This past Sunday was the second Sunday of Advent when Christians light the candle of peace. Sadly, our world is not at peace. Just this past week, after more than a decade of civil war, the Syrian Assad regime was ousted by a rebel army. Their neighbor, Israel, is at war with Hamas, a militant group that slaughtered innocent Israelis over a year ago. And in eastern Europe, Russia and Ukraine have fought for over two years to determine who governs the Ukrainian people. Christians and non-Christians desire peace, yet it always seems elusive. The Kingdom seems so far away.
Peace within churches is also elusive. I attended Advent Sunday morning services in a United Methodist Church (UMC). The denominational title, United, is a misnomer. There are many American Methodist denominations since the formation of the United States in the 18th century. Recently, many UMC churches and members left to form new denominations or become ‘independent’ Methodists. In one Texas UMC Conference, over 90% of the churches left the UMC. The result of not being ‘United’ is primarily financial; their expenses are spread out over fewer churches that now have less members. Those leaving the UMC may feel invigorated but face their own financial burdens after departing.
The Methodists are not alone with their cultural and spiritual divisions. More conservative Christians clash with a rapidly changing American culture. This can lead to difficult decisions and membership declines. When I was about to graduate from university, the graduation ceremony was held on Saturday and the school mandated attendance to receive a diploma, no exceptions. A Seventh-day Adventist classmate said that he would not attend the graduation ceremony because it was the Sabbath. Instead, he attended church. He told the university that he would take the university to court if he did not receive his diploma. The university backed down and mailed his diploma to him.
Religion clashing with culture is not a recent phenomenon. Christians have long stood up to power for their faith beliefs. Hundreds of thousands died during the Reformation because these martyrs took a stand against powerful state and religious forces. What is currently different is the speed of cultural change during this post-modern period. In a June 28, 2024 Wall Street Journal essay (Keep Old Traditions or Adapt? A 19th-Century Church Struggles to Survive by Marc Vartabedian), the reporter described the conflicts within the New Conference of the Old German Baptist Brethren, a community of about 2,150 members in 37 churches. Their adherence to “living in the world, but not of this world” created issues since its foundation. A reading of the New Testament, starting with Acts, should help this denomination see that their problems really began shortly after Christ died.
The Brethren debate rules concerning clothing, technology, food, and music. Younger members want more cultural freedoms, like boys wearing swim trunks at the beach and women not wearing traditional head coverings. Youth can easily reason that wearing a bathing suit is not a biblical sin. It was Luther who started the Reformation by arguing against Catholic traditions that were not biblical. The Brethren enforce 1 Corinthians 11:2–16 (propriety in dress at public prayer), but they need to be aware that Paul does not specify the head covering, be it a baseball cap or a bandana. Scripture is silent on head coverings outside of prayer and prophesies. It is their Old German Baptist tradition that women wear bonnet-like head coverings, not a Scripture command. In my opinion, standing up for the Sabbath is far more important than insisting on bonnets as head coverings.
Church conflicts have been a part of Christian history since the beginning of Biblical times, so I suppose that peace within the Christian community will always be as difficult as peace between nations. It is true that Christians desire peace with all their hearts and minds. It would be helpful if peace was exhibited within the church as an example for nations to follow.
The most peaceful of all Christian sacraments is the Last Supper, the sharing of bread and wine in community. This first happened right before Jesus was betrayed when he explained the new covenant during the Passover meal. (Matthew 26:17–29; Mark 14:12–25; Luke 22:14–20; John 13:1–38) Jesus did not ask his disciples if they agreed with him. He just spoke a few words, then distributed bread and wine to his disciples. After the meal, he departed the peaceful room, walked into the Roman and Jewish culture, and suffered an agonizing death.
Sadly, there are Christian denominations and churches where I am not allowed to participate in the Last Supper because I am not a member or do not agree with all their doctrines. The early Christian community meal of peace was not always peaceful nor inclusive. A few decades after the death of Christ, the Last Supper already was already being abused. (1 Corinthians 11:17–34).
Christians seek peace because it is core to being a follower of Christ. Bonnets, bandanas, or baseball caps do not define a Christian. The faithful cannot escape culture, although many have tried, so we must learn how to deal with culture and decide what is truly important enough to stand up for against power. Peace starts by breaking bread and sharing the cup with all Christians, with or without head coverings, then spreads by loving your neighbor.
