LABC Update – June 2, 2022
Family,
In recent years you may have heard me reference the rise of Christian Nationalism while identifying myself as a christian who is against Christian Nationalism. I define Christian Nationalism as the set of beliefs and practices that teaches that the United States is a christian nation and that being a good American requires one to be a christian, or more precisely a christian who agrees the teachings of white evangelicalism.
Christian Nationalism sees racial and religious diversity as a threat and the way we read the Bible at LABC as misguided. It is willing to force the symbols of its faith on others and often uses national symbols as faith symbols while arguing that faith symbols should be national symbols.
This Associated Press article from Monday does a good job of discussing some specific ways in which Christian Nationalism is showing up in the 2022 elections.
Also, the Baptist Joint Committee For Religious Liberty has published a very extensive report on the connections between Christian Nationalism and the January 6, 2021 Insurrection. https://bjconline.org/jan6report/
I urge us all to bring our faith and values with us into the voting booth while recognizing that those values are shared by many faith traditions. I urge us to vote our values in a way that build the common good.
Pastor Jim
Tonight on LABC Zoom – Pastor Carolyn leads Together In Spirit at 6:00
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