“Decide today whom you will serve… As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” There is a strain in American politics called Christian nationalism which, as near as I can tell, wants to establish Christianity as the official religion of the republic. Besides being clean contrary to our national identity, history teaches us this is a bad idea. Official Christianty gave us the inquistion, the crusades, the Salem witch trials and the Scopes verdict. In the early days in the Roman empire Christianity was a choice, a choice that someone made even at the risk of life and livelihood. Once Christianity became the official religion of Rome in 380AD it paid to be a Christian. It was all crown, no cross. Being a Christian was in a memorable phrase “cheap grace.” In our day with the defection of a large swath of believers from the Church we once more have to heed Joshua’s admonition and decide whom we will serve. Do we want the faith which is compassionate, forgiving, welcoming, generous and loving or not?
