Guns n' Jesus

I couldn't think of anything good that rhymed with "roses"


Check this out, I’m going to connect gun control and the Lord’s Supper. Ready?

I read today in a past Christian Century (March 8, 2011) that a number of states are considering laws to make it legal to bring a gun to places of worship. It is no surprise that many pastors are for these laws and many pastors are against these laws. What I found interesting is that those who spoke against such laws used the same reasoning that others use for allowing guns in public spaces. People could get hurt. There may be a lot of confusion. Cops wouldn’t know who the “bad guy” was. Don’t bad guys wear a black turtleneck and a robber mask (or ski mask)?

No one said anything about the theological implications connected with having a gun in church. What does it say when we feel that as we pray to and worship Jesus we think it is important to have armed guards around us, protecting us? Perhaps we are missing the irony that as we look to Jesus, who did die on the cross, we can handle the piece strapped to our thigh. Yes, it is a good, a very good statement to allow guns in church. It says a lot about our trust in God and our commitment to Jesus (note the dripping sarcasm).

I have also been thinking about inclusion and the Lord’s Supper for a theological group I’m in (Rhode Island Baptist Theological Circle – second oldest in the country!). One of the issues that come up with inclusion is uniformity of belief. If we have different people believing different things can we all continue to gather around the table? Put aside all of your trans-con-omni-theology of the elements and enjoy the glory of a Baptist approach for a moment with such a question.

While we say it is a memorial act, there is a communal aspect to the act as we gather around the table. In the ritual of the Lord’s Supper I would argue that there is a moment that we are all experiencing the kingdom of God in our actions, if we all hold to similar beliefs. These beliefs are broad (believing in Jesus as Lord and Savior), but important to bind us as a community. Now, if someone feels that a gun is a necessary part of the worshipping community I think they are missing a large part of the idea of the kingdom and the Lordship of Jesus Christ and will not be full in communion with others at the table. Guns (or any weapon for that matter) have no place at the table of the Lord.

Granted I have made a number of theological leaps in this post, but that is the joy of blogging. It was pretty impressive how I went from gun control to the Lord’s Supper, wasn’t it?