End of an era, begining of a new one?

Yesterday evening I came across in one of my feeds this article about the passing of Paul Weyrich. His name didn’t initially strike me but the movement that he helped create (along with the late Jarry Falwell) has influenced and, in my opinion, abused the church in America for the last 3 decades.

Those two (along with many others) founded the Moral Majority back in the late 1970’s (wikipedia). This movement morphed and changed over the years into the much discussed evangelical voting block we heard so much about during the 2000 and 2004 elections. Let me first express my excitement that this voting block left the pundits confused after the last election when we didn’t go en-mass to vote and elect one candidate. Such a great day!

Why am I excited about this? because the church was never meant to be political, and it only became political because men and women of God lost faith in their God to do big things. Instead of loving people, helping those who are oppressed and worn down, the church decided to shoot right for the top. Despite the fact that Jesus wanted nothing to do with the government, and there is no oppression from the government towards the church or its followers.

So with the passing of Paul Weyrich the end of an era is continuing further. There are leaders of the church rising who aren’t buying the lines our forefathers are telling us about political advocacy. Instead we look to men and women like Dorothy Day and Mother Theresa who lived their values as the ultimate form of christian service.

There will always be polarizing issues in the church, but lets not focus on them. Lets focus on love and how we who have been given love, should love in return. The selfless love that hurts and suffers with others because it loves those who hurt and suffer. Let this be the next movement of the church built on love.