Pastor’s Letter, January 22, 2025

Dear Friends in Christ,

As a Christian, I believe following the teachings and actions of Jesus for living on earth is more important than beliefs about him with respect to eternal life in heaven. Therefore, I’m interested in the relationship between religion and politics because the latter is one way we put our faith into action.  Fundamentally, I believe my faith ought to be considerate and thoughtful – and inform my political ideology accordingly.  This is what Jesus teaches when he responds to a question about paying taxes to Caesar by saying: “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” 

So, I was interested in Monday’s Inauguration Day.  As a citizen, I harbored some concerns about statements the new President made in his inaugural speech as well as executive actions he signed in the evening.  But as a Christian, there was something that caused me even greater concern. Frank Bruni, professor of journalism and public policy at Duke University captured it in a N.Y. Times  op-ed column entitled, “The Line in Trump’s Speech that Will Echo in Time.”  He wrote:

Recalling the day in Butler, Pa., in July when “an assassin’s bullet ripped through my ear,”  Trump said that “I felt then, and believe even more so now, that my life was saved for a reason.  I was saved by God to make America great again.” That’s the keeper this time around — Trump’s trademark narcissism and usual grandiosity, along with an unsettling measure of theocracy, in one profoundly disturbing sentence.  And it’s a signal of the sureness that he feels about all the executive orders that he then went on to promise, all the legislation that he foreshadowed and all the changes, from a militarized border to a war on wokeness, that he vowed.

I’m concerned because when a political leader believes they are saved by God to be a savior, they have a tremendous responsibility to be respectful, caring, and humble – like Jesus.  Now, ask yourself: To what degree does the President demonstrate having these qualities?  Your answer will tell you something about your responsibilities as a Christian – and U.S. citizen – during the time ahead.  And, checking your answer out with other Christians will tell you even more.  

Blessings of Faith in Christ for the Following of Jesus, Pastor Ed  

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