Nation must choose a better, wiser road ahead

We at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme stand firm against this profane alliance of religion, white supremacy, and far-right political values.

“And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, (the wise ones) left for their own country by another road.” (Matthew 2: 12)

January 6 was, for many of us, a sleepless night. Though then-President Trump and his supporters had been broadcasting their intentions for weeks (years actually), the events on Capitol Hill and the Washington Mall were incredibly disturbing. The violence, the lies, the ignorance, the gullibility, and the cynicism were staggering to behold, filling many with dread about the future of our country.

Not the least of the disturbing images to emerge was the Confederate flag unfurled within the Capitol Building. So too, the implements and symbols of Christianity that were widely apparent among the insurrectionists — a sign reading “Jesus Saves,” crosses, and other such signs of religious fervor for an unholy purpose were readily displayed. Let there be no mistake: this was a white supremacist attack on democracy, one that appropriated and distorted the symbols of Christian faith as a means to achieve its twisted ends.

We at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme stand firm against this profane alliance of religion, white supremacy, and far-right political values. We call on our neighbors and friends to join us in renouncing such distortions of faith, in the name of an embracing love that refuses to accede to the darkest illusions of human life. We acknowledge the long history that has misconstrued religious faith as a means to express hatred, intolerance, racism, homophobia, xenophobia and misogyny. Together, we seek another road.

It cannot be overlooked that January 6th was the Day of Epiphany, when Christians commemorate the journey of the Wise Men toward Jesus. In that story, Herod, another unstable political leader, unleashed violence in his own attempt to preserve what little power and authority he possessed. But the Wise Men saw through Herod’s bluster and his ruses. They refused Herod’s authority, and sought out the wisdom of the Prince of Peace.

We choose the way of the Wise. That way is arduous. It forces us to interrogate our deepest assumptions about religion, and about power. It asks us to be resolute in renouncing the blandishments and deceptions unleashed by all the Herods of the world.

To that end, we call on the Senate to convict the former president and rule him unfit ever to hold office again. Doing so will establish a clear signal that Congress will never again tolerate from a president the incendiary antics of January 6 or the type of incitement that led up to that day. Only in doing so can the nation begin to move in the way of the Wise, which is to say, toward truth, toward healing, toward wholeness, toward justice, toward life.

But that can’t happen without a firm commitment to holding accountable the person most directly responsible for the events of January 6. Without accountability, there can be no healing.

It was for many of us a sleepless night. We have for the time being been granted a reprieve. Let it be our own invitation to take up the quest of the wise and to seek out another way. Let it be an invitation to search for our own country by another road.