Sacred Texts

On Thursday, I shared that in 2008, during a conversation with a clergy colleague, I first coined the phrase, “there is a difference between what the Gospel requires and what the Constitution guarantees.” I have since researched and cannot find the statement expressed in exactly the same way in any other source.

Since I uttered the phrase, I have spent a tremendous amount of time fleshing out what it really means. I have also spent a lot of time testing its validity.

In the Christian tradition, our scripture is found in the Old and New Testaments of The Bible. The Old Testament being the Hebrew Bible with the New Testament consisting of the Gospels, letters and the Book of Revelation. The Bible is the foundation of our faith. The Gospels are our window into who God is reflected in the person of Jesus Christ, the son of God.

There is a very broad spectrum of interpretation of the Christian scriptures. We need look no further than the myriad of Christian denominations and traditions that exist. Almost every expression of the Christian faith emerged as a result of some disagreement over theology and doctrine.

In the American tradition, we also have sacred texts: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. These documents are the foundation of our freedom. The current tension related to the Supreme Court is a reminder that we have similar disagreements about how the Constitution is interpreted.

As Christians, the Bible, specifically the Gospels and more specifically, the direct teachings of Jesus provide a series of imperatives about how we are to order our lives. The founding documents of our country enumerate our rights as Americans. As Christian Americans, we have to determine how these sacred texts inform who we are and how they define our relationships with each other. We also have to navigate the tension that inevitably arises when we since conflict between these sacred texts.

As we continue this discussion, I will explore the Gospel imperatives (what the Gospel requires) as well as our enumerated American rights (what the Constitution guarantees). I will also explore some places of conflict and some suggestions for how we might navigate that tension.

For this evening, I leave us with these words from the prophet Micah:

And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 NRSV