Category: Justice

The Gospel of D.E.I.

‘Learn to do good; seek justice.  Correct oppression’ – Isaiah 1:17 (ESV)

It should never have happened, but somehow, in the earliest years of the Church’s history, the ugly demon of discrimination arose.  Luke describes its manifestation in the fifth chapter of Acts (6:1-7).  As the Church grew, and its membership became more diverse, it was noticed that something was rotten in the administration of the food assistance program for widows.  The Greek speaking believers brought it to everyone’s attention that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.  It’s hard to say whether this was done intentionally or not.  It may have been, or it may have been the case that the still majority ethnically Jewish believers had simply gravitated in their relationships to those who were like them, carelessly disregarding the prejudicial effects of their behavior.  Whatever the case, an injustice was happening, and while the Jewish believers may not have noticed it, the folks on the receiving end of this discriminatory practice did.  I suppose this was to be expected.  In every era, those who benefit from discriminatory systems rarely notice the ones who are being hurt until the latter make noise loud enough to be heard. 

Well, the Apostles heard, and immediately acted to correct the injustice.  They appointed seven men to oversee the food assistance program in a manner that would ensure fairness and equity.  Discrimination was, in the syntax of Diane Chambers, something up with which they would not put.  It had to be redressed, for the sake of those discriminated against, for the sake of showing those doing the discriminating the error of their ways, and for the sake of the Church’s witness to a diverse world.  Jesus had taught them too well: there was no room for discrimination in the Body of Christ. 

That they acted decisively is a credit to them.  That they chose the seven men they did shows just committed they were to the principle of inclusiveness.  The seven men they appointed were: Stephen, Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch.  The last, Nicolas of Antioch is the most easily identified as a Greek, but if you look closer you will discover something truly remarkable: they all were.  Every one of the seven men appointed to oversee the distribution of food to widows bore a Greek name.  The Apostles did more than just stop the discrimination.  They looked around at the Church’s leadership (themselves) saw that it consisted entirely of Jewish believers, and said, ‘we need to diversify the Church’s leadership.  We need to appoint some Greeks.’  And so they did.  All seven of the new church deacons were believers who hailed from the Greek speaking world. 

This was a brilliant, Gospel affirming move.  For one thing, the presence of Greeks told those who had been discriminated against that their concerns had been taken seriously.  But more than that, it sent a message to the both the Church and those she sought to bring to faith that Jesus was for everyone, that everyone in the church was equal, everyone was welcome, and that discrimination would never be tolerated.  It created an atmosphere in which everyone could feel safe, accepted, and loved.  It created an atmosphere conducive to fellowship and trust.  It made for a more dynamic and effective Church. 

I’ve been thinking about this episode in the life of the early Church in the wake of some comments I heard recently from the mouths of professing Christians lamenting the existence of D.E.I.  For those unfamiliar with the acronym, it stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  D.E.I. has become the latest target of the far right.[1]  D.E.I. refers to various attempts made by certain institutions (colleges, businesses, government) to diversify their organizations by ensuring that people of different races, ethnicities, and backgrounds are represented within them.  One of the reasons such institutions do this is that they believe it provides a better environment for everyone.  College life, both academically and otherwise, is enriched by the presence of various perspectives and experiences.  Businesses find that diversity can be a tool for sharpening a workforce, and for ensuring better relations and connections with a diverse clientele.  The government too understands such principles.  D.E.I. initiatives are thus welcomed by many who lead institutions for their positive benefits to their organizations.  Much in the way the Apostles understood that diversity made for a better and more effective Church, modern leaders see how diversity enriches their organizations, and those they serve, as well. 

D.E.I. is also favored in certain circles because it represents an attempt to redress the ongoing problem of discrimination, which is of course what drives its detractors to apoplexy.  America has a long and inglorious tradition in which any attempt to redress the history, legacy, or present reality of racism is met with overt hostility.  It seems that some refuse to accept that racism is, or ever has been, a problem in this country.  Presidential Candidate Nikky Haley’s recent comment that America is not, nor has ever been, a racist country, is a case in point.  Her remark is so ridiculous I won’t waste time refuting it here.[2]  America is racist through and through.  Racism is this country’s original sin and has never adequately been addressed.  Anyone who says differently is either oblivious to the point where we should wonder if they are even awake, or, and sadly I suspect this is more often the case, content to live with a system that devastates certain communities of people, so long as it benefits them. 

One wonders what such people would have said had they been present in the early Church, when the Greek speaking Jews came with their complaint of discrimination. 

Thankfully, they were not in charge at the time.  The Apostles were.  And the Apostles knew the right thing to do was to follow the way of Jesus, and the words of Isaiah.  The right thing to do was to correct the oppression.

It doesn’t take much imagination to discern what the Apostles would think of D.E.I.  I don’t know what they would say about every application of it.  This is not the place to address every complaint that might be registered about the manner in which D.E.I. is carried out in every institution.  But in terms of the general philosophy regarding what to do when it is recognized that certain people groups have experienced discrimination that damages both them and the righteousness of the overall system in which they live, move, and breathe, I don’t think there is much question what they would do.  In terms of a society with as pernicious a history, as toxic a legacy, and as ugly a present reality of racism as America’s, there isn’t much question what they would do were they in charge. 

They would diversify.  They would equalize.  They would include. 

They certainly wouldn’t rail against the attempt to do so, as some professing Christians do. 

For such things reflect the Gospel of the One who includes all, treats everyone equally, and commands that positive steps be taken to correct injustice and oppression. 

Under Christ’s Mercy,

Brent

[1] In a recent Holy Post Podcast, Skye Jethani remarked that the far right seems to have a problem with certain acronyms, specifically BLM, CRT, and now, DEI.  Anything that highlights or attempts to redress racism is anathema to such people.  In my judgment, it doesn’t take too much thinking to realize that what they really oppose is the advancement, or even fair treatment, of people of color. 

[2] There are plenty of books you could read, should you care to learn about this country’s pernicious and ongoing history of racial discrimination.  Among my recommendations would be Drew Hart’s Trouble I’ve Seen, Carol Anderson’s White Rage, Michael Eric’s Dyson Tears We Cannot Stop, Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning, or Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste. 

One Year Later…

White Supremacy is sin, and anyone who does not work for its abolition, is guilty of sin – paraphrase of Samuel Simon Schmucker, American Preacher and Abolitionist

Today is the anniversary of George Floyd’s death. The officer directly responsible has been convicted, but justice has in no way yet been achieved. Despite all the promises and BLM signs on people’s lawns, there has been no significant progress toward police or justice reform. The forces of hate and supremacy are well entrenched and positioned to thrive for decades to come. Unarmed African Americans continue to die at the hands of law enforcement. White supremacy is on the move. Efforts to silence Black voices and suppress the Black vote continue apace throughout the country. There seems little hope for a breakthrough to better days.

As the father to an African American son, and as a follower of Jesus, I will, of course, continue to speak and work for a better world. How can I do otherwise? But the sad reality I face each day is that my primary job in terms of race is to teach my own son how to stay alive in a white supremacist nation where many do not believe black lives such as his matter, and many more only become mildly interested for short periods of time after each report of another black life snuffed out on the street.

At the 1965 funeral of Jimmie Lee Jackson, who had been murdered by an Alabama State Trooper in a cafe where he and other peaceful protestors had taken refuge from southern stormtroopers, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. noted that there had in fact been many fingers on the trigger that killed Jackson. Similarly, there were many knees on the neck of George Floyd. If, by your actions, political choices, or apathy, you are contributing to the problem of white supremacy in America, you might be surprised to learn that yours is one of them.

For the love of God, and for the sake of millions, speak out, vote, and advocate to change this culture of white supremacy, hate, and death.

End the silence.

Under Christ’s Mercy,

Brent

Calling Out Quislings

‘A vile race of quislings – to use a new word which will carry the scorn of mankind down the centuries – is hired to fawn upon the conqueror, to collaborate in his designs, and to enforce his rule upon their fellow countrymen, while groveling low themselves’ – Winston Churchill, June 12, 1941

Let me be clear at the outset of this post that I believe in forgiveness and enemy love.  God commands these things, and believe it or not, they are powerful forces that can and do change the world.  But I also believe in justice and accountability.  God talks about them a lot too. 

This past week’s attack on the Capitol Building in Washington cries out for accountability and justice.  Make no mistake: this was a coordinated insurrection orchestrated by the President of the United States, who even as it unfolded, called Senators to convince them to heed the will of the mob and overturn a free and fair election.  That the President and perpetrators of the assault need to be held accountable should go without saying (though sadly, it needs to be these days). 

But accountability needs to go much further than the President and his Brownshirts (or should I say Redhats?).  Just as there were many fingers on the trigger that killed Jimmie Lee Jackson, there were many collaborators in the assault on the Capitol that killed five people, including a law enforcement officer.  What happened at the Capitol was the inevitable result of four years of fomented outrage, wholesale engagement with the politics of fear, hate, and division, and a collective refusal on the part of those who know better to simply stand and say, ‘enough.’ (It is actually in a deeper sense the inevitable result of hundreds of years of American History, but that’s a longer story for another time).

The insurrection was led by Republican members of Congress who, for four years, stood by in silence as children were put in cages.  As families were torn asunder.  As racism roared from the mouth of a white supremacist president.   As daily assaults against the institutions of democracy flowed from his twitter account.  As the President invited foreign interference in what was then the upcoming election, and as he spun false conspiracy theories about election fraud once he lost while simultaneously attempting election fraud himself.  As these and a parade of a thousand other horribles swept across the land, these members of Congress, almost to a man and woman, stood by and did nothing.  In fact, they defended it all.  And when given the opportunity to remove a would-be dictator from office before he could do further damage, failed to do so.  My goodness, even in the wake of the assault, 147 of these Congressman continued to press false conspiracy theories in an attempt to steal the election!  As for the rest, well, we can be thankful they finally decided to step back from the brink to some degree.  But even they have failed to own up to their part in this insurrection.  Shame on them.  Shame on them all. 

It was also led by members of the President’s own administration, who stood by and defended the President at every tweet, every provocative word, every assault on the fabric of society.  They stroked his ego, fueled his narcissism, and carried out his cruel and destructive orders.  They peddled lies about the election themselves and kindled the fires of rage.  In the wake of the attack, some have resigned.  Some have been silent.  None have stood up.  None have owned up.  Shame to them as well. 

It was led by the heroes of right-wing media.  Outlets like FOX News, Newsmax, and One America have knowingly reported lies as facts, all in the name of ratings and the dollars they bring.  And when the coup failed, their spin machines went into action.  ‘It’s the fault of the liberals.’  ‘It was really Antifa.’   Have they no shame?  Whether they do or not, shame on them all. 

And it was led by leaders of the white American Church.  White Evangelical leaders such as Franklin Graham, Jerry Falwell Jr., and Eric Metaxas, Christian Nationalists all, may as well have broken the barriers at the capitol themselves.  Such supposed followers of the Prince of Peace put down their crosses and took up their swords in defense of a man whose every utterance threatened lives and defied the teachings and way of Jesus.  And not just white Christian leaders.  White Christians in general are, tragically, among the most likely to believe the President’s lies.  The most likely to repeat them.  Heck, there were even some among the insurrectionists waving Jesus flags and crosses alongside Confederate banners.  Even now, many still stand beside the man who inspired an attack on Congress.  Shame, the deepest shame, be on them all.  It’s long past time we stopped calling these folks Christians. 

The above quote from Winston Churchill is a reference to the government of Vidkun Quisling, a Norwegian politician who betrayed his country in an attempt to gain power through a collaborative alliance with the Nazis in the 1930s.  He brought shame to his family name and nation and earned the legacy of a coward and a collaborator with evil.  Sadly, he was not the last of his kind by a long shot. 

Republican Senator Mitt Romney, a standout of virtue amidst the crisis of the Trump Presidency, spoke like Churchill the other day.  In the wake of the insurrection, he spoke in defense of democracy:

‘We gather today due to a selfish man’s injured pride and the outrage of his supporters whom he has deliberately misinformed for the past two months and stirred to action this very morning.  What happened here today was an insurrection, incited by the President of the United States.  Those who choose to continue to support this dangerous gambit by objecting to the results of a legitimate, democratic election will forever be seen complicit in an unprecedented attack against our democracy.  They will be remembered for their role in this shameful episode in American history.  That will be their legacy.’

Like I said at the outset, I am a big believer in forgiveness and enemy love.  But I’m also for justice and accountability.  We cannot sweep the actions of these scoundrels under the carpet.  We must call them to account.  We must pray and call for their repentance.  For there can be no moving forward, no peace, no reconciliation, no justice, and no hope for a better tomorrow otherwise. 

And so, until there is repentance, until there is accountability, let us remember who and what the collaborators are: a vile band of quislings complicit in an unprecedented and violent attempt to inaugurate an era of authoritarianism in America. 

For their sake, for the sake of the Church, and for the sake of our society, I pray for their transformation, and if it happens, I will gladly stand in line to embrace them.  But let us not pretend that things are fine before then.

The quislings must be held accountable. 

Under Christ’s Mercy

Brent

Deleting Jesus – Free Starting Today

Hey folks, just a quick reminder that the countdown deal for a free Kindle copy of Deleting Jesus starts today! Here’s a little blurb from the back cover:

Deleting Jesus is an examination of both who Jesus is and what he asked his followers to be. Through a study of the words and actions of Jesus, the witness of the New Testament, and the writings of early Christians, pastor and author Brent David Miller contrasts the Christianity of the early Church with the counterfeit version so prevalent today, and issues a call to follow the radical and loving way of Christ. In this book you will discover the teachings of Jesus and the early Church on such topics as power, politics, enemy love, war, the proper use of wealth, the treatment of refugees and immigrants, racism, and the life of discipleship. Whether you are a believer stuck in the trenches of American pop Christianity, or a non-believer who is turned off by the antics of the so-called Christians around you, prepare to have your perspective rocked. Prepare to discover the real Jesus.

You can download your free copy on Kindle through Monday October 12th.

Under Christ’s Mercy,

Brent

Deleting Jesus Giveaway

Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ‘I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,’ the devil said, ‘because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.’ – Luke 4:5-6

This is just a quick post to announce that my book, Deleting Jesus, will be FREE in the Kindle store from this Thursday, October 8th, through Monday, October 12th.

Deleting Jesus laments the mistake Christians make when they accept the devil’s bargain of Luke 4:5-6, trading fidelity to Jesus for the promise of political power. It was written in the wake of the 2016 election but remains relevant as once again, Christians approach another presidential election and wrestle with the intersection of faith and politics.

I am offering this free at this time as my way of helping folks navigate a world where large segments of the Church have traded the way of the Cross for the way of the dragon and its beasts. My hope is that it will be a blessing to you. My only request is that if you like it, take a moment to write a review on Amazon. Positive reviews help the messages of my books reach a wider audience.

Feel free to share this with others! May God bless you as you follow the Lamb in this crazy and stressful time.

Under Christ’s Mercy,

Brent

White America – This is on Us

‘I can’t breathe.  And you still can’t hear me’ – Nick Cannon

‘A riot is the language of the unheard’ – The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The riots.  They started because of what happened to George Floyd.  A 46-year-old African American man murdered facedown with a white police officer’s knee on his neck. 

No.  That’s wrong.  They didn’t begin there.  That was just the most recent catalyst.  The riots began, perhaps, with Ahmaud Arbery, gunned down by two white vigilantes guarding a construction site. 

Or did it begin with Michael Brown?  Or Freddie Gray.  Or maybe Eric Garner.  Or Trayvon Martin.  Or maybe we need to go back even further.  Maybe it was Rodney King. 

Or maybe it was even before that. 

Just when did the violence begin?

It began with America. 

Despite what you may have been indoctrinated to believe, our conception as a nation was steeped as much in violence, racism, and genocide as it was in liberty.  Liberty was for the property-owning white man.  Brutality, slavery, and slaughter were the lot of African Americans, Native Americans, and other people of color.    This is how our nation began.  You might say that was a long time ago, but here’s the problem: this is how we began, and we have never come to terms with it as a nation.

Instead, we have re-imagined violence and racism against people of color in every generation.  We could talk about how this has affected various peoples, but for our present purposes we will focus on the effect on Black lives.  Slavery ends.  The Black Codes come into being.  Then Sharecropping.  Lynching.  Segregation.  White flight.  Mass Incarceration.  Unequal School funding.  Police brutality.  Each, along with thousands of others, an act of mass violence against people of color.  And all the while, the African American community has cried out.  They have marched peaceably.  They have shouted for our attention.  They have begged us to listen to their pain.  They have cried, over and over, that their lives matter.  That they can’t breathe.  That they need us to stop putting our knees on their necks. 

And how have we responded?  Well, some have listened.  Even acted.  But most have not.  And even those who have acted have not done enough.  Overall, the response has been one of dismissal, outrage, or perhaps worst of all, silence.  When African Americans cry, ‘Black Lives Matter,’ we dismissively say, ‘All Lives Matter,’ which is of course a lie unless and until Black Lives Matter.  When Colin Kaepernick peacefully took a knee on the sideline during the playing of the national anthem to protest the lack of value for Black Life, the response of white America was largely one of outrage.  How dare he?  He and the others he inspired were told to ‘shut up and play football.’  The President of the United States called him a ‘son of a bitch’ and demanded that the NFL stop the protests, which they did.  And worst of all, as story after story of brutality committed against unarmed blacks mounted, what did most of white America do?  Nothing.  We were silent.  Either because we didn’t care, or we were too afraid to disturb the serenity of our privileged lives and relationships.  Don’t say anything in church; we wouldn’t want to offend anyone.  Don’t confront your racist family members; we need to maintain harmony.  Don’t speak up in mixed political company; we need to avoid uncomfortable conversations.  Better to keep your mouth shut.  Better to turn off the sounds and cries of the hurting Black community and pretend that everything is OK. 

And then, when we have thoroughly ignored those cries, when we have expressed outrage or otherwise dismissed the concerns of hurting people, when we have allowed the collective weight of four hundred years of oppression to bear down on people’s necks until they can’t breathe any longer, and when SOME protestors (and please note that – MOST of the protests have been peaceful) decide that peaceful protest is not enough to make people pay attention, and resort to violence and rioting, what do we do?  We act surprised.  Quite frankly, the only thing we should be surprised about is the remarkable level of restraint exercised by the African American community throughout our history.  I bet you anything that if white people were treated a hundredth as bad for a mere three weeks, we would be rioting en masse. 

The rioting we see on the news right now is the inevitable result of our history, our hatred, our callousness, and our silence.  The riots, my white American friends, are on us.  Martin Luther King, who denounced riots that were taking place in his day, said this:

‘It is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots.  It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society.  These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel they have no alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention.  And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard.  And what is it America has failed to hear?  It has failed to hear that the plight of the Negro poor has worsened…It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met.  And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned with tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity.’

Amen.

I sit at my desk today, typing, and feel those words in my very marrow.  I, like Dr. King, condemn the violence we see in the riots.  Violence is simply not the answer.  As a follower of Jesus, I say with Dr. King that the answers to the problems we face will not be found by employing the tactics of our enemies.   Violence will not cure the violence that has been perpetrated against African Americans and other people of color.  Only love can do that.  That may sound naïve, but I believe it to my core.  I believe it, first, because it is the way of Jesus.  But I also believe it because history has shown that where violence fails, love wins.  Love has the capacity to change the world.  I have written enough of this in other blogs, books, and sermons not to belabor the point, but it is true.  Love works.  Love prevails.  From Calvary to Gandhi to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s to the present day.  Love advances the Kingdom of Love and Light.  But violence only begets more violence.

Which takes me to last night.  Monday.  June 1, 2020.  A day that one can only hope will represent the low point of this present crisis.  Most of us saw it on the news.  The President, eager for a photo op in front of an historic church, set in motion an event that should shock the collective conscience of the nation, as tear gas and rubber bullets were launched against a group of peaceful protestors outside of the White House.  Worse, he is presently threatening to unleash military hell on protestors throughout the nation.  That the President would do this should come as no surprise.  For one thing, no one in our time serves as a better representative of the hate, callousness, and dismissiveness of the value of Black and Brown life.  This is the man who called Colin Kaepernick a son of a bitch.  This is the man who has sown seeds of hate and violence throughout his presidency (and before that, his candidacy).  This is the man who praised white supremacist protestors as ‘good people,’ who championed armed white fanatics who opposed stay at home orders during the current pandemic, yet immediately labeled those protesting in the wake of George Floyd’s death as ‘thugs.’  But beyond this man’s personal penchant for racial divisiveness, this is what power does.  The power that created this nation in violence is still using violence to maintain its privilege and position.  And, I fear, will continue to do so, using the violence of the oppressed to justify further oppression.  It is a vicious cycle we have seen too many times in this nation.  The white dominant society perpetrates violence (including the violence of silence) against a minority group.  The minority group’s cries go unheard.  Their unheard cries erupt in acts of violence.  The ‘system’ responds brutally.  And then there is a lull.  Until the next time.  Lather.  Rinse.  Repeat.  On and on it goes, and when it will stop, nobody knows. 

But it can stop.  It can stop if we pledge right now to end the violence.  And by this, I mean of course, in part, that those who have resorted to violence to express their pain refrain from further acts of violence.  I know that’s hard and may sound like the voice of a privileged white man, but I say it out of love, as the father of an African American son, and from a sincere desire to make things better – for him and for everyone.  But even more, I mean that those of us who have for too long done nothing to address the violence experienced by the African American community and other communities of color, those of us who have, by our dismissiveness and silence become perpetrators of violence ourselves, do violence no more. 

It is time to end the violence of our history. It is time to end the violence perpetrated against black and brown bodies.  It is time to end the violence of racist, authoritarian leaders at every level of government by voting them out of office.  It is time to work tenaciously for change.  It is time to end the violence of our silence. 

White America, this is on us.  It is up to us to speak up.  To value black life more than our neighborhood tranquility.  To let those we have hurt know that we are sorry, and that we are ready to do something about it.

It is time for all of us to stand up and by our words and actions let everyone know that Black Lives Matter.

Under Christ’s Mercy,

Brent

God’s Economics

‘Speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice’ – Proverbs 31:9

A couple of weeks ago, a friend forwarded an article by an Evangelical author who posited that it was the duty of every Christian to support Donald Trump because, among other things, he is the only thing standing in the way of the United States becoming a ‘Socialist Country.’  He argued that all Democrats are Socialists and had to be stopped at all costs.

It’s hardly a new argument.  I’ve listened to it most of my life.  A Democrat (or wayward Republican) proposes a program to help the poor, and suddenly Karl Marx is at the door. 

(Never mind the vast difference between Marxism and the various degrees of Socialism; it’s all the same to those who ring such alarm bells.  I once had such a person nearly shout at me, ‘Haven’t you read Animal Farm?’ only to be reduced to incoherent rambling when I explained that Orwell was warning against communism, and was himself, in fact, a Socialist). 

As recently as a couple of weeks ago, it seemed likely that Bernie Sanders, a self-described Democratic Socialist, was destined to become the Democrats standard bearer against Trump in the 2020 General Election. Trump and his minions were practically salivating, so thrilled were they at the prospect of pitting their right-wing extremism against the great bugbear of Socialism. Things have changed dramatically since then, with former Vice-President Joe Biden (not a Socialist) mounting a tremendous political comeback, but that hasn’t changed anything.   It remains the plan of conservatives to play the ‘S’ card in 2020. Indeed, the recently completed Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) repeatedly billed the upcoming contest as ‘America v. Socialism.’   In other words, it won’t matter who the Democrats nominate, because, as the evangelical author noted above says, all Democrats are Socialists. Anyone who wants to even marginally level the playing field between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ is.

But even if that were true (it isn’t, but let’s just run with it for argument’s sake), would the election of a socialist, or even a socialist-leaning Democrat, be so wrong?  Is it really the duty of every Christian to oppose socialism – in all its forms and gradations? 

It’s not my intention to describe all of socialism’s forms in this post.  I’d certainly oppose National Socialism for instance (which is one reason I speak out against Trump; too many parallels there).  Nor is it to defend Bernie Sanders’ brand. It is simply to question why providing for the poor in the manner Sanders and others propose would be considered by so many Christians to be morally wrong?    

So indulge me for a moment in a thought experiment.  Let’s say that a new world has just been discovered.  It has ample resources and abundant land.  As we enter this new land, a decision is made by our leaders.  Every household will be given an equal portion of land.  Every family will then work their land, utilize its resources, and live off its bounty.  They will also be free to sell their land if they desire, or, if they run into problems while working it.  This will, of course, result in others having more land than they.  But that’s OK, because it is to be expected that some will manage land more productively than others, and so, we will allow this (free market economics).  However, in order to prevent any one household or group of households from acquiring too much land over time, we will impose a rule: every few decades, the system will reset.  All land that was purchased will revert to the original owners (or their descendants) free of charge.

The rationale for the rule is this: we want to allow those with greater gifts and expertise to make the most productive use of the land (hence they can buy it and use it for decades at a stretch).  But we do not want to allow any one household or group of households to get so far ahead that we create a permanent upper and lower class.  We want to provide for learning curves and fresh starts.  And so we will not allow a scenario where the rich forever get richer while the poor forever get poorer.  We will restart the game from time to time. 

In between restarts, we will have other rules.  For example, we will offer assistance programs to ensure that everyone, especially the vulnerable (those who have suffered loss through natural disasters, death of a spouse or parents, etc.), has sufficient resources to live.  We will do this by requiring those with the resources, aka the rich, to make a portion of what they possess available to those who have fallen behind. 

Additionally, given that those who fall behind might incur debts as they go about the business of daily living, and might even make contracts that obligate them to serve the rich, we will make further rules that will require debt forgiveness and the termination of such contracts every several years.  This will provide further protection for the poor and will prevent their exploitation at the hands of the rich.

Basically, every several years, everyone gets a mini-fresh start, and in the longer term, a brand-new start.  And all along the way, everyone will be able to participate as dignified members of the new society.  No one will be left behind. 

Is that Socialism? 

I know many Christians who would answer yes.  Equal distribution of land. Limits on wealth accumulation.  Forced sharing with the poor.  Debt forgiveness.  Returning property to the people who couldn’t handle it in the first place, property that had been lawfully acquired with hard earned cash – and worked for decades – for free!   Good God, if any politician proposed such a system today, he or she would be branded a Socialist for the rest of his or her life. 

But here’s the thing (and some of you know this already).  I didn’t make that system up. 

God did. 

When the Israelites came into the Promised Land, this is exactly what he told his people to do.  He divided the land (Joshua 18 and Numbers 26).  He imposed a fifty year give back program called the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25; Deuteronomy 15).  He instituted a Sabbatical year that forgave debts and set indentured servants and slaves free every seven years (Deuteronomy 15:1-6; 12-18).  He instituted laws on tithing and gleaning to help the poor and vulnerable (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12-15; Leviticus 27:30-32; Numbers 18:21-32).  Heck, he even imposed environmental restrictions on the use of land to prevent people from depleting its resources (Exodus 23:10-11; Leviticus 25:2-7). 

Sounds like God’s a bit of a Socialist. 

Before you flip out, you should know that I’m not actually labeling God a Socialist.  I am, however, saying that leveling the playing field and making provision for the poor are ideals God cares about very much.  Jesus himself gave away free health care.  He created a food program that fed thousands (Luke 9:10-17).  He shared a common purse that was used to help the poor (John 13:29).  And he created a community of brothers and sisters who shared resources to such an extent that there were no needy persons among them (Acts 4:34). 

And if all that is true, and it is, then is it really the duty of every Christian to oppose policies aimed to achieve the same things? 

Of course not. 

Look, I’m no economic expert. I’m just a theologian. But as such I know that in the Old Testament and through Jesus, God commands us to care for the poor.  Call the plans and programs to do so ‘Socialist’ if you want.  But don’t tell me that I’m doing wrong if I am in favor of them. 

Because it isn’t my Christian duty to oppose policies that help the poor.

It is my Christian duty to support them. 

That’s God’s economics.

Under Christ’s Mercy,

Brent

Thank you to Ronald J. Sider, my Professor and Mentor from seminary, for his seminal work, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, from which I gleaned the Bible passages quoted above.