This blog is coming soon after my last one, perhaps too soon, and may not even interest you, but sometimes something happens and you have to respond without delay, not because what you say will matter to others, but because saying it matters to you.
This time that something are political ads being run in the state of Kansas by Republican Roger Marshall who is seeking re-election to the U.S Senate against Democratic challenger, Adam Hamilton, a United Methodist pastor.
Right out of the gate Marshall has adopted the Trumpian approach to politics, choosing to tell outright lies about his opponent rather than debating the issues openly and honestly.
He is attacking Adam by accusing him of being “too woke” for Kansas, using excerpts from sermons and interviews taken out of context in order to distort what Adam actually said.
He is also describing the church Adam serves (Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City) as a “woke: congregation, a charge that is laughable on its face to those of us who know the church.
First of all, Church of the Resurrection is not just any church. It is the largest United Methodist Church in the country and was founded by Adam who has served as its senior pastor for the church’s entire 36-year history.
Second, it has never been what ministers like me would describe as “woke” or “liberal.” Adam himself is a graduate of Oral Roberts University (maybe Marshall thinks it’s too woke as well), and has never tried to hide his theological conservative heritage.
What he can rightly be accused of is being an example of a Christian and a pastor who is willing to grow and mature in faith. I have watched it myself over all the years. I am sure he would say that he believes things today he didn’t used to believe and that he doesn’t believe things he once believed.
But, of course, I say that in no small part because of what I learned growing up in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Protestant denomination in which I was ordained and have spent my life serving as a congregational pastor and seminary teacher.
Some might say we are a “woke” church. We ordain gay and lesbian ministers, welcome transgender persons into our congregations, serve the poor, fight racism, welcom immigrants, insist on human rights for all, and even affirm the validity of other religious traditions.
But here’s the shocking news flash- Roger Marshall is a member of my denomination.
In fact, he has served on the board of the congregation to which he belongs, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Great Bend, Kansas.
Apparently, he has not been paying attention to his pastor’s sermons, or been reading recent statements from our denomination’s General Minister and President, an African American minister named Teresa Hord Owens.
If he had been, he would know that virtually every position Adam Hamilton has taken on the issues people are facing today has been affirmed by the denomination of which he is a part.
He would know that our denomination has spoken against mass deportations, against cuts in food stamps, against cuts in Medicaid, and for universal healthcare, for DEI programs of all kind, for radical hospitality to the stranger.
It is possible that his own congregation in Great Bend does not agree with the stand our denomination as a whole has taken on such issues because we in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have always practiced an open table that welcomes everyone without requiring conformity of beliefs.
That’s who we are. In wonderful ways our denomination reflects the rich diversity of the American people. We believe in the power of love, not conformity, and certainly not labels and lies and division, are the will of God.
I am confident that the vast majority of the members of my denomination, and also Roger Marshall’s, would say that if Adam Hamilton is “woke,” he is because he has chosen to follow the teachings of Jesus rather than embrace what is politically expedient.
Perhaps the people of Kansas would be better served if Marshall tried to do the same.
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Thanks, Jan. I agree wholeheartedly with what you wrote. I grew up in the Christian Church (Disciples) and am currently a member of a Presbyterian Church — where the women’s Bible study group that I lead love Adam Hamilton’s lessons/books/videos. I live in Iowa now, but am closely watching that Senate race in Kansas and cheering on Adam Hamilton.
Hey Jan, as a retired Disciple minister and in agreement with the denomination’s positions on everything you wrote about, I got all fired up to write Mr. Marshall a letter, lifting up the tenants of our communion at the Lord’s Table and the covenantal relationships we all share. Several members of the congregation where I worship supported my rant. Before I started my pastoral letter, I did a little checking on his political positions (all 100% Trump-friendly) and his religious affiliation. The Pew Research Center lists him as “Nondenominational.” On behalf of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) I am relieved. On behalf of the whole body of Christ, I continue to be aggrieved, and on behalf of our nation I continue to be alarmed. Thanks for lifting up the issues you so faithfully bring to us. (David Digby)
David, no doubt he describes himself as non-denominational, perhaps because he does know in fact how “woke” the denomination his congregation is part of actually is. If so, that makes him a worse hypocrite that I thought. First Christian, Great Bend, is definitely Disciples, and he has served on its board.