Professor David Gushee’s (article) sounded to me like a clarion call for a new confession for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) — parallel to the Barmen Declaration of 1934. As a church with peacemaking one of its central mission priorities, Professor Gushee’s Lament speaks the truth to the powerlessness, or is it “spinelessness,” of our members and leaders in a time when our democratic principles are being eroded in the name of national security.
As a pastor of a small church near a state capitol, I have tried to raise the morality of torture in various venues of the life of our church. After three churches in nearby Boise put up banners against torture to witness to this travesty, I took the various General Assembly statements on torture, the United Nations statements on torture, and the position of various interfaith groups opposing torture to my Session, and asked if we could make a similar witness against torture by hanging a banner on our church. We had a good discussion about the whole issue, but after an hour of grappling with the various aspects of what this would mean for our church, the Session voted against hanging a banner against torture on the exterior of the church.
The fear was that our church would become an object for potential hate crimes by those who believe otherwise. I suggested that making a witness against torture would make a strong witness to God’s power against those who choose torture and hate for whatever reason. If our church was attacked for making such a witness, we would not be able to continue to witness for God and for good in our community. While I understood the fears and concerns of the Session, I was deeply disappointed that we did not have the courage to stand against this wrong and witness to what is right. I believe this is what that Great End of the Church calling for the “preservation of the truth” demands of us.
I know many of my colleagues have struggled with how we can witness the truth in a time when it is “politically incorrect” to oppose anything that seems to weaken our “National Security.” We know that our national security is in God’s hands, but we have not gotten that truth into the minds and hearts of Americans. Preachers cannot do it all — but we can be leaders, instead of cowering sheep. Our congregants must be missionaries in a country that is hungry for the Truth, and sick of being fed the lies of fear. Must we make a new creedal statement, or can we get our voice and speak the Truth to the fear mongers and perpetrators of torture, violence and terror? Wherever two or three are gathered in Christ’s name, we can take our stand, and after reading Professor Gushee’s Lament I am ready to try once again.
Elizabeth D. “Betty” Beck, pastor
First Church
Emmett, Ida.
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