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Some of the members of The Christian Left admin team had a chance to see Bruce Cockburn in Portland, Oregon before Christmas. You have to listen to THIS song. You'll see why. You have to listen to it right now. (Please don't give away the surprise in social media comments.)  The Christian right reveres a harsh individualism that runs directly contrary to the true meaning of Christmas. By Michael Coren Republished with author's permission  The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1540. Artist Bonifacio de' Pitati. (Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons) There’s a compelling story in the New Testament that, unusually, is included in three of the four Gospels. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell of a rich young man who wants to follow Jesus. The eager fellow explains that he obeys the commandments and is genuinely good. What else, he asks, should he do? The response is exquisite. ”There is still one thing lacking”, says Jesus. ”Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When the young millionaire hears this “he became sad; for he was very rich”. Jesus looks at the man, with a stare we can only imagine, and explains, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” Then the timeless, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” So, as we approach Christmas, what are the genuine values of the Gospels, and what should we learn from the commemoration of the birth of a baby to a teenage Jewish refugee 2000 years ago? I’m not going to indulge in apologetics here, and whether you believe or not is entirely your concern. Faith is a dialogue and anybody who claims to have every answer should probably be ignored. What I want to emphasize is the socialistic nature of Jesus, who owned no property, lived communally, chose as friends the marginalized and rejected, warned of the dangers of wealth and power, and scolded those who judged others or stood behind smugness and legalism. He was born in an age where cruelty and confusion abounded, but born, Christians believe, the Son of God, to bathe the world in shades of grace and hope. This is the Jesus who insisted it was humility rather than pride, and peace rather than war that would change the world. This is the permanent revolution of love that inspired Keir Hardie, George Lansbury, and so many in the Labor movement. William Temple, who was Archbishop of Canterbury during the Second World War, went so far as to say that “socialism is the economic realization of the Christian gospel”. I recently wrote a book called The Rebel Christ, and judging by the attacks on me by the Christian right I touched a nerve, or even the entire central nervous system. There’s none so angry as a fundamentalist scorned. I wrote that the Christian right reveres a harsh individualism that runs directly contrary to the melodies of the Christian song. Jesus repeatedly told of the absolute need for community and fraternity, as did St Paul and others in the New Testament who wrote letters of instruction to the early church. Yet since the 1960s, beginning in the US but spreading internationally, the right has edited and twisted the faith to justify its polemics. Conservative Christians have always existed, of course, but the intense organization, activism and electoral success is a new phenomenon. They obsess about abortion and homosexuality, when Jesus speaks of neither subject. Simultaneously they promote policies that directly hurt the poor and empower the military, when the Gospels are soaked in calls for peace and economic justice. Beyond the Protestant right – and 81 per cent of white evangelicals voted for Donald Trump in 2016 – the traditionalist wing of the Roman Catholic Church is frequently venomous on these issues, in direct reaction to the sometimes surprisingly progressive Pope Francis. Quoting scripture has inherent challenges because it demands context but take a typical example from Matthew 25. Jesus says, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” He was speaking not of himself but of all who need, all who go without. This is much more than charity, this is systemic change. It’s extraordinarily difficult to understand how anybody could interpret the statements of Christ as anything other than politically and economically liberating; it’s why he was eventually executed, when the conservative religious leaders around him were ignored. They simply weren’t a threat to the status quo. As for the argument that the socialist vision of Christianity is modern or “fashionable”, the Didache dates from the first century and is one of the most important documents in early church history. It tells Christians to “share all your possessions with your brother, and do not claim that anything is your own.” The Church Fathers and Mothers writing in the third and fourth centuries say similar things. Even when Jesus performs the miracle of feeding a multitude with a limited amount of bread and fish, what we’re seeing is either a breathtaking example of mass sharing, or a literal miracle where hungry people are fed. Either way, it’s about fellowship, a joint effort, a coming-together of people who are hungry. Indeed, the New Testament is peppered with examples of the needy being fed and provided for. Luke’s Gospel: “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Genuine faith is sandpaper of the soul, it hurts, it stings, but in the final analysis it should lead to a more perfect believer. It drags those who claim to follow Yeshua out of our comfort zones, calling for a great reset of the world as it was designed to be. There’s no war on Christmas but there is a war on Christmas virtues, often led by those most triggered by an absence of greetings cards without religious scenes, or a local authority removing a Christmas tree. On 25 December it all changes. The baby who becomes a man is the living model of equality and empathy, leaving us a new template of life and conduct. Treat others as you want to be treated, understand and forgive, never ignore oppression, transform the very structures that create and maintain exploitation, and turn over those tables in the temple. Blessed are the radical for they understand Christmas. Have a good one.  Added Bonus! Check out the brilliance of John Fugelsang as he does a set for an event The Christian Left recently helped promote. This man gets it and he's hilarious!  Please remember us in your seasonal and year-end giving. We were the first US Christian ministry to fully embrace social media in 2009. We’re a haven for many. Your seasonal contribution helps! Here’s the link: https://donorbox.org/friends-of-tcl-21 God Bless You and Happy Holidays!
-- The Christian Left  We got a chance to hang out with Frank Schaeffer in October in New York. The event was filmed and we'd like to share it with you. Frank was an early pioneer in the progressive Christian movement. We call him our 'historian.' He always has good stuff to say. We remember when we were first exposed to Frank's material. We felt like we were reading the words of a kindred spirit. We no longer felt so alone in the world. Soon after we launched The Christian Left we met him in person and the 2nd Wild Goose Festival in Shakori Hills, NC. He's been a friend of the ministry ever since and we always enjoy his wisdom and advice. Frank has a new book out called, "Fall in Love, Have Children, Stay Put, Save the Planet, Be Happy." Every single one of Frank's books are filled with knowledge and information that soothes the soul of Christian progressives and their allies. Frank discusses the book in this video and shares other stories about his life. We were in the front row on this beautiful evening in New York City and it was a big thrill to listen to him live. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Special thanks to Samir Selmanovic and Tim Gilman at Common Good Coalition for hosting the event, inviting us and allowing us to be an action partner in their mission. Special thanks to Rod and Ally Colburn for providing the wonderful venue 'on the rooftop' in the heart of New York, New York.
You can purchase your own copy of Frank's book on Amazon using this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0757324118 We give the book our highest recommendation! Please Visit The Following Websites For More: • The Christian Left: https://www.thechristianleft.org/ (New Website Coming Soon) • The Christian Left Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheChristianLeft (Where All The Action Happens Daily) • Common Good Coalition: https://www.cgcoalition.com/ • The Official Website of Frank Schaeffer http://www.frankschaeffer.com/ Please remember The Christian Left this giving season of 2021 and in your year-end giving. The nation is facing some serious issues as we move forward in 2022 and beyond. The need for a ministry that serves Christian progressives and their allies is more important than ever. We're not funded by any church or organization. We're user funded and we operate with a very small staff on a shoestring budget. The last two years have been particularly difficult as they have been for many small businesses and organizations. Please do what you can today and sign up for a monthly contribution if you're able. Here's the link to make a contribution: https://donorbox.org/friends-of-tcl-21 God Bless You and Thanks So Much For Supporting Our Mission! -- The Christian Left |
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