In the waning days of Lent, I wrote an essay about the civil discourse in our current primary season, specifically raising concerns about one particular candidate. Not surprisingly, I received a few emails from people who were not happy with my commentary. One in particular stood out.  The person had three objections. First, he asserted that this was not the business of the church. In other words, the church needs to stay out of politics. His second point was related to the first: that I as a bishop should not speak on these issues. To quote, "You should not, in my opinion, be disseminating on EDSD letterhead, with your signature as bishop, to parishioners, your advocacy or trashing of any candidate. Send out a note and sign it Jim." And finally, he was most emphatic that this was a distraction from more important issues.

 

While I am always grateful for the critic, this one has been particularly helpful in clarifying why it is so important for me and the church to fully engage in all aspects of the world. The culture provides the context for our ministry -- including the political realm which cannot be disconnected from our care of neighbor, our stewardship of creation, our following of Jesus.

 

Indeed, it is noteworthy that this critique of my essay was received just days before our celebration of Palm Sunday. If anyone ever doubted that the gospel of Jesus was to intersect the political realm, the events that we remember on Palm Sunday should vanquish all such doubts. As the late Marcus Borg noted, Jesus enters Jerusalem from the east just as Pilate enters from the other side. Pilate's entry is designed to intimidate through show of power and the potential for violent coercion. Jesus offers a counter ethical and political vision. That vision results in his crucifixion.  

 

The resurrection of Jesus is God's divine answer to the politics of power. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God offers a different, kingdom, a different king and a different citizenship. Each of us offers our allegiance to this realm through our baptism, which brings me back to my critic. What he suggested was that I could lay aside my being a bishop like I could change my clothes. I firmly believe, as have luminaries through the ages, that when God made me a deacon, priest, and later a bishop, my whole identity and very being was changed. I am a bishop. That is my reality. But more important than that is what happened to me when I was an infant in 1960, when I was baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. I was sealed and marked as Christ's own forever. Later at my confirmation, I promised to own those vows once offered on my behalf.  

 

The same is true for each of us who are baptized into the body of Christ. We are changed. We are now in Christ. It is out of the totality of our being as a follower of Jesus that we live our lives. It is thus simply not possible to leave our Christian identity outside of the political realm. Indeed, that place of political discourse is exactly where we should be -- as Jesus so clearly demonstrated.

 

As a bishop, I am called to "be one with the apostles in proclaiming Christ's resurrection and interpreting the Gospel, and to testify to Christ's sovereignty as Lord of lords and King of kings" (Book of Common Prayer). In these times, I believe that a faithful bishop must hold up the gospel values for those within the community of faith and offer them as the standard for those exercising civil authority or presuming to do so. And when a candidate touts their Christian faith while shaming, blaming, advocating torture, denigrating women, and the disabled, I am compelled to speak out for the integrity of the gospel and to advance God's realm. Expect to find me in that arena. Furthermore, I invite you to bring your Bible and your prayer book and join me. We have work to do. Rest assured this is not a distraction but central to the work of Christ in the world.