There’s an old preacher-joke about a Bishop who was retiring. During his final speak and sermon, he offered these words of wisdom to the world:

”Don’t tell your children there’s politcs in the church….let ‘em figure it out for themselves….”

The line apparently got a big laugh.
Because in that era —now decades ago— that Bishop, and everybody else in the Church, could not have imagine what “politics in the church” has come to mean.

In those days, it probably meant things like…
”Who was mad at whom…”
”Who sat in somebody’s pew, accidentally…”
”Who wore the best Easter hat…”

How quaint all this feel now. Because we cannot all help but understand the shocking level to which politics and church-life have become intertwined, through what we commonly call “Christian Nationalism.”

Wednesday night, we hosted 80-plus members and neighbors for a screening of the powerful documentary “Bad Faith.” (the above picture is from the event.
We were surprised and pleased to have journalist Ann Nelson, who is featured in the film, as a suprise guest for a discussion time afterward.

”Bad Faith” is an eye-opening film about how Christianity itself, specifically Evangelical Christianity, has become coopted by a deal it’s made with political power. If you weren’t able to come, it’s avaible for rent at Amazon Prime for just a couple of dollars.

I must confess, as a mainline protestant from way back, I have always felt out of the loop of evangelical circles. It feels like a whole other world…almost like another faith, honestly. And so, as I have toiled in our United Methodist world, I’ve been mostly unaware of some of the depths of this stuff.

But it’s become clear to me, and I know to many of you, that distinguishing ourselves from the overt nationalism of Christian Nationalism, is an important move for any of us who claim the title “Christian.”

We’ll continue with this work on Sunday, as we welcome Rep. James Talarico as our special guesrt preacher. Rep. Talarico is not only an esteemed member of the Texas House of Representatives, but he’s also a student at Austin Presbyterian Seminary. He attends an Austin Church, pastored by my longtime friend, Rev. Jim Rigby.

As a fellow mainline protestant, James Talarico is passionate about living out Christian ideals in a non-Christian Nationalist way. His sermon to us will be taken from the Great Commandment in the Gospel of Luke, and is titled:

"On Earth as it is in Heaven: A Christian Commitment to Democracy"

As with our event last night, I expect we’ll have more than our usual 15-20 visitors. So plan to come, and help us welcome, our guest preacher, as we continue to seek our faith path in the wolrd today.

See you Sunday,

Eric Folkerth

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