Christian Nationalism - Part 3 - The Armor of God

In this episode of 'Speaking of Faith', Bishop DeDe and Adam Eichelberger continue their discussion on Christian nationalism and the upcoming elections. They emphasize the importance of grounding oneself in faith amidst uncertainty and division, advocating for a perspective that focuses on love, community, and the teachings of Jesus. The conversation explores the concept of the 'armor of God' as a metaphor for spiritual resilience and the call to support one another in times of struggle. The hope is that you find peace and strength in your faith and community.

Takeaways

• Faith informs the way we live our lives.
• The baptismal covenant has real-life consequences.
• Our help is in the name of the Lord.
• Christian nationalism is not aligned with the gospel.
• We are called to be resurrection people.
• The armor of God helps us stand firm in faith.
• Our struggle is against spiritual forces, not people.
• We must defend those who cannot defend themselves.
• Standing together is essential in times of division.
• We are loved and called to goodness.

Chapters

00:00 Faith in Uncertain Times
02:52 Understanding Christian Nationalism
06:10 The Armor of God: A Spiritual Perspective
09:01 Living Out Our Faith
12:04 The Call to Stand Together
15:06 Finding Peace in Community

AI Disclosure: To support our staff in their limited time, many of our episode summaries are first generated by AI and then edited by the Communications Director to accurately reflect and preview our podcast episodes.

Transcript

0:03

Hey friends, welcome to the podcast. Speaking of faith, I am Dee Dee Duncan Probee and I'm joined by Adam Eichelberger and we are here to talk about our faith. I am so glad to have this opportunity to talk with you and I want to kind of timestamp this a little bit. We're talking today on November 5th. It is the day when people are voting. I don't know the outcome of the election. I don't have any. Secret knowledge. I want to say that right off if anything I say sounds like I knew something was going to happen I have no idea just like any pundits or anyone out there who Although they may be saying they do know I have no idea what's going to happen But I do know that in our conversations about Christian nationalism there has been real value and remembering what our faith is about and How that faith informs the way we live our lives? Earlier in this podcast, last spring, I talked a lot about the baptismal covenant. I refer you to those, encourage you to re-listen or re-watch those episodes about the baptismal covenant. It is a covenant we make with God. These are vows we take as people who follow Jesus. And as such, they have real life consequences. It means we've taken a vow with God to act in certain ways. And in this time of elections and divisions and hurt feelings and anger and fear and all the things that are this moment, we start with our base of knowing that we are God's people and God is with us. Regardless of opinion, regardless of partisan affiliation, regardless of any of these other things that seek to divide us, we are unified in our love of Jesus and in God's love of us. And so I think it's so important to start this conversation reminding ourselves that our help is not in a political candidate or an ideology or a platform, but truly our help is in the name of the Lord. It is something I say at almost every Eucharist at the end when I give my blessing, our help is truly in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. And so we are called as God's people, having made these vows through the baptismal covenant. to live our lives in a certain way. Now we've been talking for a little while about Christian nationalism. And if you're not familiar with what this is, I encourage you to do some reading about it, to look some things up. You can listen to some of the earlier podcasts about that as well. This idea that America is uniquely a Christian nation. is not appropriate either to our constitution and the tenets of our civic life. And it is especially not accurate or appropriate to our spiritual life. To look at the Jesus of Nazareth and what Jesus means and the gospel narrative of Jesus's life is not about creating an earthly nation. It's about the kingdom or kindom, as some would say, of God. that the kingdom of God has come near, that we would be part of this good work of God, something that's expansive, extensive, not tied to a time or a place, but something that is ongoing and eternal. Each of us, no matter what our faith may be, that we are created by a God, force in the world for goodness, that we have been blessed and that we've been created to be loved and to love. And so in this time when the election can overtake all of that and we can start being fearful of what may happen or what an outcome may be, it's essential that we stop and remember that our faith is eternal, that God is eternally with us, and also that we've seen hard times before. We have had times where Our civic life is not lined up with our spiritual life. We have experienced times when divisions among us have caused harm and real harm. And we can never mitigate that harm by thinking, it'll work out in the end because it is a time of great fear and suffering and sorrow. And our faith meets us in suffering and sorrow because Jesus himself knew suffering and sorrow in the crucifixion. and then in the tomb, and then of course ultimately in resurrection. We are resurrection people. We believe in it before Jesus comes. We believe in it before that all things are calling to resurrection. This past weekend, one of our readings was from the gospel talking about Mary and Martha that's been, people have been reading these passages recently about, and specifically around Lazarus. and a Lazarus coming forth. And one of the things that's really important and has been said over centuries, that Jesus calls to death and out of death comes life. That Jesus called that even death can hear the life that Jesus is bringing. And so that can give us great hope as people of faith that in this time, in this election season, the life and the hope we seek is beyond this world. And so this is just a moment. but then we will see face to face to see that all coming together. So with Christian nationalism and with voting in the election, how do we find our peace? How do we kind of comfort ourselves in knowing that whatever happens will be okay, not that it will be good, but God will be with us. There's a difference there, let's be clear. And how do we find a source of strength? Well, I've thrown out, this is a lot of what I've said has been scripturally based. If you're paying attention, you've heard a lot, but I want to bring in here one more passage, which is from Ephesians six, beginning in verse 10 about the armor of God. Now this motif over the years or centuries has been used combatively that we put on the armor of God as if we're going to go fight a battle. And it is clear that we are part, we are engaged in a spiritual battle of sorts. But that does not mean that we're battling. It means that we're called to be about something different. We're called to wrestle through our own demons of wanting to fight with other people or to be hateful instead of love. We're working through our own issues of selfishness and greed. And really, I think in these present times, apathy. A lot of people are saying they don't really care what's good for their neighbor. I want what I want. and that selfish apathy of I don't care about somebody else. The armor of God is what really brings a clarity to who we are and protects us. And so if you read Ephesians 6, and I'm gonna read a little bit of it, finally be strong in the Lord and in the strength of God's power, put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Notice it doesn't say put on the whole armor of God so you can go attack somebody or put on the whole armor of God so you can go be right. It's put on the whole armor of God so that you can stand and not lose your way. So you can remember who you are, whose you are, and that God is present to you. And so that right from the very get-go defines us as followers of Jesus, that our faith is about us being in relationship with God, being in relationship with one another, and standing. in that relationship. So we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, against temptation, the temptation to be selfish, the temptation to assert our own way. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil and the heavenly places. Now that has been, we don't have enough time in this podcast unless I were to talk for a lot longer. than we have to get into all that is in that sentence. mean, this is, you know, a very expanded understanding of all of life. But I think when you look over history, you can see these cosmic forces and you can see this battle happening, whether it's the crusades or slavery or, you know, in their present day slavery or human trafficking or the... the selfish greed of the 80s or when you look, you see these spiritual temptations to dehumanize and harm one another. These temptations to be about things that are not helpful. Excuse me. And that what we're battling isn't a person, but what we're battling are spiritual forces, are things that call us, that tempt us. to forget who we are and what we're about. Now I've talked for quite a while, so Adam, I don't know if you have any thoughts. I've kind of gone around a range of things, but specifically about this, what comes to your mind? I think the thing that really stands out to me, Bishop, when I hear you talk about this idea of putting on the armor of God is even in my own life, in my own spiritual journey as somebody who is a Christian is I have looked at this for so long as like a battle cry, like a call to arms for so long. And for me, as I've taken time, especially in the time and the place and the space that we're in to really read over the the message of Jesus found in the gospel, the writings of the New Testament that are handed on to us, it's taken on a whole new form for me. That instead of preparing myself for battle, what I am doing as I put on the armor of God is I, in a way, am looking at this like I am making myself a shield. Because I understand that there are those in my community, in my world, who don't have the ability to stand up for and defend themselves. And when we look at the life and example that Jesus leads, there is no shy of maybe one instance that we get when we hear the story of Jesus flipping over temple tables. There is no incident where he acts out with violence or aggression or anger. If we look to the story of his crucifixion before he goes to the cross, we hear Jesus in the temple. I mean, excuse me, we hear Jesus in the garden, praying to his father, asking for the cup to be taken away from him. And that there is great temptation in the story of Jesus when he's praying in the desert and he is visited by the devil, as the Bible says it, and is offered all of this dominion, all of this power. If he just lays down what it is that he's supposed to do. And that's what we are called to do, not to lay down what it is that we are supposed to do, but pick it up and become that shield for others. If we look at the cross when he's hanging, there are those who stood at the foot of the cross, even next to him, who derided him and said, you could do this. You could take yourself down. And he had every opportunity to, but yet he, he does this thing. That's an ugly word when we look at it in the Bible. But in this context, I think it's so appropriate, which is he submitted himself to God's will, which is what? to love our neighbor, to defend those who cannot defend themselves, to do the work of the kingdom here as it is in heaven, like we profess when we pray the our father together. That is what this is all about. It kind of gives me like that illustration. There was this really kind of very macho movie a while ago. I don't know if you guys remember it, but it was called 300, right? It's about Spartans and stuff like that. And it's, Not for family viewing. So if you're listening to this and you're going to maybe rent it or whatever, rent them, rent some movies. If you're going to stream it, there's like you, you, you get a little bit of peek at this history of how they would defend themselves and what did they do? They linked shields and created a barrier. It was all about that need to protect. And I think that that's one of the things Bishop that really speaks out to me is that our call as those of us who do call ourselves Christians, is to put on this armor to defend those in need, not to go out and start a riot or start a war or start a fight. Mm-hmm. Well, and in this passage, all of the focus is on ourselves, like, you know, to stand against the enemies and the enemies of blood and flesh who rail against what Jesus is calling the spiritual powers of darkness. so therefore take on the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand. So all of this passage doesn't say to be. antagonistic or to be outward facing, but it is really about standing our ground and to be able to stand there for. mean, the whole motif, it even ends with, and when you have done all that you can to stand, stand, that all of this is about standing for something, which is the protection of others, which is our best self. I think we know that when we fall to the temptation of hatred or dehumanization, it corrupts our own souls. And to put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to withstand and to stand there for. It really, in context of what is written here, is not at all about the battling or the, you know, like with the 300. It's very much about the healing that comes with staying true to ourselves. One of the things about this time that I think is true, is so much as pushing us away from our best selves, whether it's fear, whether it's watching TV too much, it's rates of alcoholism have gone up, whatever spiritual issue you wanna talk about, that one of the things of this time is all of the anxiety and stress and difficulty pushes us away from our best self. Where, you know, sharp with the person at the store instead of being kind. And when you bring up Jesus in the scriptures and at the crucifixion, to not forget at this moment of tremendous torture and suffering, Jesus is continuing to invite, continuing to express love. Here is your son and here is your mother. You'll be with me in the kingdom of heaven. All of these words are invitation or on message for Jesus. throughout the entirety of the passion narrative, Jesus remains who Jesus is, which is love personified. He continues to be in that space and even on a cross, to use the metaphor of this passage, standing, continuing to be who he's called to be. So for us in this time, this comes right back to where we started from, which is that our fate, helps us in our day-to-day lives know how to be in this time. One of the things that we may feel is, it's so confusing, I don't know what to do. it's so, you know, this is so hard, I just feel, you know, so much anxiety, I don't know how to manage it. But there's part of us that does know, that knows that our faith is where the help is, that knows that when we do... this put on this armor of God and now I want to talk a little bit about what the armor actually is because I think it's it's profound when you think about in terms of standing and what you need to resist these temptations that you make ready to proclaim the gospel of peace so you to proclaim the gospel of peace you take on the shield of faith So right off the bat, like what you're talking about with the three, you take on the shield of faith that wait, no here and no further. I'm going to remember who I am. I'm going to ask, act in that best interest. That you may be able to quench the flaming arrows of the evil one. Those things that kind of nag at you where you're just like, you finally have had enough and you kind of explode. The shield of faith is going back and they know I'm staying with that. The helmet of salvation that God has created us, saved us, redeemed us, made us. And so our helmet, what protects us is not that we're totally impervious, but that God's salvation, God's providing for us is not contingent. And then the sword of the spirit, this idea of the sword of the spirit being, and we think of the fruits of the spirit, love, gentleness, patience, self-control. The sword of the spirit is not, you know, whacking people. The sword of the spirit. is all the stuff we don't really like doing when we're frustrated. You know, it's being forgiving, it's being kind, it's breathing and saying, I don't understand your point because all I can hear is my own rightness, so let me take a minute to set my rightness aside and hear your point. Let me be compassionate, let me be empathetic, let me have joy. That we pray in the Spirit at all times and in every place. And that we keep alert and persevere in supplicating, in praying for the saints in and in turning our attention to those who inspire us and that we speak a message that's given to us that proclaims the gospel. This passage all through it, the, you you talk about the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the feet chod with peace, these are all things, excuse me, that are not about battling, but about standing for something. Hmm. And that old line, if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything, is just true, true, true, true. What we're called to do as people who love Jesus is stand and to stand there for, to stand for something, truth, compassion, the fruit of the Spirit, the love of God that Jesus has called us. And the more we put that around us, we insulate ourselves like the Holy Spirit at times is called the comforter. And even if you think of it like a comforter off your bed to be wrapped in that love of God, that we're cocooned in this place for healing and restoration, that when we go back out into the world, we can proclaim a message of peace and hope from an authentic place of having been healed ourselves. So dear friends, in this time with all the election. stuff that goes on with I'm sure by the time this podcast comes out there'll have been a lot written and said and done about you know validity and who's been and all these things that will happen. My prayer for all of us is that we'll wrap ourselves in the love of God that will put on the breastplate of righteousness and the belt of truth that will be more interested in truth than in getting our own way that that sort of the spirit that that calls us to compassionate love and caring and gentleness and self-control that we will find in our faith a place of healing in the midst of this time that transforms not only our life but offers shelter and healing and transformation for the people around us. Wouldn't it be great in this time when so many are fighting and yelling and all of the things that are happening if we are the people who stand together and say, no, here's our shield. We stand together because we stand for something. May we stand for Jesus and may we stand together. And if you find yourself in a time where you feel unsafe or you feel like you're at risk in other ways, please reach out to a trusted friend or someone you can talk to. Please seek companionship. This is not the time for us to be all by ourselves. One of the things about this, you know, about the armor of God is it's about coming together, being part of something that's bigger than ourselves. So please reach out to a trusted friend and know that you are loved beyond measure, that you have a calling, and that you are good, that God is calling you to goodness. And in that goodness may you find redemption and peace. God bless you and keep you. And I look forward to seeing you next week from here on out. The podcast will be coming out each week. I look forward to seeing you next week and talking with you then. Take good care, blessings to you. Okay.