January 30, 20179 yr was listening to an old country preacher on the radio the other day. He was blasting preachers as cowards for not tackling hot political issues in their sermons. I appreciate the veiled shot at my pastor...have a nice day!
January 30, 20179 yr I had to leave a little early yesterday, but absolutely zero politics were brought up before I left, and I'm am 100% sure not a thing was mentioned about this afterwards. Very rarely are politics brought up in the pulpit where I go...about the only exception is the month of Feb when a lot of Christian churches preach on the "Sanctity of Life" theme in relation to the anniversary of Roe v Wade decision and Roe v Wade will specifically be brought up. If I attended a church that constantly talked politics, I'd find another church. Church is about your walk with Jesus and growing closer to him and what you can do t help others do the same. It's not about "building a wall" or "screening refugees", regardless if you agree with those stances or not.
January 30, 20179 yr Author I had to leave a little early yesterday, but absolutely zero politics were brought up before I left, and I'm am 100% sure not a thing was mentioned about this afterwards. Very rarely are politics brought up in the pulpit where I go...about the only exception is the month of Feb when a lot of Christian churches preach on the "Sanctity of Life" theme in relation to the anniversary of Roe v Wade decision and Roe v Wade will specifically be brought up. If I attended a church that constantly talked politics, I'd find another church. Church is about your walk with Jesus and growing closer to him and what you can do t help others do the same. It's not about "building a wall" or "screening refugees", regardless if you agree with those stances or not. Religious liberty, faithful citizenship, human life and dignity are just some of the many “hot topics” in my Church. That’s why I was surprised it wasn’t mentioned. Obviously Pope Francis and the USCCB (US Conference of Catholic Bishops) are not silent on refugees and immigration, but would’ve thought their message would have trickled down locally over the weekend at Mass. Maybe my priest is saving it for next week….
January 30, 20179 yr I am not afraid to bring up controversial topics in sermons as illustrations or practical examples. But I believe that my sermons should teach the people in the church something. So if I preach a sermon over immigration, homosexuality, abortion, pornography, or something like that, am I teaching them anything or just talking about stuff that they already know about? If I preach a sermon about how bad abortion is, then will the members of my church gain any new knowledge or are they just hearing the same stuff they have always agreed or disagreed with?
January 30, 20179 yr Our guest speaker used the two of the lectionary texts. Matthew 5:1-12 to note that "being blessed by God doesn't equal the way the world interprets blessing." He also noted that Micah 6 mentions that what the Lord requires is: 1. do justice 2. love kindness 3. walk humbly with the Lord your God. He noted that it's hard to reconcile the way that immigrants with green cards are being treated as doing those three things from Micah's words. He noted the Professor at Clemson who visited family and now can not return for 3 months at the earliest to her dog and her home in South Carolina. He mentioned the 5 year old boy separated from his mother at Dulles Airport for hours because he and she carried green cards. All legal until the EO was instituted. I've long said that many ideas sound great in theory but are more troubling when you put actual faces and stories to them.
January 30, 20179 yr I am not afraid to bring up controversial topics in sermons as illustrations or practical examples. But I believe that my sermons should teach the people in the church something. So if I preach a sermon over immigration, homosexuality, abortion, pornography, or something like that, am I teaching them anything or just talking about stuff that they already know about? If I preach a sermon about how bad abortion is, then will the members of my church gain any new knowledge or are they just hearing the same stuff they have always agreed or disagreed with? Great Post PP1.
January 30, 20179 yr If my priest were to bring up something political in his homily, I'd probably find a new church to attend. I'm a firm believer in separating church and state, and I don't want nor need my priest lecturing me about political issues.
January 30, 20179 yr I appreciate the veiled shot at my pastor...have a nice day! Was not taking any kind of shot at your pastor. Don't know him. Didn't give him a millisecond of thought. Just relaying what I heard on the radio last week. BTW, I strongly disagree with that old country preacher. Sounds like your preacher is sticking to what he's supposed to.
January 30, 20179 yr Was not taking any kind of shot at your pastor. Don't know him. Didn't give him a millisecond of thought. Just relaying what I heard on the radio last week. BTW, I strongly disagree with that old country preacher. Sounds like your preacher is sticking to what he's supposed to. Don't play innocent...you could have made your comment without quoting me. By quoting me you are relating your comment to mine.
January 30, 20179 yr What is happening has biblical teachings all over it. I can't imagine ignoring that. I wouldn't want to attend a church that did. Pope Francis just about has me convinced to go back to my roots.
January 31, 20179 yr I was in Frankfort for the All A tourney in Frankfort, and went to St. Lawrence in Lawrenceburg yesterday, and the priest their DID NOT bring it up. I'm NOT a big fan of political/social issues being preached about during sermons. I've NEVER left church during a sermon, but almost did one time when it felt like we were getting a lecture on Social Justice.
January 31, 20179 yr Why is it OK to bring your religion into a debate about political issues, but not OK for our religious leaders to help us understand our religious perspective regarding political issues?
January 31, 20179 yr Wasn't there a big uproar a few years ago when some thought some Baptist Churches in Texas may be bringing politics into the pulpit? Local Prosecutor even threatened to subpoena their sermons...message was don't talk politics of face losing tax exempt status. So I guess it depends on the political message to be delivered, if the Church is going to be drug through the mud for not discussing it or faced with losing Tax Exempt status if they do.
January 31, 20179 yr Big difference in promoting a political candidate and speaking on issues in a religious context.
January 31, 20179 yr Big difference in promoting a political candidate and speaking on issues in a religious context. It wasn't promoting a candidate in most cases, it was discussing political views that many on the left were intolerant of.
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