The Rev. Nathan Empsall, the Executive Director of Faithful America, explained some of this in the following e-mail the other day:
For many Western Christian traditions, today is Epiphany -- the day the magi arrived at Jesus's manger.
More than 2,000 years ago, these wise men experienced the epiphany that this child was the Christ: the Prince of Peace, the Son of God, and the expected Messiah. The magi then stood up to political violence by thwarting the oppressive King Herod's attempt to kill the infant Jesus.
Just two years ago, religion met with political violence once more on January 6, 2021, when thousands of Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and other Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol in the hijacked name of Jesus, convinced that their efforts to destroy democracy were divinely authorized.
That's why early this morning, I joined with dozens of diverse Christian leaders outside the U.S. Capitol to pray, and to offer a Christian witness for peace and democracy. At the "Sunrise Prayer Vigil for Democracy" -- co-organized by Faithful America and our friends at the Christians Against Christian Nationalism initiative -- we denounced Christian nationalism and white supremacy; prayed for healing for every person on Capitol Hill who relived trauma today; and spoke out for the values of love, democracy, and freedom for all.
As the sun rose over the Capitol and darkness turned to light, we felt not only the dawn of a new day but also the hope of the resurrection -- and the promise that together, we will build a better future.
A video and some photographs were provided so that readers could see what took place on January 6. Rev. Empsall's e-mail went on to say:
Today, I prayed that God would grant a new epiphany to those who follow Christian nationalism, and show them that where Christian nationalism spreads violence, hatred, and misinformation, Jesus teaches us peace, love, and truth.
Others who spoke included the Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, who prayed, "We come this morning, God, because the blood of our siblings continues to cry out from the ground not just from two years ago today, but from the very founding of this country… We come this morning to say that time is up for white Christian nationalism."
We also heard from evangelical author Shane Claiborne, who said, "Christian nationalism is a perversion of the Gospel of Christ… We call out the principalities and powers of racism, xenophobia, fear, and white Christian nationalism, and we declare that your love triumphs over them."
We appealed to God to give us strength for the work ahead, and also showed journalists and lawmakers that where Christian nationalism seeks to strip away the rights of everyone but conservative Christians, Jesus calls us to build shared power and freedom for everyone, regardless of race, religion, zip code, physical abilities, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
And to learn more about Christian nationalism, visit our new FAQ + Resources page.
Today's vigil featured friends and allies from local Baptist congregations, the National Council of Churches, Red Letter Christians, Sojourners, Faith in Public Life, Faiths United for Democracy, NETWORK Catholic Lobby, Catholic Vote Common Good, Faith in Action, the Interfaith Alliance, authors like Jim Wallis and Jemar Tisby, and so many more. We at Faithful America are so grateful to everyone who turned out to pray -- and who takes concrete action grounded in that prayer.
Wishing you a peaceful and blessed Epiphany season,
- The Rev. Nathan Empsall
Executive Director, Faithful America
If you read up on the issues mentioned here and think about where the United States is at right now you will probably agree that this is pretty important. I want to encourage you to check out Faithful America and some of the organizations mentioned above.
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