Iraq and Christian Identity

I got a LOT of responses to my post at the end of last week, in which I said the war in Iraq presents the American churches with an issue of Christian identity. Nobody really denied the fact that the worldwide body of Christ is overwhelmingly against the war and the whole thrust of American foreign policy in the post-9/11 era. And that fact remains true even for evangelical Christians around the world. The global body of Christ has no deep trust in the political motivations or geopolitical interests of the U.S., nor do they welcome American hegemony in their regions of the world. Some of my responders have no real concern that their perspective as American Christians in support of their government's war policy puts them in a distinct minority among believers around the world. But many others, like me, are worried by the American Christians who are more allied with their own government than they are with their brothers and sisters across the globe, especially when our nation is the world's military and economic superpower. One of those e-mails came from my own pastor, Scott Garber of Washington Community Fellowship. Scott said:

I just wanted you to know that I especially appreciated your emphasis on Christian opinion outside the US. Very well put. Your question about whether American Christians know things that others don't really gets at the hubris of our ethnocentrism. Though most American Christians have never even seriously considered this question, that further bit of ignorance is no excuse. And the matter of misplaced loyalties and kingdom confusion is a serious one. In fact, it was the subject of my July 4 sermon this year.

I also read a moving piece by Andrew Sullivan, an articulate conservative who supported the war but now has no heart for it. I share his reflections with you in A Humbled President.

The case was so weak, the argument so thin, the evidence for optimism so obviously strained, that one wondered whom he thought he was persuading. And the way he framed his case was still divorced from the reality we see in front of our nose.

And my Beliefnet colleague, Rod Dreher, had this to say in his post The Absurd Bush Speech.

I found myself watching the president's speech tonight astonished and infuriated that he had the nerve to say the things he was saying. I don't know if it's worse to imagine that he's cynically saying things he doesn't believe, or that he really believes such nonsense. Whatever the case, it was a deeply dishonest speech.

Jim Wallis is the Editor-in-Chief of Sojourners and blogs at www.godspolitics.com.

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Comments

[altohone]

I think Lon makes good points.

I'll repeat my position that acting as a world citizen should come first... national and religious identity second and third in whichever order the individual prefers.

Operating on the notion that any nation or religion has a lock on wisdom or morality just creates unnecessary divisions that can be manipulated.

If we expect Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, etc. to be open to ideas opposed by their leaders, we too must be open to their ideas opposed by our leaders.

[Purple Girl]

Hey this war and the steady decline in our moral and ethical values has even turned a life long Athesit runnig for some greater explanation and plan. But not towards the ones who claim their humanity, but those who live it. I was baptised and raised a Catholic (now you know why I've been an atheist), bu ti am finding answers to my bigger questions of WHY, through other perspectives- even some christian ( Gnostics). It helps to re affirm your philosophy when your not held down by the doctrines. God is everything & everything is God (ly) and I have been put here by a god or by nature to be the caretaker of all I have been given- intentionally or by mistake. Whether I like it or not it is my responsiblity as the most capable species.
The rest is just manure on the bottom of our boots that needs to be scraped off before we enter the House (of peace ). Please help enlighten those who prefer organized religion, that regardless of doctrine, the sentiment is the same- The meaning to the words- not the exact words not the exact person who it has been attributed to. These ideas are as old as man, because they are necessary to our very survival, and possibly all that we are 'shepherds' of.
Keep the Faith (anywhere you find it)

[Lon]

While admittedly not coming at it as a Christian, and so not your target audience, I am a bit leery of the idea that american christians should put what christians elsewhere say about the war over what americans do. (That is that the christian identity should trump the american one).

The US has been very lucky that muslims in the US have not agreed with the anti-us sentiment of muslims elsewhere.

Certainly american christians would want to follow Jesus' teachings on this subject as muslims would. But should the episcopalians be impressed by the fact that most of the anglican communion is virulently anti-homosexual and so tailor its views accordingly.

Christian views evolve over time. Otherwise the religion would die. Americans have different experiences than others, and so have different views. In the case of homosexuality and the episcopal church those views are more advanced. In the case of the war in Iraq they are less advanced. But the principle you seem to be pointing to here would undo both the right and the wrong.