Rethinking our Oaths

In September, a federal judge from California declared that the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools is unconstitutional because the pledge's reference to one nation "under God" violates school children's right to deny the existence of God. This is just a continuation of the previous decisions by the 9th District Court as well as other courts calling for us to really look at how the church and state are intermingled.

First off, I must let you in on where I fall in regards to this issue. Growing up in the denomination that I did and the way that I was raised didn't allow for much of a debate here. I simply chose not to say the Pledge of Allegiance because of a religious conviction. In my tradition (Church of the Brethren) we do not swear an oath or allegiance to anything or anyone but God (see Matt. 5:33-37). So to swear an oath to the United States is by default violating the very intent and (for the literalists) words of Christ. We also, at least historically, have been radical in our advocacy for the seperation of church and state. So you can imagine the kind of looks I got this summer when Brenda and I had to get our marriage license and I refused to swear an oath to the state of Illinois. This caused some confusion on the part of the clerks there and served as a witness to our faith.

Since you have my apparent "bias" in the whole scheme of things I wanted to elaborate on this issue. It should be noted that the words "under God" were not added to the Pledge until 1954 by Congress in response to a vigorous campaign by Knights of Columbus. Since the Pledge of Allegiance was first adopted in 1891, we said it for 63 years without the words "under God." Did God choose not to bless us before we invoked his name? I hardly think so. So why would we be so shocked if a group proposed that it return to its original form?

Here is one possible solution: If Christians are to take Jesus seriously then we should heed the call to pledge our lives to no one but him. That's right no more oaths, no more pledges, no more swearing; this may get us in trouble in this country for not swearing our loyalty to America... but trust me the end reward is much greater. But if this feels too much like treason for you then I propose this: the true measure of our loyalty to God lies not in the "under God" portion of the pledge but rather in the last phrase "justice for all." Maybe we as Christians need to examine that portion of the Pledge and when we do we will come to the horrific conclusion that we as Americans do not seek justice for everyone... only the privileged, popular and wealthy. We impose our sense of justice upon others who are less fortunate.

We need to be reminded of what the prophets in Israel told the people of what God really wants (see Amos 5:24, Micah 6:8). We need to be remided that maybe the Greatest Commission is found in Matthew 25:31-46. The Christian Right wants to become a Christian nation again by posting the Ten Commandments on government property, reinstating prayer in schools and keeping the "under God" in the Pledge all the while neglecting the weightier matters of the law; being justice, mercy and righteousness. Not just on an individual basis but in the framework of the whole community.

How can I begin to critique something that I don't profess in. Simple... for the same reasons those who are offended by the Pledge seek to return it to its original form.

Which is more important to you? The proper words or the proper actions? In doing so you'll find out who the God is that you worship and serve.

Have mercy!

Life has been full of grace in the past few months with the only pitfall being that I have not had an outlet to feel like I can worship in my own way... not by myself but rather in the context of a community. I am certain that most pastors deal with this from time to time. In our planning the worship and preaching from week to week, it becomes difficult to really immerse yourself in the experience of worship. So for me the outlet has become reading the scriptures and the devotional classics. This renewed interest has come from the actualization that I have not had the most fulfilling devotional life of late. Maybe it is a chain reaction of sorts, if you are feeling less than worshipful then you may be just as willing to neglect the care of your soul through devotional reading of the scriptures and great writers of yesteryear. In this reading, my focus has been to attempt to see the "intent of God" beyond simply the "word of God." Sometimes we give the words so much power that we can't see what lies beyond them.

Walter Brueggeman once said that "the greatest theme in all of scripture is that God continually breaks his own rules," this is known by another name as well: mercy. The reoccuring theme of God breaking his rules to show us mercy is astounding. What we crucify God will resurrect. What we hate God will love. We need only to see Jesus to really "get this". Maybe I need to be more intent on thanking God for that mercy. Maybe I need to begin to demonstrate that in my own life. Why do we play by the rules? In society? In our faith community? Maybe because we have begun to create God in our image. We forget to see the mercy that is poured out on us all. I want to be that kind of mercy... maybe through reconnecting with the scriptures this mercy will unfold.