We Have a Problem With Authority: A Reflection on Christ The King Sunday

Yesterday was Christ the King Sunday, which, in terms of the Church calendar, is the culmination of the Easter season where Christ gave his life for the world on the cross and proved his victory over death in his resurrection, as well as the culmination of the day of Pentecost where Christ poured out his Spirit on the Church, equipping them to minister and share the good news of Easter with the whole world. This Sunday is a celebration of Christ as the world's one true and worthy king, who reigns in glory and is redeeming the world from sin and decay. This a celebration the Church is to live out in every aspect of their lives, as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. I gave the sermon at my congregation, Epiphany Anglican Mission. What follows is an essay version of that sermon and the Scriptures quoted from the passages we read aloud together.

"I've been thinking of getting into politics...": N.T. Wright's Understanding of the Kingdom of God

Anyone who knows me knows that I really try to avoid talking about politics.

On many levels I do not consider myself a political person, which to me means, 1.) I hardly know where I stand on a lot of the big issues (i.e., health care, immigration, "the economy", American foreign policy, and 2.) I find the whole political process, globally and domestically, either uninteresting or completely soul-killing. I just wanna minister to people and make art n' stuff, you know man?

But really my disassociation with politics also stems from being more concerned with how the Church as a body should behave morally and ethically—both to those inside and outside the church—rather than with how I should act as an American citizen in the politics of said country, whether locally, nationally, or internationally. This is because my identity in Christ (which is eternal and will endure to the new heavens and new earth) supersedes my identity as an American citizen or the citizen of any country (which is a temporary and accidental label to attach to oneself).  Here is a concrete example: I really have no idea what the government should do about poverty in our nation, but I could come up with a number of viable ideas with longterm effects for my congregation to help the impoverished in my own city.

So yeah, down with politics! and all that, because I'm a Christian and the Church don't need no politics!