A few days ago, I wrote a blog (here) on Revelation 18:4. That text served as a call to early believers, and inadvertently us today, to separate our allegiance from any nation or empire that isn’t the kingdom of God.

Within that blog, I mentioned that we do not often suffer a violent persecution today but one of flattery. That is to say, nations and empires often attempt to use Christianity to their own political advantage. They will claim to be Christian (they might even believe their own lie). They will use Christian language and symbols in order to help legitimize their movement in the eyes of the masses. But most importantly, they often declare that they are only thing capable of keeping our religion relevant and safe from outside corruption – which is, of course, heresy.

But because we are creatures that are often overcome by fear, it is very easy to fall into their temptation. Why wouldn’t we want help in keeping Christianity safe? Moreso, because we are creatures that often fall prey to belief perseverance, or the tendency to hold onto opinions even when presented with contradicting evidence, we don’t often like to find out that we have been duped. We’d much rather stay in our stubbornness than admit we were wrong. That is why this persecution of flattery is so dangerous. It’s everywhere. It seems harmless at first glance. Yet it can so easily trip us up, spin us around, and make us question core tenants of our own faith.

Here’s a frustrating example.

Earlier this week, a bishop within the Episcopalian tradition, Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, delivered a short homily in the Washington National Cathedral with the current president and many of his friends and cabinet members in attendance. Reverend Budde’s message can be found in full (here), but she based her meditation on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in which Jesus commands his followers to love both neighbor and enemy. She then asked those in attendance to lean hard into the unity that God calls us to have in spite of all the forces within our culture that are attempting to keep us enemies of one another.

It’s her last point within this short sermon that seems to have struck a nerve.

When talking about God’s mercy, Reverend Budde turned and addressed our current president and asked him to show mercy on those who might be feeling fearful in our present moment: people who identify as LGBTQ, undocumented workers and their children, and refugees. She did not call for tangible policy change or overstep her role. She said absolutely nothing unchristian. Reverend Budde simply asked for compassion. Yet her sermon is dangerous. Her words have the power to unmask the evil attitudes and motivations that are currently being labeled “good”[1] and “right” and “Christian.”   

Consequently, this sermon she delivered has now fallen under the scrutiny of empire. Those who have stakes within, and benefit from, the current persecution of flattery have come out against her words (see here). Many others have been confronted by their own belief perseverance at the questioning of whether Jesus might actually be against something that empire has attached Him to. And some who hold power have now proposed the bill H. Res. 59 (IH) so that the United States might officially condemn her words as distorted and disgraceful.[2]

Remember that our allegiance is to the kingdom of God alone, not in human rulers or nations.

Be wary of any nation or political structure that claims they have divine blessing as they surely are attempting to flatter you and distract you from what’s truly important.

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[1] Isaiah 5:20

[2] https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/BILLS-119hres59ih/summary