Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Denison Forum

Home
Evangelical
Religion News
Was the Capitol riot a “Christian insurrection”? Why we must “live as though the truth were true”

Was the Capitol riot a “Christian insurrection”? Why we must “live as though the truth were true”

Last updated on: January 11, 2021 at 5:24 am by Jim Denison

Was the Capitol riot a “Christian insurrection”? Why we must “live as though the truth were true” 2021-01-11T05:24:41-06:00 Jim Denison

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“Patriots enlist and defend their country. They work hard, do their best, raise good families. They help their neighbors. They perform civic duties. They grit their teeth and pay their taxes. Then they show up and vote. They compete, they win or lose, but they do both with grace. These are some of the things patriots do.

“Patriots do not storm their own Capitol over a lost election. They do not bum-rush members of Congress. They do not assault strangers. They do not push and shove police officers and trash federal buildings. These are things criminals do, and criminals of any political stripe deserve one thing: the rule of law.”

Neil Patel, author of this response to the Capitol riot and co-founder of the Daily Caller (a conservative news outlet), is exactly right.

Now substitute “disciples of Jesus” for “patriots,” and you’ll be right as well.

Is a “Million Martyr March” coming January 20?

A fifteen-year veteran of the US Capitol Police and son of a former Senate Sergeant-At-Arms died by suicide Saturday. His is the sixth death related to the Capitol riot last Wednesday.

Here’s an announcement I never thought I would see: in response to the January 6 attacks, the US Secret Service has stated that they are anticipating and prepared for “all possible contingencies” with regard to the presidential inauguration on January 20. We are also learning that lawmakers may have been exposed to COVID-19 during the lockdown.

Following the riot, some sought to blame Antifa, but this claim has been clearly debunked. Here’s what I saw with my own eyes last Wednesday: rioters who breached Capitol Hill carrying Christian flags.

One said, “Jesus is my Savior. Trump is my president.” Others waved “Jesus Saves” banners. One of the first rioters to enter the Senate chamber was carrying a Christian flag. A flag reading “Proud American Christian” with an American flag inside an ichthus—an ancient Christian symbol—was seen as well.

Ashli Babbitt, the Air Force veteran who was shot and killed while storming the Capitol, is now being lauded as a martyr. Some say they are planning a “Million Martyr March” for January 20 in Washington, DC.

Faith leaders were “nearly unanimous in condemning” the assault, as NPR reported on January 7. But evangelicals are nonetheless being widely blamed for the riot.

The Washington Post headlined: “Trump’s evangelicals were complicit in the desecration of our democracy.” The Atlantic called the riots “a Christian insurrection” and added, “Many of those who mobbed the Capitol on Wednesday claimed to be enacting God’s will.” Religion News Service stated, “Evangelicals must denounce the Christian nationalism in Capitol riots.”

“Put your sword back into its place”

This article is one such denunciation.

The Capitol riots had nothing to do with Jesus. No one who assaulted the Capitol was following the teachings of Jesus. To the contrary, these attacks deeply grieved him and are bringing shame on his true followers.

When soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear” (John 18:10). Jesus healed the man’s ear (Luke 22:51) and then said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).

Jesus taught us, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). We are told to “be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1) and to pray for “all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:2).

This does not mean that we agree with everything our leaders say and do. When we do not, we work through our democratic system for the change we seek. We engage with members of Congress—we do not attack them.

Jesus would not assault the Capitol

I believe three faith issues underlie much of the Christian nationalism of our day. We’ll close with the first today and discuss the others tomorrow.

Here’s the first paradoxical fact: Many evangelicals do not trust enough in Jesus.

We are known for our emphasis on the need to ask Jesus to forgive our sins and give us eternal life. But this emphasis on personal salvation often minimizes the urgency of personal sanctification.

God wants us to be “conformed to the image of his Son” in every dimension of our lives (Romans 8:29). John taught, “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:6). We are to “be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us” (Ephesians 5:1–2).

If Jesus would not slander those who opposed him (Matthew 27:11–14), we must not slander people who oppose us. If he would not assault the Capitol, we must not assault the Capitol.

A historic opportunity

By contrast, the Capitol riot, political turmoil, horrific pandemic, and other combined crises of our day constitute a historic opportunity to show our broken culture the difference Jesus makes in those who love and follow him fully. The darker the room, the more powerful the light.

If we truly love our Lord, we will love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–39). We will love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). We will help those in need as if they were Jesus (Matthew 25:40). We will “pray earnestly” for God to “send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:38), then serve in answer to our prayers (Matthew 10:1).

The more we love Jesus, the more we will live by the truth of his word (John 17:17) and share his word with the world (Ephesians 4:15).

Daniel Berrigan once said of Dorothy Day, “She lived as though the truth were true.”

Let’s do the same, to the glory of God.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

January 8, 2021

After the Capitol riots: Three questions everyone is asking and a biblical path to empowering purpose

Next Post

January 12, 2021 House plans to impeach the president: Why I am a Christian patriot but not a Christian nationalist

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category america biblical-living Uncategorized

Select a Month March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Jesus drove the merchants and money-changers out of the temple with this.

Select your answer to see how you score.

Sword Stool Scourge Stick