Unashamed Faith

In God's vision for First United Church, one line proclaims: "Your unashamed faith in me will burn like a shining beacon, attracting people of every age, race, creed and spiritual condition to create a community of life-changing worship and reconciliation."

Today -- Sept. 11, 2010 -- is a day when it is hard to feel unashamed of our Christian faith. It only takes a few extremists to damage the reputation of the world's great faith traditions.

Christian pastor Terry Jones' hostile threats to burn a Quran in Florida today have caused moral and political outrage around the world. The violent actions of a small group of Muslim terrorists nine years ago have caused many people to label all who follow Islam as dangerous. Today a guest to our church told me that she feels Ground Zero is a sacred site, where the memory of our dead should be hallowed, and so building an Islamic cultural center nearby is wrong and should be stopped.

One temptation for all of us is to lose faith in our faith traditions, and to refuse to be identified with the "wackos" who use religion as a motive for hatred, bigotry, violence and destruction.

But today of all days, we need to be unashamed of our faith, which in fact leads to the path of nonviolent love and reconciliation. One of the risks we take as Christians is the risk of being associated with sinners. Jesus said:

Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8:38)

Once again, Jesus knew exactly what to say. While we feel angered and ashamed by the actions of a few extremists who have twisted religious teachings into a motive for violent acts, there is no reason to be ashamed of the Messiah we follow, and the Word he brings.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (John 14:27)