Near Emmaus

Category Archives: Holidays


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Valentine’s Day (2013)

The one marketing ploy that gets me every Valentine's Day!

The one marketing ploy that gets me every Valentine’s Day!

I hated Valentine’s Day when I was younger. There was a lot of pressure to have someone to love, romantically, which is a terrible to place upon elementary, middle, and even high school young people. In my early twenties the pressure mounted, especially being a Christian, because good Christian men should fine a good Christian woman to help begat good Christian families (at least that is what James Dobson sold a previous generation). When I began dating the woman who would become my wife I admit that Valentine’s Day remained icky, because it reminded me of the feeling of being insufficient in myself, or unwanted by others.

Now, I have married a person who is truly my best friend. My wife (Miranda) has changed my life for the better in all the areas of growth and maturation that are necessary. Though I continue to wrestle with the days leading to Valentine’s Day, because I am a horrible gift-giver if I don’t know exactly what a person wants, there is a marked difference. Now I see Valentine’s Day as a reminder that I am loved for who I am. My wife loves me as me. I see it in how she looks at me. I hear it in her voice. I know it by the small things she does all the time to show me she cares or that she is thinking about me (and she is quite thoughtful, very caring). I do my best to offer as much in return, though it is a challenge because she is a far more loving person than me. Yet she motivates me to develop a loving, caring posture toward another person, something that didn’t come easily for me.

I have an amazing wife. I don’t deserve her, but I am thankful that she doesn’t agree. She is the love of my life. Seriously, I have no idea how I came to be married to such a wonderful person.

Now, back to my previous words about Valentine’s Day: for those who hate this day because it makes you feel insufficient, or unloved, avoid the marketing of the day as much as possible. I know it is hard, but the pressure it creates to “have someone” misses the point. There is nothing that I could have done as a single person to prepare myself to “find” my wife. We met each other, we dated, we got engaged, and now we live day-by-day trying to understand what it means to be married. It is work, and an investment, but a wonderful one. Cupid and flowers, boxed chocolates and expensive dinners won’t teach you a thing about commitment. If you are committed to someone, then these little delights are a treat, but hardly the core to what it means to love someone. If you are single develop in becoming a caring person, a dedicate person, who works hard for others. These are the virtues that you will want to have formed in order to love someone for a lifetime, not fancy words, a thick wallet, a fast car, or attractive apparel. Work to become a person who you can appreciate. If it happens that someone else begins to appreciate you as well, you will have begun your relationship the right way. Anyone can buy a box of chocolates, but not everybody works to become the sort of person who can give themselves to another for a life time.

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Thanksgiving 2012.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my family, friends, and readers of this blog! These are a few of the thoughts on my mind this year:

First, it has been a good year. I completed my ThM and it appears that I will begin my doctoral studies with the University of Bristol in September 2013 (a few logistical matters need to be resolved first). My wife finished her BA and then she was chosen to be part of Teach for America. We moved from Oregon to Texas. This year we were able to celebrate the holiday with my mother-in-law, which is wonderful since we didn’t have any family in Oregon. This holiday known as Thanksgiving is designed by my culture as a day of remembering all the good things about life, but I hope that I don’t restrict this attitude to one day a year. It should be a daily posture.

Second, holidays like this one–where I have family, friends, food, health, housing, sanity, and much more–remind me that there are others who do not have these things and there could be a day when I don’t either. It should motivate me to be compassionate to those who do not have it and it should remind me to appreciate what I do have. When I say “have” I don’t mean a nice car, an iPhone, or many of the things celebrated on the commercials playing on my TV during the football game. I mean this simple things, those things we need and those things we come to expect even if there is no guarantee of their presence tomorrow.

Third, as I watch the Dallas Cowboys play the Washington Redskins–a name that needs to be changed because of its racial overtones–I am reminded that this holiday continues to have undertones of injustice toward Native peoples of this land. I read somewhere yesterday that Natives are the only group in this nation that continue to shrink each census. As a Christian I am reminded that fellow Christians have done much harm to Native peoples; therefore, we need to repent on behalf of our forefathers and mothers. More importantly, as a Christian living in the present I must be aware of whether there is anything I can do to show love to the people who have called this wonderful land “home” far longer than me or my ancestors. I know we cannot erase the past, and I know that we cannot do anything in the present to make the past disappear, but as a Christian I hope to aim for a brighter present and future as I relate to the Native American community. I wrote about this a little last year and it is something that still haunts me every Thanksgiving (see “Thanksgiving, genocide, and reconciliation with Native Americans”). (Excursion: Rev. Dr. Randy S. Woodley, “The Thanksgiving Myth: Not a Bad Start”)

Fourth, Black Friday: I don’t understand this “event” (for lack of a better word). We celebrate the fact that we have all we need, then we trample one another in stores to earn more (thereby, allowing businesses a reason for making people work the night after Thanksgiving rather than relaxing with their family). One time when my brother began college I went to one of Best Buy on the morning of Black Friday at around 5 AM. Obviously I had no idea how it works. People had been camped in front of the store since late the prior evening. Needless to say, I didn’t find a computer for my brother. Also, I saw how ridiculous it is to participate in Black Friday (unless you happen to go into a store later in the day and you come across a deal) and I won’t do it again. I wish there was no such thing.


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A nuanced allegiance to the United States.

Allegiance to the Kingdom of God should make someone a better citizen of one’s nation, but also the global community.

Independence Day is a perplexing one for me. On one hand, as a Christian I struggle with the idea of celebrating a violent uprising of any kind (see Kurt Willems, Just Jesus and Unjust July 4th: Why I Don’t Celebrate Independence Day for a well written presentation of the problem). On the other hand, James K.A. Smith said a few things on Twitter (@james_ka_smith) this morning that resonating with me: The pax Romana needed critique, but it was better than the rule of the barbarians, no? He said that this view (which he attributed to Augustine of Hippo) helps shape his view of the United States now. Sure, it is an imperfect empire, but it is likely better than many alternatives. He made the point that we should compare our earthly kingdoms to the heavenly Kingdom of God (for critique and perspective) as well as other models of earthly kingdoms that might be far worse for humanity. When I think of a world where Nazi Germany became the dominate super-power or where the U.S.S.R. emerged triumphant after the Cold War it seems like a darker, more oppressive state-of-being. (Update and clarification: I am not relaying Smith’s thoughts verbatim, or trying to speak for him, merely interacting with them since they “got me thinking.”)

Of course, I am an American shaped by American values and culture, so maybe that has something to do with it (though I doubt many would disagree with the idea that a world where Nazi Germany became the dominate super-power seems bleak).

Some Christians do not pledge allegiance to the United States. I understand their reasoning. I have seen Greg Boyd place the Pledge of Allegiance under Jesus’ prohibition against oaths. I am processing this argument.

The words to the pledge are as follows:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thus far I have continued to be comfortable with this pledge. When I say it I pledge to do no harm to my fellow citizens. I have no aims to betray this country. There is no ill-will toward my government. Even as I prepare to move to the so-called “Republic of Texas” I would never support the state trying to secede from the union if ever that day came (unlikely). I work to make my country a place where there is “liberty and justice for all,” including citizens and guests who live here.

When I pledge my allegiance I don’t think this demands blind allegiance but rather a nuanced one. If my nation participates in something that I find diametrically opposed to my discipleship toward Jesus Christ I would rather “obey God than humans.” This is one reason that personally I cannot fathom serving in the military as a Christian. It is one thing to give allegiance to my closest neighbors. It is something different to become “government property.” It is one thing to promise to seek the good of my fellow citizens (something not necessarily in conflict with seeking the good of people in other nations, ala Shaine Claiborne in This July 4th, Let’s Celebrate Inter-Dependence Day), but something other to become “owned” by my government. Personally, I can’t reconcile this with my confession of “Jesus as Lord,” though I have heard the reasons others disagree and I understand their points (e.g., one could be a slave to a master while confessing Jesus as their Lord).

I might not be “patriotic,” but that doesn’t mean I dislike my country. Listen, if I were a soul without a body and I was told that I could begin my human life in any nation of the world–though I had no guarantee of socio-economic status, race, parents, etc.–I would chose the United States. I could be wrong, but I think this is one of the places where someone has the best chance to make something of their lives though I do not deny the systematic injustices that are very, very real that prevent people from living good and healthy lives even in this nation. I could see myself living in several countries, but if I were forced to chose one in which to spend the rest of my life it would be this one.

I find that prioritizing my citizenship in the Kingdom of God makes me a better citizen of this present earthly kingdom. As a Christian I try not to lie to others, steal from my neighbor, use violence, and so forth and so on. Sure, I won’t pick up a weapon to fight in Afghanistan or Iraq, but I won’t rob my local 7-11 either. I am a good citizen and trust me this is because I am a Christian. I know an atheist can have ethics, but if I were an atheist I would find no good reason for living for anyone but myself. It is good for all who know me that I have submitted my life to Jesus Christ. Furthermore, I have been told in Scripture to submit to governing authorities, so I pay my taxes and I try to be a law abiding person. Even more importantly, I pray for my nation and the leadership of my nation. Yes, I pray for other nations as well, but it is for peace, and justice, and the well being of all humans. I don’t imagine that any good American would be offended by that. Origen argued that Christians make the best citizens because of our prayers. I agree.

Also, I find that being a Christian requires that I am critically hopeful that my nation will be one of the better ones. I have seen a quote attributed to Howard Zinn that says, “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” I think this can be true. This is why I hate our current wars, and I hate our partisan rhetoric, and I hate that when we discuss matters like immigration and health care it often leads to speech that dehumanizes those among us with the greatest need. As a Christian I don’t believe America is the “salt of the earth” or a “city set on a hill.” Rather, as a Christian I believe the church is those things (or should be) and I am saddened that with the church having such a strong presence in this land with so much power and influence that we are still a nation where Christians complain about a “tax” that may help give others health care when they are some of the wealthiest people in human history. You can dislike “Obamacare,” because you think it isn’t the best plan. But Christians, please, shouldn’t we be the ones seeking to help people not seeking to find a way to add another room to our homes?

Imagine: my little apartment has more comfort that the home of Caesar Augustus did (I’ve seen the ruins, not all that massive). I have running water, electricity, and enough food available that I have to spend an extra thirty dollars each month for a gym membership so that I don’t become too overweight. I have it so good. As a Christian it is part of my task to remind fellow Americans of this reality and to point to our need to help “the least of these.” This is not a socialist idea or the Democratic platform (especially since I do affirm that the unborn should be counted among “the least of these”).

As a Christian I must be skeptical of the comfort offered by the state if we’d support all that the state aims to do. One thing we cannot lose is our prophetic voice. Sometimes I think it may be too late. Too many Christians are comfortable with saying something like, “If you don’t like the way we do it in America, leave!” Really? Are we that committed to the status quo? Are we that comfortable? No, as a Christian it is good to call  spade a spade. It is “patriotic” to remind the state when they are forgetting the poor, the widow, or when they have become excessively violent. For example, could we say that Bonhoeffer’s love for the German people was greater than those who compromised with the Nazi state? I say yes.

Those who remain silent do not love their nation. They love their comfort.

I think one place where Christians can realign our priorities is through our corporate, public gatherings for worship. This is why I oppose singing nationalistic songs in church or draping the flag. Our worship together should not convolute our citizenship in the Kingdom of God and our citizenship in the United States. If we do not have a time and a place to be reminded that we have a higher allegiance we will do injustice to our lower allegiance. If I forget that the Kingdom of God is greater than the United States I will lose my ability to think critically about this country and when I do that I lose my ability to make it a better place–not only for my fellow citizens but for people in other nations.

When we gather to worship Jesus the Messiah chosen by God the Father to reign over the world through the Holy Spirit we are reminded that the Triune God reigns and that it is the way of God revealed through Christ that is the best way to be human. When we gather we are reminded that our Christian siblings in China, or Russia, or Palestine share a closer bond to us that those who share our national identity. When I am reminded that the Kingdom of God has citizen in all lands this leads me to be like the prophet Daniel (as commanded by the prophet Jeremiah [29.7]) seeking the “peace of the prosperity of the city” in which I live. If I live with Kingdom values I will be a better citizen of the United States and if the United States has more citizens committed to the Kingdom of God we will work to see that our nation is just and peaceful toward other nations and this will benefit our “siblings” in Christ who are citizens of other lands. This moves us closer to the shalom that we hope to see brought fully to us when Christ returns.

I speak as a Christian who is an American. Obviously, my “theology” on this matter is contextualized. That said, I know most people who read my blog share a similar context and I hope that as Christians we can be reminded that our truest citizenship is “in heaven” (as the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3.20). When we live for the Kingdom the United States benefits as does the other nations of this world. The way of Christ is best.


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The 4th of July around the blogosphere.

Shane Claiborne, This 4th of July Let’s Celebrate Inter-Dependence Day!

This year, let’s celebrate Interdependence Day — recognizing the fact that we are part of a global neighborhood. Let’s appreciate all the invisible people in our lives, and let’s lament the fact that the human family is terribly dysfunctional.

It’s not about being anti-American but about being pro-world. It’s a beautiful thing to realize that we need each other and that we are not alone in the world.

Kevin DeYoung, The Idea of America

I understand the dangers of an unthinking “God and country” mentality, let alone a gospel-less civil religion. But I also think love of country–like love of family or love of work–is a proximate good. Patriotism is not beneath the Christian, even for citizens of a superpower.

Kaitelin Hansen, Reclaiming Patriotism

On the 4th of July, millions of patriots will wave the flag and declare that they love USA. But which USA? Sometimes it seems we love a country that never existed, and despise the country we actually have. Do we really mean “God bless America”? Or just God bless myself?

Bev Hislop, We Are BECAUSE They Were

We are thankful and encouraged this Fourth of July when we remember those who gave their lives for the freedoms we in the United States enjoy—both back in the 1700’s and today in various parts of the world.  Religious freedom is one of the most cherished.

Logan Mehl-Laituri, Reborn on the 4th of July

To be reborn on the fourth of July is not just a curious anecdote, it is a model for faith. The national holiday calls Christians to ask, with other Americans; “Who are our founding fathers?” We cannot deny that we share in the heritage of Hancock, Jefferson, Madison and Franklin. But we also must not deny that our founders include apostles like Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Paul. How does our citizenship compliment our faith, and how might they at times contradict one another? Who indeed are our founding fathers (and mothers)?

Kurt Willems, Just Jesus and Unjust July 4th: Why I Don’t Celebrate Independence Day

If ever there was a situation that called for “just war,” it was the first century. The Roman Empire oppressed and killed people in Israel. There was no liberty for the Jewish people. Yet, Jesus taught the exact opposite of revolution – “But I say to you: don’t use violence to resist evil!” (Matthew 5.39, Kingdom New Testament).Even if one holds to the possibility of a “just war,” historically, the victory we celebrate as Americans every 4th of July, does not count. May we quit appealing to pseudo “just war” theories and start appealing to just Jesus, because the only Independence Day worth celebrating is Easter – which reminds us that violence doesn’t win because the tomb is empty!



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Citizenship in the Kingdom of God and the observance of Memorial Day.

Memorial Day is one of those holidays that can be quite complicated for Christians. We worship the God who will give us shalom and we serve his Son who called us to be heralds of peace. Yet as an American I live without fear of my temporal peace being immediately taken, in part because of the wars fought over the years by those who share my national identity. I am a citizen of the world’s strongest modern empire. I know other people (even other Christians) do not benefit from my nations “military industrial complex,” but I do.

Some Christians neutralize this tension by appealing to our “dual-citizenship” and (for Americans) the relative “good” done by our military. Kevin DeYoung’s post “Remembering Memorial Day” is a good example. He argues that “being a solider is not a sub-Christian activity;” “love of country can be a good thing;” and “the United States military has been a force for good in the world.” It is hard to image alternative outcomes to World War II without affirming some of DeYoung’s argument. As one person wrote in my Facebook feed this morning, “Even pacifists should be thankful for troops who have stood in harms way for their right to not take up a weapon.” Touche, I cannot deny that even as I am convinced that as a Christian it would be a violation of my conscience to serve in our military I know that the decision of others to do so is often motivated by good intentions, sometimes by their Christian beliefs. All things considered, rather I would be a citizen of the United States than any other country in the world. I admit that.

Obviously there are some concerning implications to DeYoung’s post–first and foremost the reality that many other nations with a large Christian population have made a similar argument over the last fifteen hundred years. I have had to ask myself, “What good is a Gospel that calls me to submit to a Messiah whose anti-violence message I can ignore when it conflicts with the interest of my nation?” I read about the World Wars and I am awestruck at the reality that many of the nations involved–Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Belgium, Poland, and others–were places where apparently the same deity was worshiped every Sunday even as we slaughtered each other.

Daniel Kirk’s post “Memorial Day” is a very good, short one on this subject. He writes these very important lines about being a Christian citizen of a free and peaceful nation:

“As Christians in the United States, we should be careful not to take for granted our share in this freedom. None of us worries about being killed on Sunday morning for joining in public worship.

“But this gratitude has its own danger.

“We might begin to believe that true freedom is gained by the shedding of the blood of our fallen soldiers. We might forget that no, the freedom we enjoy has been gained by us making the other guy shed more of his blood than we have shed of our own.”

Kirk reminds us that this comes very close to be the antithesis of the Christian narrative where “freedom” comes from Messiah giving his life for us. The same Messiah that calls us to peaceful resistance. The same Messiah that invites us to share his suffering and shame. Remember, he was a Jew among Jews who anticipated a violent Messiah, yet he turned his “war” against Satan and not the Romans who occupied his homeland. This is the other side of the challenge.

I am a citizen of the United States, but that is secondary. As the Apostle said, “But out citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3.20).” I pray for the day that he returns. I anticipate a time when we can have a peace far greater than the pax Americana, one from heaven–shalom.

Further reading:

- Rodney Thomas, On Memorial Day: Memory and Nonviolence

- Kurt Willems, Re-Membering Memorial Day


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Thanksgiving, genocide, and reconciliation with Native Americans.

Is Thanksgiving built on the genocide of the Native Americans? If so, how should we retell our story?

While I’m not so sure that the best way to rewrite the revisionist history surrounding Thanksgiving is to remove it as a federal holiday, or to move it to another month, I do think we should wrestle with the critique of Thanksgiving offered by Eugene Cho in his post “Rewriting History: Thanksgiving and Genocide”. Cho offers some worthwhile suggestions for ways to begin reconciliation with Native Americans whose people suffered genocide at the hands of European invaders.

My wife shared this post on Thanksgiving on Facebook and she asked her friend Shilo George to respond from the perspective of a Native American. With her permission I have reposted her response:

In my opinion reparations for past genocide is a complex and difficult proposition. I don’t know that I think reparations alone would be helpful or appropriate. How do you “pay back” 500 years of genocide, loss of language and culture, massacres, boarding schools and other tactics that have lead to the problems we see in our indigenous communities today? The historical trauma and scares many of our community members carry today are still very deep and bloody. We must also ask ourselves reparations from who’s point-of-view? The ideas of reparations will probably look very different from the eyes of an indigenous nation than the eyes of the colonizer. I think most people think of reparations as monetary, including land. The colonizing government sees land as having only resource and economic value whereas most indigenous peoples see land (or have in the past) as sacred and something that cannot be owned, taken, or cut up.

While giving back land would go far in helping some tribal nations, I’m not sure that giving back land alone would be adequate. Neither would a lump sum of money. In my opinion, if we were to consider real reparations, it would look something like a combination of honoring treaty rights, giving a formal apology (federal, state, and local), and most importantly a process of mutual and from-the-heart longterm ceremonies, conversations, or gatherings of reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing. Someone told me one time that for a reparation to really have meaning the cost to the persons providing the reparation must be a real sacrifice on their part. I don’t know that money or land would be a real sacrifice for a rich nation that places little value on land and the natural world. To me what would really show a serious and deeply felt understanding of reconciliation would be regional, a national scale, effort to truly look at, learn, analyze, and digest it’s true history of dealings with indigenous peoples. To make an effort to LISTEN to the stories, experiences, feelings, and hearts of indigenous peoples from their area. To be able to hold space with an open heart and check their defensiveness at the door. To honestly evaluate how they and their family and community has benefited from the genocide of indigenous peoples. Going through a grieving process to an understanding and healing. Then having further conversations with indigenous peoples about what reconciliation would look like to them. I guess I believe in reconciliation over reparations.

There is an amazing documentary called “Two Rivers” that shows a small town in northern Washington and their process of reconciliation with the local indigenous peoples on the near by Coville Indian Reservation. What I described above was what they, as a community, took on to address the local effects of genocide of indigenous peoples and the taking of land. The outcome was an annual community powwow, new and more accurate educational materials and lessons about the local indigenous peoples being taught in their local schools, more opportunities for the two communities to get together and socialize, and the giving back of traditional huckleberry habitat to the tribe. The reconciliation was not brought on by the government, but by community members who reached out to the tribe. I would think each community would have a unique way in creating a reconciliation. Giving land and money is easy, taking the time for a reconciliation and healing process is a truly difficult, complicated, emotional, but ultimately rewarding and mutually beneficial outcome.