YES OR NO

How can a Serious Christian be and American?

The present American values are: Get rich, Buy stuff, Worship Celebrities. Put band-aids on social problems like homelessness, affordable housing, immigrants and health care.

Spend billions on defense.

Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in 1776. We celebrate it on July, 4. It separated the colonies from England. It freed us from unjust taxation, proclaimed free enterprise. However, the declaration exempted slaves, women and Native Americans.

John Adams, a prominent New England farmer and lawyer went to Philadelphia in 1776. Abigail, his wife said do something for the women. They did not.

Jesus says these words to his disciples and therefore to us. “Love your neighbors and your enemies.” This is radical Christianity. It is not how most people treat each other. Jesus words are standards by which we hold our values. He also says elsewhere to feed the hungry, heal the sick and stand against injustice.

How can a serious Christian be and American?

We rejoice and give thanks that we are an independent nation, no longer dominated by England or any other country.

We rejoice that we have a solid constitution and strong Bill of Rights.

We are thankful that most of us have the right to vote. Yet many states try to prevent people from voting.

We Christians are glad that the state may not interfere with the practice of our religion.

We give thanks for our freedom to speak and assemble. As a preacher I do not have to worry that the government can censor my remarks.

A serious Christian is a mature person, a thoughtful person and one who lives with ambiguity.

I can love my country and criticize the Congress for failing to protect the citizenry from random gun violence.

I can love my country and hate its war mongering in the Middle East.

I can love my country and hate the treatment of immigrant people.

I can love my country and decry that our capitalist system cause so many to be hungry, homeless and live in poverty.

I can love my country as a patriotic American and protest police killing young men and women of color. I can protest police murders and at the same time as giving thanks for the bravery of police officers who risk their lives to help other. That is what I mean by ambiguity.

A serious Christian is open to love our country and be its severest critics.

Jesus calls us to love our enemies as well as our neighbors. The U.S. government chooses to wage war instead of waging peace.

Jesus says love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Radical Christians can help mobilize and deepen and humanize American values.

A sermon by The Rev. Robert Warren Cromey, Church of St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco, July 3, 2016.

How can a Serious Christian be and American?

Jesus says these words to his disciples and therefore to us. “Love your neighbors and your enemies.” This is radical Christianity. It is not how most people treat each other. Jesus words are standards by which we hold our values. He also says elsewhere to feed the hungry, heal the sick and stand against injustice.

The present American values are: Get rich, Buy stuff, Worship Celebrities. Put band-aids on social problems like homelessness, affordable housing, immigrants and health care.

Spend billions on defense.

Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in 1776. We celebrate it on July, 4. It separated the colonies from England. It freed us from unjust taxation, proclaimed free enterprise. However, the declaration exempted slaves, women and Native Americans.

John Adams, a prominent New England farmer and lawyer went to Philadelphia in 1776. Abigail, his wife said do something for the women. They did not.

How can a serious Christian be and American?

We rejoice and give thanks that we are an independent nation, no longer dominated by England or any other country.

We rejoice that we have a solid constitution and strong Bill of Rights.

We are thankful that most of us have the right to vote. Yet many states try to prevent people from voting.

We Christians are glad that the state may not interfere with the practice of our religion.

We give thanks for our freedom to speak and assemble. As a preacher I do not have to worry that the government can censor my remarks.

A serious Christian is a mature person, a thoughtful person and one who lives with ambiguity.

I can love my country and criticize the Congress for failing to protect the citizenry from random gun violence.

I can love my country and hate its war mongering in the Middle East.

I can love my country and hate the treatment of immigrant people.

I can love my country and decry that our capitalist system cause so many to be hungry, homeless and live in poverty.

I can love my country as a patriotic American and protest police killing young men and women of color. I can protest police murders and at the same time as giving thanks for the bravery of police officers who risk their lives to help other. That is what I mean by ambiguity.

A serious Christian is open to love our country and be its severest critics.

Jesus calls us to love our enemies as well as our neighbors. The U.S. government chooses to wage war instead of waging peace.

Jesus says love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Radical Christians can help mobilize and deepen and humanize American values.

A sermon by The Rev. Robert Warren Cromey, Church of St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco, July 3, 2016.