This morning is a good day of reflection for me. Isaiah 58:12 has always been a theme verse for me when I center down, look at where I've been, and what I still need to complete in my assigned time and sphere of influence. It reads, "you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up the foundations laid long ago; you will be called the repairer of broken walls, the restorer of streets where people live." As I continue to reflect and explore what this verse mean and how it applies to my life I really want to know - What ancient ruins? What foundations? What broken walls? What streets need to be restored? Of course, we know that this ancient prophecy has to do with the rebuilding of the ancient city of Jerusalem after its destruction in 586 BCE. Isaiah's words offered a future hope to those who were living in exile. If we could find a modern application it would be a good prophetic word to the Syrian refugees now living in exile either in camps or in Europe. I don't think many of us would like it if we were forced to leave our family history, land and nation behind after a terrible period of destruction as many of the Syrian people have had to do. When I read Isaiah's words, I can only apply them spiritually since I have never had to live in conditions of a war torn country like Isaiah was speaking to. So, like any good scholar or theologian, I have to first understand the history and context Isaiah was writing to and then ask what the text offers me as a American Caucasian living in a nation built on European settlers (my ancestors) who like the Assyrians, Babylonians, the Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman empires built their nations on land grabbing, genocide, slavery, and exploitation. What is my obligation as a Christian to rebuild, raise up, restore, and repair the people who my nation has exploited? Some in my nation believe that historically that the United States Of America is a Christian nation and needs to be called or taken back for Jesus' purpose. Many of those who hold this position need to be asked "Back to what?" pseudo-historian David Barton calls us back to our founding fathers who owned salves, and American Evangelical Preachers claim American culture has experienced such rapid moral decline; "We need to take it back!" My question is for Who? When? and What time period can we point to when our country was our country was an example of godly morality?
Our national education system has always taught that our nation has always been a land of opportunity and it has been explained that this is the reason so many immigrants want to come here. The foundation of this thought begins in the idea of "Free Land and Free Labor!" Can you imagine someone coming into your house, forcibly removing you, sending you into exile, and then saying "Free Land and Free Labor?" That's what these pagan nations did to Israel. They took the ancient Hebrews and uprooted them from the Land and brought them into their empires to be their labor force to build their empires. In this same manner, the founding of America began with forcibly taking land from the First Nations people then trying to get them to be the labor force in the European's New Canaan. When the Native population fought back our early colonial ancestors killed them, took the land, forced them to migrate westward and finally incarcerated them into concentration camps called reservations. Also, don't forget these illegal immigrant European leaders couldn't get the natives to cooperate to become their servants so they brought in the Africans - giving us a legacy of slavery. So what does all this have to do with those of us today who find ourselves engaged in the work of Isaiah 58:12?
Recently, I was watching an episode of a great American TV ministry that tells an interesting version of American history that I think needs to be redressed. The story about the Cape Henry landing. The American Christian Myth is that The Virginia Company arrived to the shores of Cape Henry with good intentions. Simplified, once they arrived to the shores of what today is Virginia Beach, The Rev. Robert Hunt and these early Virginia venturers plant the English flag and a cross and dedicated the land to God for the propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no dispute here about the planting of a cross or of the English flag. That is completely true. But what is false is the fact that these venturers came with a motivation to spread the Gospel. Here are few Questions to ask? Who gave them permission to plant a flag and a cross and claim the land for their endeavors? A ruling council in England, composed of members of the joint-stock company who were usually merchants of great distinction, was formed immediately after King James I granted the charter of 1606. By what authority did King James I have to grant such a charter? It was granted under the "Doctrine Of Discovery" which says "Go to heathen, pagan, and unchristian lands, dispossess the inhabitants and bring them into perpetual slavery!" Now that sounds like a very noble thing for Christians to do, right? They're heathens anyway - just wasting all this rich land which was needed for expanding the England's wealth. Here's what the charter reads:
"Wee, greately commending and graciously accepting of theire desires to the furtherance of soe noble a worke which may, by the providence of Almightie God, hereafter tende to the glorie of His Divine Majestie in propagating of Christian religion to suche people as yet live in darkenesse and miserable ignorance of the true knoweledge and worshippe of God and may in tyme bring the infidels and salvages living in those parts to humane civilitie and to a setled and quiet govermente"
Notice that they are referred to as infidels and salvages (this language comes right out of the "Doctrine of Discovery"). Then notice the aim was to bring them under the control of the English government assuming that they had no governments of their own. Secondly, they aimed to use their anglican beliefs to bring them under English rule. No where in the gospel or the Great Commission do we see this as a part of the mission assigned by Jesus to the church. But, here another important reason the English came (and it had nothing to do with the Christian faith outlined in the New Testament):
"the saide severall Colonies shall and lawfully may by vertue hereof, from time to time, without interuption of us, our heires or successors, give and take order to digg, mine and searche for all manner of mines of goulde, silver and copper, as well within anie parte of theire saide severall Colonies as of the saide maine landes on the backside of the same Colonies; and to have and enjoy the goulde, silver and copper to be gotten there of to the use and behoofe of the same Colonies and the plantacions thereof; yeilding therefore yerelie to us, our heires and successors."
So, the principle motivation in "civilizing the natives" was to provide free labor for the plantations and to gather the gold, silver and copper for themselves, their heirs, and successors." Wow. This is a direct quote from the charter and not a mythical story that Rev. Robert Hunt and his co-labours (who came to pillage the land) planting a cross to further the Gospel. In fact, during my work in seminary, I spent a great deal of time researching this story at the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia and found that whoever did the writing of the scripts for the American TV ministry wrote a total fabrication of the facts. The Cross was planted to let the Portuguese, the Spanish, and The Dutch know that this land (now known as Virginia) was English territory and was rightfully claimed under the "Doctrine Of Discovery." (See http://druumm.onefireplace.org/resources/documents/doctrine_of_discovery.pdf.pdf)
Here's another myth we all heard in school that was supposedly to instill within us the value of telling the truth - George Washington chopping down a cherry tree. Maybe we should ask ourselves why the story of cherry tree being chopped down was so important that it was taught to us in the public school system. The symbolism is fascinating. Imagine if this story was about a Fig Tree being chopped down like in Luke 13:6-9. Israel is likened to a fig tree in the Bible. What does the cherry tree represent in our American Story? What does the hatchet represent? Why did young George choose the cherry tree in particular? This is how we would exegete the story if it was in the Bible.
So, this Cherry tree myth is probably one of the most well-known and longest enduring legend about George Washington. In the original story, when young George was about age six he received a hatchet as a gift and damaged his father's Cherry tree. When his father discovered what he had done, he became angry and confronted him. Young George bravely said, "I cannot tell a lie... I did cut it down with my hatchet." Reportedly Washington's father embraced him and rejoiced that his son's honesty was worth far more than a thousand trees." Thus the moral of the story is to "Tell The Truth!" Unfortunately, most American Christians can't handle the truth. They would rather believe the myth of our nations founding, never acknowledge that the privileges we now enjoy as a people was built not one a mission to win people to the gospel but rather on theft, murder, slavery, rape and genocide. Everything Christians should be redressing in light of Isaiah 58:12. Psalm 33:4 says "For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth." This text is very clear, that ALL GOD's works are done in truth!" If I am to understand what the psalmist says - this means God does not work in areas of falsehood, lies, myths, legends, or in denial of truth - He only works in truth. In fact, Jesus said "I am The Truth!" (John 14:6). But as the old adage says "Truth may set you free but first it may make you miserable!" It's time for the church in America to come to grips with the Truth especially in its role in the "Doctrine of Discovery," "American Exceptionalism," and ensuring turning a blind eye to the truth of the church's role in the genocide of American tribes, their removal from the land, and the nations legacy of slavery.
So the next time you hear "Let's take America Back" or listen to those pseudo-Christian historians tell you we are a nation based on the Christian faith - ask "When was America a Christian Nation?" What time period were godly principles employed in the foundation of our country -when at the same time the American church ran "residential schools"
(see http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/codetalkers/html/chapter3.html)
played a huge role in "slaver," and relegated African Americans to sit in the back of the church
(See http://scholar.library.miami.edu/emancipation/religion4.htm)
and participated in the "Trail of Tears."
(see http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2536601076.html)
and then we wonder why the nation is under judgement and little progress is made in "Healing the land."
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