The Politics of Christ

On 9/11 I was disgusted.  I feel better now; less alone in my chagrin.

Last Sunday my senior pastor preached about Jesus and the woman at the well.  The sermon was a part of his series through the book of John.  The pastor noted that Jesus bucked the traditional Jewish behavior of the day: he walked not around, but through, Samaria; he talked to a Samaritan, who was of all people a woman; and he implied that he would drink from the receptacle of this Samaritan woman.   The pastor reminded us that in Jesus’ day, the religious community disdained women and shunned Samaria and Samaritans altogether.  Jesus’ behavior in associating with a woman, much less a Samaritan in Samaria, was astonishing.  The pastor exhorted us that in this tumultuous election season, we ought not to have an allegiance to a political party that exceeds our allegiance to Christ.  He urged that in all our disagreeing we should not become disagreeable.  He acknowledged that it was embarrassing and shameful to observe some of the behavior of some of us in the Christian community as it pertains to the upcoming election.

It’s not just me, then.