by Dylan Castle
It is abundantly obvious that America is moving closer and closer to a breaking point. Every major topic that enters the social arena seems to create more division and polarization than the one prior. While there is an obvious argument that this type of energy is a poison that is manufactured by numerous parties and entities and then injected into society by the media resources they control, the reaction by American society is very real and very destructive. In this environment of decay, one often wonders, how long can the American society maintain its fiber before it is completely devoured and killed? Have we crossed a point of no return? Is there any hope on the horizon? In these dark times, there is a group among us that contains an element of hope, a nugget of light. Why then has this group not made themselves known? Why have they not realized their responsibility and acted? Perhaps they themselves do not yet know just how crucial they are to the solution. Thankfully, this group can look at history to discern their role, responsibility, and response.
The journey begins during the conflict that birthed this great country, the American War for Independence. Just as we are experiencing now, Americans then were divided. Many saw the independence movement as dangerous and unnecessary. Others saw issues on both sides and wanted to simply be left alone. Thankfully, the last group saw the need for independence as the gateway to the freedom they desired. As noble as their cause was, their spirit faltered many times along the way. They too wondered if they had crossed a point of no return. They wondered if there was any hope left. In those moments, it was the clergy of the day that stepped up. These men understood that the fight for liberty was righteous. Not in an “American Crusaders” sort of way, but rather they understood that tyranny was a form of unrighteousness. They also understood the wisdom of the great king, Solomon, “Righteousness exhalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” Their desire to see a system of government in place, designed to allow righteous leaders to be chosen, propelled them to action. They understood that their most valuable freedom, the freedom of religion, could only ever be truly protected when these righteous leaders were in place. Those early American clergymen spoke in private and in public, including their pulpits, about the reasons behind the cause for independence. Their speeches and sermons were sincere, fiery, and filled with patriotism. These men were bold in communicating not only the worthiness of the cause, but also the duty for each person to be involved. These seeds took root and began to spring up during the darkest times of the war and helped bring a second wind to the fight for independence. The clergy had such an enormous effect that the British military gave them the moniker, the “Black Robed Regiment” because their efforts were so apparent in boosting morale that it seemed as though the Continental Army had an additional unit of fighting forces. Despite the consequences that might come to them personally, the clergy stepped up. Despite the consequences that might come to them professionally, the clergy spoke out. Despite the consequences that might tarnish their names for all of history, the clergy led by example.
How imperative it is that once again, the clergy of America understand the brink that is upon us and stand up, speak out, and lead. These men have many gifts, talents, and abilities that they have honed for many years, and they must recognize the responsibility that they have to use them, not just in the church house, but also in the social arena. Like the clergy of early America, they must also do their part to muster their churches as well. How unfortunate it is that this is a debated topic. However, the debate is destroyed almost immediately with one simple question: If righteous, political decisions are the desire, how does one expect unrighteous leaders to make righteous decisions? It is obvious that righteous leaders would be the ones most likely to make righteous decisions, as opposed to unrighteous leaders. Where then do we find a plethora of righteous individuals with gifts, talents, and abilities that make righteous decisions? The church of course. While the church has a priority to make disciples of all nations, there are also the following responsibilities:
- love thy neighbor (Matthew 22:38)
- keeping the moral commandments of God (John 14:15)
- being salt and light (Mark 9:50, Matthew 5:16)
- caring for the widows, fatherless, poor, and needy (James 1:27, Matthew 25:45)
- acting out the faith (James 2:17)
- exposing the darkness and wickedness (Ephesians 5:11)
These handful of responsibilities necessitate action in the public and social arena of one’s society. To relegate one’s Christian practice to merely Sunday or Wednesday, or just within the church house or a small group, is to limit the true work of the church and to ignore the full teaching of Jesus. The clergymen of early America and their churches understood this to their core and lived accordingly.
Where then is the Black Robed Regiment of today? Where are the clergymen and church leaders stepping into the public arena to stand for the cause of righteousness? Where are the churchgoers that see the example of their under shepherds and rise to do their part in promoting righteousness in their society? Where are the churches that would educate their people on civic duty? Where are the churches that would educate their people on the process? To believe that the public arena is a machine that operates on its own without the need for the church is to be quite naive. To act out that same belief, that is to not act, is to counter the work that began so long ago in 1776 and even prior. This country that we live in truly is an experiment that requires action from all its citizens. We see firsthand what happens when those who hold the truth of righteousness remain inactive in this country. In fact, in almost a prophetic way, the quote attributed to Edmund Burke summarizes it best: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”