Rudolph, the Thirteenth Apostle?
Church and state and the holidays

Every Tuesday morning I have been attending a women’s study group at my Methodist church. There is an interesting blend of ages and backgrounds. We began by studying the Koran and are now using a book called Confronting the Controversies by a Midwestern Methodist pastor.

This past Tuesday we grappled with the topic of separation of church and state. The book had an interesting observation on nativity scenes erected on public property. The author noted that the Supreme Court has ruled that such displays are constitutional, provided they are merely part of a larger secular array. Many religious leaders celebrated the ruling, but he asked, "Do we really want the Christ Child among candy canes and reindeer? I believe that the Nativity is the church’s story."

Churches, synagogues, and mosques in America have not been active enough displaying the tenets of their faiths in the community. Far more people will respect Christianity, if we are out there fighting for the main thrust of Jesus’ teachings: justice, peace, love, and a responsibility to see everyone can eat, be sheltered, and receive health care. As one of the women said, "Jesus is a radical dude."

The religious right has missed the point. They want the state to do the job of the church in regulating private behavior and proclaiming the faith.

Personally, I don’t trust the state to be in charge of either.