From “The False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith, and Refounding Democracy” by Jim Wallis
The vocation of journalists is to tell the truth. This is a mission of the church as well. There are vocational parallels here. And there are still many courageous journalists who work hard to fulfill that mission of truth telling. In some countries that costs journalists their lives; and even in America they are increasingly becoming the targets of those powerful people who want to deny or cover up the truth. There have also always been great truth tellers who are pastors and preachers. But now, truth telling from pulpits is far too rare and, when some pastors do tell the truth about current events and offer a biblical response, even they can become targets of congregants who don’t like their “politics.” And in the pulpits of white nationalism, congregants who don’t agree with the political right’s agenda being preached can be targeted or even asked to leave.
I’ve had conversations with pastors whose congregations are increasingly divided along political lines, using different media sources, resulting in battles erupting on church listservs and in newsletters. When I ask what one side does when hearing about big stories and events from the other side, they say, “They never even hear those stories; don’t know those events and circumstances ever existed; and wouldn’t believe it if they heard.”
Other pastors tell me how they work mightily to correct rumors and fears on their church listservs. Feeling a need to pastorally intervene, they ask parishioners to please not spread unverified information.
Recovering the vocation of truth telling is one of the most important missions for pastors now.