EVERYBODY WORSHIPS...:

I'm not writing to engage in a serious theological debate with those who've committed themselves to dreams and visions of dark conspiracies. I'm writing as a warning and as a call for action. Here's the warning: While I hope and pray that protests remain peaceful and that seditious statements are confined to social media, we'd be fools to presume that peace will reign.

Here's the call to action: It's time for conservative Christian leaders to shed any form of fear and to speak against conspiracies and against slander with the same boldness that many of them spoke for Trump. Again, this isn't just about "witness." It's about justice. It's about law. It's about peace.

Why do I keep mentioning fear? Because we all know exactly what happens when a prominent conservative opposes Trump. It's been the same playbook for more than five years. They receive vicious personal attacks. Trumpists try to intimidate dissenters into silence. Trumpists try to destroy dissenters' reputations, destroy their careers, and sometimes even destroy their lives.

We know that mainstream American Christian leaders can unite to condemn secular and progressive movements and ideas they find biblically problematic. For example, late last month the presidents of Southern Baptist seminaries united to declare that "affirmation of Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality and any version of Critical Theory is incompatible with the Baptist Faith & Message."

As I've written, critical race theory has its uses and its flaws, but I wonder--how many critical race theorists are in conservative Christian pews? But how many more election conspiracy theorists and Christian nationalists are sitting right there, including in my own denomination, fervently believing lies and fervently praying for actions and outcomes that are fundamentally unjust?

Simply put, there should be at least as much concern about injustice and sin from the religious right as from the secular left.

I've often thought about what a persecuted first-century Christian would think of the rage and panic of all too many American Evangelicals. They would be stunned at the sheer size of the American church. They'd be in awe of our wealth. They'd be amazed that the most powerful man in the world courted our favor. And then they'd be even more astounded at the fanaticism and fury displayed in the nation's capital yesterday.

The disconnect with the teachings of the apostles could not be more profound.

In a much more desperate time and in a much more dangerous place, the prophet Jeremiah told the people of Israel, "Seek the peace of the city where I have exiled you. Pray to the Lord for that city, because when it has peace and prosperity, you will have peace and prosperity." Yet now a Christian movement seeks conflict. It traffics in lies. It pursues profound injustice. Who will stand against it?

Tweet   @brothersjudd