Choosing "Greatness": A Theological Response to the 2019 State of the Union
President Trump's 2019 State of the Union included many of the empty platitudes and cliché formalities of a typical post-midterm congressional address. There were several calls for bipartisanship, a few pleas for unity, and plenty of well-deserved recognition for inspiring Americans. Yet despite the thin veneer of unity, this address was far more a Trump campaign rally than an address befitting a President facing a newly divided government.
Near the beginning of the 90-minute speech, the President attempted to conceal a sales pitch for his wall-laden agenda behind rhetoric that might have been lifted from the addresses of any one of his predecessors. Trump begins:
Judaism and Christianity are perhaps antitheses, or the opposites, of greatness. Christians follow a marginal, wandering street preacher who was rejected and scorned by the "greatness" that was the religious elite of the day. We venerate a homeless, rabble-rousing teacher who was arrested and executed by the "greatness" that was the Roman Empire.
When Christians gather in churches and when Jews gather in synagogues, we proclaim the words of those who spoke difficult words of resistance to the "great" powers of their time, learning from the example of those whose visions contradicted the ways of "greatness."
With vivid descriptions of genocide, temple destruction, and imperial excess, our scriptures are stuffed with examples of "greatness" unshackled, of power run amok. A theological viewpoint shows that political "greatness" is inextricably linked to and synonymous with the thirst for power. Given enough time, "greatness" rarely manifests itself independently from tribalism, racism, and exploitation.
Given that the Judeo-Christian tradition is so keenly attuned to what happens when greatness gets out of control, we have an obligation to elevate the pursuit of justice over the lust for power. In response to demands for greatness, Christ-followers should advocate for a state that lifts every voice, welcomes the stranger, and acts with mercy towards the least of these.
Our choice tonight is not between greatness or gridlock. Our choice is between greatness and compassion - and the soul of our nation is at stake.
@ryanpanzer politely declines greatness on a daily basis.
Near the beginning of the 90-minute speech, the President attempted to conceal a sales pitch for his wall-laden agenda behind rhetoric that might have been lifted from the addresses of any one of his predecessors. Trump begins:
"Together we can break decades of political stalemate. We can bridge all divisions, heal old wounds, build new coalitions, forge new solutions, and unlock the extraordinary promise of America's future. The decision is ours to make."Such a statement could plausibly come from the post-midterm addresses of Clinton, George W. Bush, or Obama. But unable to linger in continuity with previous administrations, Trump quickly added:
"We must choose between greatness or gridlock, results or resistance, vision or vengeance, incredible progress or pointless destruction. Tonight, I ask you to choose greatness."Trump's history of racist and jingoistic rhetoric notwithstanding, an appeal to choosing "greatness" should be theologically troubling.
Judaism and Christianity are perhaps antitheses, or the opposites, of greatness. Christians follow a marginal, wandering street preacher who was rejected and scorned by the "greatness" that was the religious elite of the day. We venerate a homeless, rabble-rousing teacher who was arrested and executed by the "greatness" that was the Roman Empire.
When Christians gather in churches and when Jews gather in synagogues, we proclaim the words of those who spoke difficult words of resistance to the "great" powers of their time, learning from the example of those whose visions contradicted the ways of "greatness."
With vivid descriptions of genocide, temple destruction, and imperial excess, our scriptures are stuffed with examples of "greatness" unshackled, of power run amok. A theological viewpoint shows that political "greatness" is inextricably linked to and synonymous with the thirst for power. Given enough time, "greatness" rarely manifests itself independently from tribalism, racism, and exploitation.
Given that the Judeo-Christian tradition is so keenly attuned to what happens when greatness gets out of control, we have an obligation to elevate the pursuit of justice over the lust for power. In response to demands for greatness, Christ-followers should advocate for a state that lifts every voice, welcomes the stranger, and acts with mercy towards the least of these.
Our choice tonight is not between greatness or gridlock. Our choice is between greatness and compassion - and the soul of our nation is at stake.
@ryanpanzer politely declines greatness on a daily basis.
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