Erl Purnell Sermon

bEaster 3 ~ April 30, 2006 ~ A sermon preached by The Rev’d Erl G. Purnell at Old St. Andrew’s Church, Bloomfield, CT

Acts 4.5-12; Psalm 98; 1 John 1.1-2.2; Luke 24.36b-48

Last Sunday, I concluded my sermon the same way CrossWalk America concludes its introduction, with a quote by Martin Niemoeller (1892-1984): “When they came for the communists, I was silent, because I was not a communist; When they came for the socialists, I was silent, because I was not a socialist; When they came for the trade unionists, I did not protest, because I was not a trade unionist; When they came for the Jews, I did not protest, because I was not a Jew; When they came for me, there was no one left to protest on my behalf.”

What is CrossWalk America and why am I talking about it? Over the past twenty-five years the great Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—have begun to roar with a fundamentalist message of intolerance, self-righteousness, and jihad. According to Karen Armstrong, in her eye-opening book The Battle for God, fundamentalist elements in each faith have fractured traditions of internal stability and diversity and then gone on to attack externally those who do not share their particular experience of the revelation of God.

Speaking about American Christianity, author Bruce Bauer (Stealing Jesus) says that fundamentalist Christians have stolen Jesus and the Jesus story.

The Rev’d Eric Elnes, senior pastor at the Scottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ says, “The darkness around us is great. But with great crisis comes not only great challenge but great opportunity.” He’s saying the time is now for moderate, progressive Christians to reclaim the Jesus of the Gospels from fundamentalist Christianity. The roar of Christian fundamentalism is deafening in our land; the kidnapping of Jesus is criminal; and the threat of distorting the new covenant in Christ’s blood unacceptable.

CrossWalk America is a movement that represents moderate, progressive Christians whose voices have long gone unheard, perhaps sadly, because ours have largely been silent. CrossWalk America is awakening those of us who believe that Jesus pointed us to a new Way of being in relationship with God and with each other. CrossWalk America challenges the negative voices of fundamentalism and reminds us that the message of Jesus Christ is characterized by acceptance, tolerance, compassion, forgiveness, justice, and love.

Here is a question for you to ponder? If you were accused of failing as a Christian in an ecclesiastic court, would there be enough evidence in your favor to defend you as a Christian? Would the evidence prove that you say the prayers, break bread, and continue in the apostle’s teaching and fellowship? Would the evidence demonstrate that you persevere in resisting evil, that you are able to repent for your mistakes, and that you continually turn to God for forgiveness, guidance, and comfort? Would the evidence prove you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ? Would it? Would the evidence reveal that you seek and serve Christ in ALL persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? Would it show that you strive for justice and peace among ALL people? Would the court find you to be a Christian because you respect the dignity of EVERY human being?

Last week I said that I wouldn’t attempt to characterize fundamentalism. Rather, I’m inclined to speak about non-fundamentalism in the church, what I believe truly represents the Jesus of the Gospels. It is that Jesus—the Jesus who is open and inclusive, tolerant and forgiving, the Jesus who wants us to know that God’s domain is immanent, right here, right now—who inspires CrossWalk America.

Years ago, at Divinity School, the Gospel according to Mark took my breath away. The Jesus story began to come alive for me. Subsequently, I read Marcus Borg’s seminal book Meeting Jesus Again For The First Time. I also have had the privilege of studying with Marcus Borg on four occasions. There have been other books and workshops, too, that have taken me deeper and deeper into the essence of who Jesus was and is. Then, about five years ago, I started to write Through Mark’s Eyes, my own recapitulation of Mark’s Gospel, illustrated with word pictures by way of offering the story in a unique way to the modern listener or reader. It was in the process of writing Through Mark’s Eyes that I came more fully to realize how mute the actual voice of Jesus is in American Christian culture today.

I love to see the Jesus of the Gospels reach out and wrap his arms around a child and celebrate the joy of life. “As Jesus was talking, one of the children of the house, a toddler, wandered in, thumb securely in his mouth. Jesus reached out and tickled the boy under the arms. He wiggled. Jesus quickly swooped him off his feet and pulled him onto his lap. The child giggled and took hold of Jesus’ beard. Jesus smooshed his face into the boy’s pudgy belly, and the youngster laughed, letting go of the whiskers. Still hugging the boy, Jesus returned his attention to the adults. ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’”¹

My point? We need to take CrossWalk America to heart. We need to speak out on our own for moderate, progressive Christianity. We also need to join the walk from Phoenix to Washington, DC to demonstrate that the Jesus of the Gospels—the gnostic gospels as well as the canonical Gospels—is not somebody chiefly using the Hebrew scriptures to protest a few hot-button modern socio-political issues, rather, he is one who reveals the very Being of God through his teaching and what he does. Look and see: Jesus did not turn anybody away from the table or from God, ever! Look and see: Jesus lived his admonition to love God and neighbor first and foremost. Look and see: Jesus called us to follow him by doing what he said and what he did, not what he never said and never did.

On Easter Day, Eric Elnes and a core band of cohorts began their walk from Phoenix to Washington, DC by way of drawing attention to moderate, progressive Christianity and the Jesus of the Gospels as opposed to the radical political fundamentalism squawking so loudly across our nation.

With Eric are Rebecca Glenn, the Chief Information Officer of a global semiconductor manufacturer; Merrill Davison, who recently retired from a career at General Dynamics; The Rev’d Brad Wishon, senior pastor at Gentle Shepherd Metropolitan Community Church and the key spokesperson for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities; Katrina Glenn, a Chapman University student majoring in Peace Studies; and, Ray Gentry who’s driving the support vehicle and Chris Brown who’s filming a documentary on CrossWalk America.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention Mark Creek-Water is with them, too. Mark, who describes himself as “houseless,” began sending emails to CrossWalk America quite a while ago. Nobody knew him but he promised to leave Oakland, California on Ash Wednesday and meet up with the core walkers in Phoenix on Easter Day. Most of the CrossWalk America folks thought Mark Creek-Water’s offer was a hoax. But, sure enough, on Easter morning, Mark walked into the Congregational United Church of Christ, in shoes two sizes too large, ready to go the distance to Washington. A blogger, who heard about Mark and knows him, added this to the CrossWalk America website: “I had to laugh when I read that you thought Mark’s emails were a hoax. Never doubt Perfesser Creekwater, he is as good as his word! Mark is a world class walker who, when he lived in New York City and wanted to come to visit us in Delaware, would walk the distance. It is impossible to guess how many miles he has logged, walking from one end of this nation to the other.”

What about you? Will you stand up in support of CrossWalk America? Are you willing to walk with CrossWalk America? I’m seriously thinking about joining up with Eric and the others sometime this summer to walk for a few days. Meanwhile, I am walking right here and adding my steps to the CrossWalk America total every few days. As of last night, I had contributed 105,301 steps, approximately 52.65 miles. Their website claims a grand total of 6,435,712 steps so far, or 3,218 miles.

It’s easy to participate. I went to Sharper Image and bought a cheap pedometer which I carry in my breast pocket. Every couple of days I go to www.CrossWalkAmerica.com and add the steps I’ve logged on my pedometer. I’d love to have you join me. I’m in the process of setting up an Old St. Andrew’s group. We should have access to it sometime this week. I’ll post more information on our website as soon as it’s available. In any event, there is already a link to CrossWalk America from the oldstandrews.net website. Feel free to register as a walker all by yourself.

Next Sunday is First Sunday and so I’ll be answering your questions. But, on April 7^th, I’d like to take a look at the Phoenix Affirmations so we can more fully appreciate the footing on which moderate, progressive Christians stand as opposed to fundamentalists.

And so for now, consider how you might participate in changing the public face of Christianity in America into one that reflects the Gospels and the actual life and teaching of Jesus. Meanwhile, hold the CrossWalk America walkers and the Jesus story of the Gospels in your hearts and prayers.

Amen.

¹ Through Mark’s Eyes, Abingdon Press, Nashville, (Fall 2006)