Several of our friends have noted that we seem to have been more politically active this year. Yes, intentionally so. Four years ago, we were grieved to see our fellow Christians support a man who mocked the disabled, who made derogatory remarks about women and bragged about assaulting them, who denigrated people of color. We even offered an apology for our tepid responses. Yet, during that time, we remained prayerful that our president would set aside strife and vainglory to lead our country. We also trusted that Christian friends would be true to their word and hold him accountable. Instead, the outcomes have proven even uglier than we had anticipated. Ongoing racial tensions, growing nationalism, and poor leadership have created deep wounds in our country and around the world. So, if we seem impassioned, it is out of great grief and a deep sense of urgency.
We grieve the pain we see around us as our brothers and sisters of color continue to feel the chains of racial oppression even as we see a rising white supremacy. We grieve the substitution of nationalism for patriotism. We grieve the denigration of a free press and the inability to protest injustice without retaliation. We grieve the replacement of leadership with dictates and discussions with tweetstorms. We grieve the substitution of alternate facts and conspiracy theories for the truth. We grieve the trading of community for individual rights. We grieve the growing wealth gap and valuing of business that continues to marginalize many for the gain of the few. We grieve the loss of our standing as a beacon of hope to the rest of world.
Even now, over a month after the election, we continue to grieve the loss of respect for institutions that we have long revered including a free and fair election. We grieve the sacrifice of honesty, integrity, and public service for winning at all cost. We grieve a growing authoritarian tone in our discourse that would seek to disenfranchise those who disagree. We grieve partisanship that has led to calls for succession and violence. We grieve the inability of Americans to come together even as we face a new 9/11 death toll each day.
While all of these cause a heavy heart, our hearts are most broken by the way we have seen Christians respond. We thought we shared the value of compassion for our fellow man as Christ has called us to love our neighbor as ourselves. However, instead of stepping in with the Gospel, Christians have at best remained silent while many have condoned, excused, or even embraced these hateful, xenophobic, misogynistic, partisan messages.
Some have suggested that we hate Donald Trump. This is not true. However, we do denounce much associated with this administration. We are white, middle class professionals who are barely impacted and who often have to seek ways to ensure that we aren’t the beneficiaries of a broken system. As Christians we feel the responsibility of God’s call to bear the burden of those less fortunate, to add our voices to those crying for justice, to provide comfort to the suffering, to strive for small redemptions with our eyes on the final redemption of all Creation. We continue to invite you to join us.