I’m deeply troubled by the extreme harm done to the name of Jesus, and to the faithful witness of Jesus’ followers over centuries and especially now. When those claiming to be Christian endorse or justify unjust leaders, governments and laws, or are silent in the face of violence, lies and corruption, many are rightly outraged– and the Apostle Paul’s words are tragically confirmed:
“For the name of God is blasphemed among the nations because of you,” just as it is written” (Rm 2:24).
Paul writes this in response to the offensive actions of fellow Jews, who were claiming faithfulness to God while transgressing core teachings of Scripture. This verse comes at the end of prophetic exposé of the spiral of evil that results from “suppressing the truth in unrighteousness” (Rm 1:18-32).
As the world looks on at Israel’s injustices and extreme retributive violence against people living in Gaza and the West Bank it makes the God they claim to worship look cruel or impotent. The image of God reflected by Israel’s killing of 75,000 Palestinians (many of whom were women and children) in response to Hamas’ killing of 1,200 Israelis and the taking of hostages couldn’t be farther from the God of grace and love who promised to bless all the families of the earth through Abraham’s descendants (Gn 12:3).
But God’s name being blasphemed “because of you” equally applies to Christians, the non-Jewish beneficiaries of God’s blessing through Abraham’s descendant— God’s people through conversion!
Blaspheme (blasphemeo in Greek) is defined as speaking in such a way as to harm or injure reputation, and is synonymous with revile, defame or malign.
I have witnessed Jesus’ name and the Christian faith maligned, defamed, blasphemed as a direct result of North American Christians supporting oppressive leaders and policies. For 46 years we lived and ministered amongst poor and marginalized people in countries and communities directly harmed by US policy.
We have seen harm done to people on the margins in the USA due to our sorely inadequate response to mental health disorders, addiction and homelessness and our harsh penal system. Conservative Christians have voted in politicians committed to cutting funding to programs that help the poorest and most marginalized people, and punishing more severely those who need special treatment.
As White Americans who identify as Jesus followers ministering most of our lives among people who fit in the category of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), we have had to differentiate Jesus and ourselves from the negative counter-witness of Christians caught up in partisan politics, racial and national identity and defending their own rights.
We witnessed firsthand the evils of US support of oppressive governments while living in Honduras through the 1980s. It was painful for us to see many American Christians supporting the Reagan and Bush Administrations, who were directly linked to death squads and oppressive militaries that terrorized and killed or disappeared hundreds of thousands in Central America (Approx. 200,000 in Guatemala, 80,000 in El Salvador, 44,000 in Nicaragua, hundreds in Honduras).
Public Christian agreement with US wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and more recent support of Israel’s war in Gaza and the harsh treatment of immigrants have compelled us to clarify continually that Jesus’ way has nothing to do with oppression, violence, deportation, war and any kind of injustice.
This has often put us at odds with fellow Christians, who at best may be acting in ignorance. Now, with so many Christians either overtly supporting the Trump Administration and Maga agenda, or remaining silent, the name of Jesus, and Christian witness is being trashed, maligned, blasphemed against more than I’ve seen in my lifetime. This grieves me deeply.
God’s people in exile now
Now when Paul is referring to God’s name being blasphemed, he’s citing the prophet Isaiah’s words, which provide background that is highly relevant to what’s happening today.
Isaiah addresses the people of God living in exile under Babylonian captivity. Throughout Isaiah 1-39 the prophet warns God’s people still in the land that they will be weakened by allegiance to false gods– to the point that they are vulnerable to being carried off into exile, where they’d be subjugated— which is exactly what happened.
“Those who rule over them howl, and my name is continually blasphemed all day long,” the Lord laments through the prophet Isaiah (Is 52:5).
Today, idolatry among those who claim to follow Jesus has resulted in them/us being carried off into exile by the powers. Idolatry, (which looks like allegiance, over-valuing, undue loyalty, and even worship) is widespread in America now, including amongst Christians. It is visible in the overvaluing of money, self, nation, laws, party, flag, race, news media, politicians, democracy, and even values like religious freedom. People are captured by these false gods, carried away into a kind of servitude that we often fail to recognize.
Many people feed almost continuously on news media that supports their biases. Sounds like idolatry to me! The amount of attention and the faith put into television personalities and social influencers is astounding. I witnessed this up close as my own parents watched Fox News and other right-wing influencers almost continuously in the later years, making any kind of effective change in their thinking through conversation almost impossible.
When we have little to no direct proximity to people suffering injustices (immigrants, the homeless, incarcerated, the addicted and the poor), it is much harder to discern the veracity of news reports about these people.
Out of ignorance many people approve of horrific injustices, and blind allegiance to their authority sources. This is deeply offensive to victims, their advocates and to God.
How can anyone claiming to follow Jesus possibly support the harsh treatment of immigrants and their advocates in the Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) actions across the United States? How can anyone calling themself a Christian identify with leaders who are so obviously filled with pride, denying truth, falsely accusing their adversaries, elevating violence, threatening destruction, and profiting through shameless corruption?
When we are captive to highly-crafted propaganda, and feed on outright lies presented brilliantly as the truth, we become increasingly closed to viewpoints or news that challenge our assumptions. If our viewpoints are seriously challenged, we may not want to risk breaking with our social network for fear of losing friends. If we are church or ministry leaders, we may be tempted to remain silent to avoid losing church members or donors. We choose slavery over freedom, allowing ourselves to be carried into exile which is called freedom. But this is nothing new.
In the name of Jesus, the Crusaders killed, European colonizers seized land and subjugated peoples, slave-traders and slave-holders enslaved Africans, and settlers killed and took land from Native peoples.
When people who call themselves Christians side with the rich and powerful, justifying violence and injustice– great harm is done. The idolatry of nation, money, whiteness, political and military power, and other powers by Christians cause people who are hurt by these forces to blaspheme the name of Jesus.
As we teach and minister around the world, we meet fellow Christians in country after country, carrying the burden of having to respond to a widespread rejection of Jesus. Many people reject Christianity as “the White man’s religion,” having been harmed by grave injustices and harsh attitudes perpetuated by leaders and policies that Christians have supported. It is time for people of faith to publicly disassociate from unjust leaders, and pledge total allegiance to Jesus and his Kingdom.
The prophet Ezekiel describes God’s extreme displeasure at idolatry and its effects with direct, hard-hitting words.
“Therefore I poured out my wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land, because they had defiled it with their idols” (Ez 36:18).
This prophetic critique serves as a strong warning of coming judgment, where people become aware of their wrongdoing, setting the context for a new way forward.
Isaiah lifts up the role of the peacemaker and proclaimer of good news among those carried off into exile.
“How lovely on the mountains are the feet of the one who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Is 52:7).
No president, no country, no currency, no market, no billionaire reigns! The One and only God reigns. This higher, invisible reality must be announced. And we must invite people to confess and renounce idolatry and leave our places of exile—our bondage to the powers. Isaiah writes:
“The Lord has bared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God,” a text that is fulfilled in Jesus as he is lifted up on the cross (Jn 12:32).
A call for a new exodus
“Depart, depart, go out from there, touch nothing unclean; Go out of the midst of her, purify yourselves,” cries Isaiah (Is 52:11).
Isaiah here uses language from the Exodus, where God’s people literally left the land of slavery. While physically leaving your country, church or social network may be necessary, this call most certainly refers to spiritual and emotional separation– and whatever purifying yourself means.
The prophet Ezekiel develops the call to purification further and deeper in Ezekiel 36. Ezekiel speaks of idolatry as defilement, using the language of clean-unclean. Citing the Lord, Ezekiel writes:
“When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord; yet they have come out of his land’” (Ez 36:20).
Exile is place to which you’ve been carried away by powers you’ve served, which have enslaved you– perhaps unknowingly. Finding yourself “outside the land” is coming to recognize your alienation, your estrangement– the “land” symbolizing the place where God has called you. Conversion involves leaving your enslavement to the powers– and returning to God and to your highest calling.
Ezekiel describes how God will vindicate himself as we receive his purifying presence—offering hope in these times of accelerating darkness and chaos.
“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. “I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you will be careful to observe my ordinances” (Ez 36:25-27).
May we leave behind the false ways and become more serious seekers of the truth– informing ourselves through serious journalism and study. May we seek authentic relationship with those whom society demonizes or scapegoats, the stigmatized and rejected. May we consider afresh Jesus, who identified as God’s own Son, but was rejected by his own people and executed by the Roman Empire. May we choose to follow him more diligently, paying close attention to his teaching and practice so it will inform our own. May we seek to maintain communication with Christians we disagree with– challenging them, and allowing ourselves to be challenged.
I’m asking myself how I can leave my place of exile– whatever keeps me in the dark or enslaved in any way. I’m trying to follow Jesus out of America and into the Kingdom of God—the only place of true freedom. May the Holy Spirit give you eyes to see what that looks like for you, and the faith and courage to act accordingly.