The following was written by The Rev. Craig R.H. Gates, Rector of Church of the Nativity in Greenwood. I am reprinting it here because it touches on some important points that I want to offer for your consideration. But be warned - this article is straightforwardly and bluntly provacative!

But then, the Gospel often is too.

 

Who Speaks for God?

(from Nativity Notes, by the Rev. Craig Gates)

 

 

Sometime in the last week or two one of the people I admire and love most brought me an article from the Wall Street Journal authored by Fred Barnes. Mr. Barnes is an Episcopalian and a member of The Falls Church, Falls Church, Virginia, one of the oldest Episcopal Churches in the USA (1732). Mr. Barnes was, in this article, taking the Presiding Bishop and the Episcopal Church as a whole, AND the leadership of "other mainline denominations" to task for criticizing the President and USA for going to war. According to Mr. Barnes we, the Church, should stick to saving souls and be more like Billy Graham.

 

The problem is that, unlike the 1950's and before, the Church and American Society have gone their separate ways. In the 1960's Mainline Protestant Christianity in this country, which was often called the Republican Party at Prayer, got up off their collective knees and began to criticize some of our societies' most destructive, but cherished institutions, IE segregation, and began to march for Justice. What followed could be likened to a separation or divorce. American Society essentially said, "If you can't bless us then you are no longer useful to us." The Church was relegated to speaking about "moral issues" which to our society means only sex. Everything else is off limits to the Church. The Church was pushed more and more to the fringe of society. We, the Church, lost our influence and our voice. Or so we believed.

 

We are living in a Post-Christian Society. The Church is no longer the central defining institution in our society. It is simply one option among many. In the South there is still a social importance placed on membership, but it is no longer the only moral option for Sunday activities. Weekend Vacations, Shopping, Sports, The Sunday NY Times are all viable options in the minds of most people. The Church is a fringe institution. And I for one believe this may be the opportunity God is giving us to once again do important ministry, a sacred ministry. We are no longer here just to bless what society wants to do. We are called to be the true prophetic voice of holiness as defined for us in the Bible.

 

We, the Church are called to be the Voice of God in a society that values power, money, success, beauty, sports, violence and conspicuous consumption as ends in themselves. These are no longer proofs of God's blessings and our election as the "chosen" people. We, the Church can now use our unique separateness as a stance from which to call the world, our Nation, back into a right relationship with God.

 

If we are to be holy because our God is holy then we are going to have to call the other institution of society, even the churches who bless the secular agenda of our society, back to the true understanding of living life in the image of Jesus Christ. It is not a comfortable or popular agenda, but I believe it is the way of Christ and the Will of God.