging them to resist ungodly powers and hold fast to faith in Jesus. But I think we do well to understand the influence of this perspective— especially as it plays out in the political sphere and its approach to the future.
The morning texts come—appropriately– from Revelation, the introduction in which its purpose is outlined, and its stirring conclusion. These bookended texts in my view reveal God’s rule over human history and shed light on its end, but in a vastly different way than our fundamentalist neighbors. I’m going to read the first one now, and the second one later. A reading from the Revelation to John, in the first chapter, verses one through eight. Listen for God’s Word to the Church. [Revelation 1:1-8]
[singing] It’s the end of the world as we know it. . . the end of the world as we know it. . . . the end of the world as we know it. . . and I feel fine. I hesitate to say that this R.E.M. anthem from my young-adulthood shaped my attitude towards end-time thinking more than heavy-handed scriptural interpretations. . . . but it might have. Besides its catchy tune, driving beat, and memorable chorus, the song acknowledges an imminent apocalypse, starting with earthquake, wind and fire of biblical proportion, fueled by corporate greed, endless wars, and all manner of chaos—- and yet counsels resilience and just possibly, faith in something more.
Light a candle, the song continues. Give me an alternative. . . . and we will be fine.
Well. There are plenty of reasons to think of the world coming to an end. Environmental degradation, global nuclear annihilation, virulent drug-resistant viruses. . . . You may have seen artistic depictions of Revelation’s four horsemen of the apocalypse, representing war, famine, conquest, and death (but not feminism, critical race theory, or LGBTQ rights). It’s not that I can’t imagine the world coming to an end; it’s just that I do not believe God depends on a doomsday scenario to conclude human history and usher in the day when it will be on earth as it is in heaven.
Christian Nationalism seems less concerned about preventing the end of the world from human-caused destruction than it does about championing the end of the world by God’s hand of judgment and wrath; an end forestalled by God’s chosen leader who will restore the nation to its intended good purposes. Or so the thinking goes.
I’m troubled by this vision in at least three ways: The restoration of America as conveyed in this scenario all too often excludes those deemed as “other”—immigrants and refugees, people of color, those subscribing to a different religion or no religion, those advocating economic reformation. There is rhetoric that even attributes violence and social upheaval to these “others.”
The notion that the Beloved Community created by God welcomes only certain people and is weakened by “replacement” through acceptance of others cuts against the heart of the Christian gospel by which we are compelled to honor the image of God in each and every person, and are further required to care for one another, especially the most vulnerable among us. That’s not to say there isn’t a role for sound immigration policy, but one predicated on mass deportation by armed force, does not square with either the values of democracy or the faith of Jesus.
Spiritually, the idea of “rapture” reinforces this exclusive vision because only believers (again as defined very narrowly) will be saved from the tribulations that everyone else will suffer. Reformed theology does affirm that Jesus will return. However, that return will be redemptive not just for a few chosen ones. The “second coming” will herald the “new heavens and new earth” where Beloved Community will thrive in communion with God and one another. We look forward to that day every time we share the Lord’s Supper, a foretaste of that glorious reality.
Christian Nationalism is deeply intertwined with Christian Zionism which believes that the modern nation state of Israel is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Contemporary Christian Zionists believe that Israel’s creation in 1948, its expansion in 1967, and its flourishing are all evidence that God continues to have a special relationship with the Jewish people that is part of a larger Divine plan, and a series of events that must occur within Israel to initiate the final battle between good and evil and the triumphant return of Jesus. This religious view leads to justification and even demand for military aid to Israel with little regard for the Palestinians who lived there and who have been violently uprooted from their lands and home. Look, no person of faith or good will would or should deny Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism; the shadow of the Holocaust will forever shape our global consciousness.
But an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth leaves the whole world blind and toothless. Healing of millennia-old wounds will not happen through violent colonization. A literal religious reading of a Christian sacred text should not be allowed to dictate political policies and funding. We cannot turn away from the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza. The deaths of children are a crime against humanity. And for those who claim Christian identity, this violence must be rejected. [definition by the Oxford Research Encyclopedia, 2023]
Finally, this apocalyptic world view is based on fear and stoked by fear. Fear that things aren’t as good as they used to be. Fear that there won’t be enough for the ones who really deserve it. Fear that newcomers and new thinking are eroding a way of life that we enjoyed and benefited from. Fear that the end of the world is closing in and we the people will not be ready. Friends, fear diminishes us. Fear skews our view of reality and even of our very selves, reducing our capacity to love, to be generous, to be kind. Fear inflicts us with amnesia, and we forget the Source of love which casts out fear. For love is not a zero sum game.
The heart of Christian faith proclaims the God who so loves the world and acts on behalf of its life—abundant and eternal. We can look towards a future that is not inevitable, but one we work with God to create. In two weeks, we’ll consider actions we can take to heal division and cast a transforming moral vision to lift up both religion and politics. How can I say that with confidence? Certainly not through my own wisdom! The hymn the choir sang last week says it all: that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
I admit to you my own quavering faith. Whether it’s because of my impending retirement, or the sweet joy of life with adult children and grandchildren, I’ve found myself in quiet moments thinking not so much about the End of the World, but of my own end. I actually think the two are tightly interwoven. We face the unknown future and grow anxious about what it will hold for us personally, for our family and beloveds, for this beautiful and broken world graced by our presence for -–O!–such a little while.
And for that, Christian faith offers a powerful antidote. A reading from Revelation, chapter 21 verses one through 6.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: See, the home of God is among mortals. God will dwell with them; they shall be God’s peoples, and God will indeed be with them. God will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away. And the one who sat upon the throne said: See, I am making all things new. . . . . It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
May it be so.
