Yesterday I was drawn into conversation around two hashtags that were trending on Twitter:
- #ThingsJesusNeverSaid
- #FakeChristian
Many people I follow and respect along with a host of unfamiliar individuals weighed in on one or both topics.
A common thread in both streams was the critique of some who self-identify as Christian but seem to live in ways that are not consistent with Jesus’ core teachings.
The Good Samaritan
Given all that is happening in our country and in the world right now, I was delighted to see that the parable of the Good Samaritan is today’s Gospel lesson for those who follow the Revised Common Lectionary. Moments before this morning’s worship service began, I read and quickly retweeted the words of Diana Butler Bass: “The Revised Common Lectionary is trolling Donald Trump. ”
At First Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth, TX, the Rev. Dr. Michael Waschevski’s message reminded hearers that while possessing the intellectual knowledge of what is right (orthodoxy) is good, actually living it out (orthopraxy) is both challenging and essential. Further, he invited us to really consider just how “other” the Samaritan was and how awkward and unexpected this individual rendering such care would have sounded in the ears of the original hearers.
To help drive this home, Waschevski mentioned Amy-Jill Levine’s approach to this parable found in her 2014 book: Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi. Levine, a self-described Yankee Jewish feminist who teaches New Testatement at Vanderbilt Divinity School, retells the Parable of Good Samaritan as the Parable of the Good Hamas Member.
Waschevski encouraged his listeners to personalize the parable by thinking of the group that from whom they could not fathom accepting care – members of the opposing political party, someone with differing views about human sexuality, or any other group so other as to be as awkward and challenging to see step up and do the right thing as would have been a Samaritan for the original audience or Hamas for Levine.
So What?
Christians living Christianly should be a given. Unfortunately, as I write this post some leaders in our nation who self-identify as Christian are okay with and even speak well of America compelling some of our neighbors to live indefinitely in overcrowded cages. Many of these same individuals are applauding the massive ICE action now underway in ten cities to round up more of our neighbors as a prelude to treating them even more unfavorably.
It is my hope that all who follow the Way of Jesus will take some time to revisit the Parable of the Good Samaritan, will be reminded who Jesus defines as neighbor, and recommit to living lives focused on loving God through loving all neighbors.
Note: I first encountered Amy-Jill Levine’s book referenced above as it was being published, and posted the text of the Parable of the Good Hamas member on this blog in September 2014. I later included it in a sermon I preached at Fort Myers Congregational Church in June 2015, which I titled “The Parable of the Good Hamas Member.”