Beware Christian Nationalism

I recently saw the following on Facebook. It is from a sermon Swiss theologian Karl Barth preached in August of 1914, three weeks into the first World War. It is an appropriate word of caution should we be tempted by any appeal to Christian nationalism.

"It is simply out of the question that God 'helps' the Germans or the French or the English. God does not even 'help' us Swiss. God helps justice and love. God helps the kingdom of heaven, and that exists across all national boundaries. 'God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth' (John 4:24). The foolish mixing of patriotism, war enthusiasm, and Christian faith could one day lead to the bitterest disappointment. 'He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision' (Ps. 2:4). We will not join in drinking this intoxicating potion. We want to look steadfastly and unwaveringly here to God, who loves everyone equally, who is above all the nations, from whom all have similarly departed, and from whose glory they have fallen short (see Rom. 3:23) -- the God who in like manner wants to draw all people to himself and gather them under the rule of his good and holy will."

Issue 1 is not about abortion!

Ohio Issue 1, the proposed constitutional amendment that would make it nearly impossible for Ohio citizens to initiate and pass new amendments, is not about abortion. It is about our rights and powers as citizens of this state.

It sounds as if it’s about abortion because our gerrymandered and therefore unrepresentative Republican-dominated legislature fears the voice of the people regarding reproductive rights. If the proposed constitutional amendment supporting such rights gets on the ballot in November, they are terrified that a majority of Ohioans will vote for it. So they make the August 8 election about abortion because they want to divert the attention of those who are opposed to abortion to the long-term and wider consequences of Issue 1’s passage.

Suppose Issue 1 passes. If next year you were part of a group of citizens that came together to propose an amendment to deny reproductive rights, you would face the same impossible hurdles our legislature and governor want you to place in front of this fall’s amendment securing those rights. The same would be true of any other matter you would ever want to bring to the voters.

What we must not forget is that this amendment came from the legislature itself, not from the people. It came from men and women who are afraid of us, the people, and of our opinions and wishes. Passing Issue 1 will make it nearly impossible for the citizens of Ohio even to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot, much less to pass it, no matter what it’s about.

Issue 1 is not really about abortion. It is about the Ohio Republican establishment’s absolute fear of the will of the majority. It is no way to run a democracy. Vote NO on Issue 1!