Rulers call out Jesus for being unjust, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” “So, to them, Jesus addressed this parable” of an unjust son who “squandered his inheritance.” Suffering the consequences, the Prodigal Son wisely returns home to a loving father. An older brother is angry about the father’s loving spirit. He wants justice – for the boy to suffer more. He calls out his father, angry the father welcomes a sinner home.
Rulers / the older brother want sinners to pay for their sins, and keep paying. They call it justice. It is the military justice ordered in the Old Testament and could be lethal, “If someone has a rebellious son who will not obey…take hold of him and bring him to the elders… Then all the men of the town shall stone him to death.” (Deut 21:18-21) Rulers assert their inflicting suffering on sinners is not a sin, it is dispensing God’s justice. Hence when rulers still inflict suffering, many believe it is still justice. For example, cops on citizens – even if the citizen is unharmed, and CEO’s on workers – even if the worker holds three jobs. We are coerced to believe the suffering person must deserve it. People who support inflicting suffering may self-title as Christian but if so, it is they who are grievously responsible for ‘squandering their inheritance’ – of a loving Jesus. One such squanderer is Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971). Niebuhr was a liberal conservative, then became a traditional conservative. He described himself as a pacifist, not a disciple, who believed in nonviolence, not love. Over time he changed and claimed that pacifism weakens to neutrality and nonviolence weakens to injustice. Both qualities aid sinful rulers. Niebuhr never did convert to the power of love in Christ. As Hitler was consolidating control in Germany, Niebuhr converted to Militarism’s belief that justice is due sinners. He called it a conversion to Christian Realism, but it was a routine conversion to Militarism. He thus asserted inflicted suffering as the only and most just social force for nations to defeat the sin of Nazism. But of course, Military Justice was the only and most just social force for Hitler to defeat the sin of “International Jewry.” Hitler’s call to justice roused Germans to Nazism. Rulers / older brothers endlessly call out for justice, demanding we join them in inflicting suffering on yet another sinner. Niebuhr is responsible for so many faux christian churches, schools, and seminaries spawning a tradition of so many older brothers joining the U.S. Military. Faux christians in the U.S. Military routinely hold Niebuhrian conferences on Christianity and Justice / and National Security / and Defense / and Policing / and the recently held Christian ROTC Conference. ROTC especially trains ‘older brothers’ to justifiably inflict suffering and thus “squander their inheritance” of Jesus’ loving spirituality. Targeting sinners / enemies with justice does not change the world – love does. Part of the evil or adversarial nature of theologians like Niebuhr is to believe the best energy a person can offer to conflict is to inflict justified suffering on a sinner, an enemy. Peacemakers know the best energy a person can offer is love. Love is its own energy – the energy expressed when a person squanders their inheritance and we welcome them home again.
How do disciples call out faux Christians, justice-seeking older brothers so we might welcome them home to a loving Jesus? Professor Loretta J. Ross says we don’t call them out – we call them in. Ross is a Black woman who for too long has had suffering inflicted upon her by angry white supremacists. She wanted to defeat sinner white supremacists. Fortunately, she was influenced by disciple and Civil Rights activist C.T. Vivian to live Jesus’ loving spirituality. “I needed to find another moral compass for my life’s work. That compass had to shift from hate to love.” Motivated by justice to “blame and shame,” may feel sweet to us, but does not flow from our spirit, nor does it result in another’s accountability or change. “Invite the person into a conversation instead of a fight.” Start by asking how they came to that idea or perspective. They feel respected because they are respected – their un-Christ-like idea is not. “Do not let anger or hatred go unchallenged.” Challenge them, “with love.” Accountability and change follow. “Offer loving attention… Lead with love that enables the person to grow…. You’ll grow too.”
Prayer: Spirit, empower me for love.
Question: Who justifies inflicted suffering that I can call in?
March 27, 2022 Gospel Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Fourth Sunday of Lent