You know me well enough to identify me as “a protester.” I get the most notice for the civil disobedience arrests. But there‘s a host of other marches, rallies, boycotts, sit-ins, strikes, ‘No Kings’ protests, and even political theater.
I see protest as a citizen‘s responsibility — as basic as voting (and I never miss an election, even when unexcited about who or what’s on the ballot). For me, both voting and protest are simply “our end of the bargain,” or “the rent we pay” to be citizens (not to forget taxes).
On a deeper level, I also see protest as my Christian duty. We are called by God in Christ — commissioned by our baptisms — to help with the work of salvation. For Christians, it’s not enough to offer charity toward another‘s need (though that’s required too… that we not cling to, but share our abundance). Particularly in our tradition (we are Protest-ants after all!), we believe we are to improve the conditions that sentence people to material, emotional or spiritual want.
Christianity is an existential act of protest – acknowledging that life as we know it is not right, complete, whole, holy, and turning to God for help, not just plugging up the holes, but curing the brokenness. The Kingdom of God, in it’s fully realized incarnation, is our world redeemed.
Anyway, I‘m always intrigued how many church people apologize for ”not being the protesting type.” Their reasons can be multiple and complex. They include:
~ fear of risks, safety, arrests, or violence;
~ feeling overwhelmed or insecure about their political opinions or taking a public stand;
~ social discomfort (no place for agoraphobes!);
~ concern about being labeled “an activist;” (akin to an ‘unpleasant, uncompromising zealot!’);
~ possibility that public dissent will lead to confrontation or social ostracization;
~ doubts about personal impact…
Hasn’t the last year convinced us (painfully) that in extremis, neutrality is letting harm have its way. I don’t often talk about the Trump Administration’s successes, but I’d say its biggest is making complacent citizens into eager protestors.
In our Lenten Devotion this week, Rev. Campbell‘s prayer began with an unattributed quote that haunted and inspired us:
Let wrong embolden us to fight,
And need excite our care;
If not us, who? If not now, when?
If not here, God, then where?
This Saturday is the next No King‘s March. It begins at City Hall by noon. Traveling down JFK Boulevard to the Art Museum; it should be over by 3 pm.
I invite you to come out, not just because this Administration and their enablers and abettors need all the push back we can give them.
I also invite you because this is a “Fear Not.” Assembling with a mass of diverse people who feel enough alike about what‘s going on to come out and march together is one of the most encouraging and hopeful experiences you can have. (The signs are also often quite entertaining!)
Another reason to invite you to Saturday’s No Kings rally is it’s the day before Palm Sunday.
Church, it’s easier to wave palms in the Sanctuary than raise a sign in the street.
Easier to sing a churchy “Hosanna” (which was a charged political slogan in Jesus’ day) than being seen at a rally.
Easier to honor an ancient disruption that 2000 ecclesial years have polished all the hard edges and sharp corners off than to participate in a 3-hour critique of business as usual in a system that concentrates power and wealth at the expense of the majority of humanity; that dehumanizes, departs and diminishes; that tells us others get to decide because we have no “say” or power.
Church, it’s easier to “liturgize” Palm Sunday than to live it ourselves.
No Kings Saturday is good practice for Palm Sunday. To help align our perspective and political understanding with our religious values. To let our faith flow into cultivating courage – not just individually, but collectively. To connect our symbolic gestures, our real world and the kind of sustained impact God asks of us.
There are direct similarities between Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem as an alternative to the injustice of Empire / Roman occupation and people marching across the country against our President’s imperial intentions to do as he wishes with the nation.
Come and see.
In faith and courage,
Michael
Rev. Michael Caine is Pastor at The Old First Reformed United Church of Christ
P.S. If you want others to march with, I’ll be right in front of the A-loft Hotel (the NW corner of Broad and Arch – I got arrested there once!) at noon. Also, to help connect our faith with our feet marching, consider using these signs.
Edited by Rev. Renaldo C. McKenzie, Publisher at The Neoliberal
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