Dear members and friends,
Our contemporary political landscape has become drenched in Christian theology in a ways many Americans have not seen before, reminiscent of earlier moments in our history—such as during the “Red Scare” of the 1950’s—when Christianity was often instrumentalized to demonize and persecute others. As people of faith of varying stripes, how are we to respond to this unfolding (and overt) project of Christian Nationalism? What would Jesus do, or say, were He to walk the highways and streets of the United States today?
It remains an acute moment for our nation and the spiritual state of the Union, and we are meant—I believe—to wrestle with these questions in our own hearts, and accordingly act as we individually see fit. My message last Sunday aimed to open up some prayerful space for reflection on how the early days of Christianity might offer some places for refracting where we find ourselves, e pluribus unum, this summer of 2025, with its distressing fissures and divisions.
In my sermon last Sunday, I quoted Fred Rogers, the creator of the beloved children’s television program. Mr. Rogers was also an ordained Presbyterian minister, and a deep theology of love was never very far from his words and actions. Mr. Rogers briefly came out of retirement in the challenging aftermath of 9/11 to deliver that fateful line, “Look for the helpers.” We should continue to look for the helpers, while also aspiring to be those helpers. We should also remember that we are not alone, and stronger not in spite of but because of our differences from which we can learn not just to work with, but to respect. The Rev. Bishop Mariann Budde, who serves the national prelate of the Episcopalian church in Washington, DC, had this to say recently, and they are words that continue to resonate with me:
“Now is a time for us to stand together, to take courage from one another and learn together how we are to be brave now and to hold on to the things that are good about us and about our country. Together, God will work through us to bring about the kind of society, the kind of community, that we all deserve and that we want to pass on to those who come after us. So, take good care, have courage and remember that together we can all be brave.”
So be strong and of good courage (Joshua 1:9), my friends, and remember that you are not alone, but we remain in this together.
See some of you on Sunday,
Rev. Dr. Devin Zuber