“Sibboleth, wait no I mean Shibboleth”
“So, Pastor Vince are you a democrat or a republican?” I wonder how many of you have thought about that question. Perhaps, very few of you. I was recently asked this question, and it startled me. As a pastor I try very hard to bind hearts to the Word of God not to a party platform. But perhaps after a sermon or and interaction with me you’ve thought, “I bet he’s a _______” or “he probably voted for _____”. To break the tension, I’m not going to tell you my political loyalties. As a pastor of this church, I am not charged with giving you my opinion on the US tax code or the details of presidential immunity. I am however charged with stirring up your affections for God and neighbor.
I think in part, the reason people think they know who their pastors vote for is due to political shibboleths. What is a shibboleth? Well, it comes from scripture. In Judges 12, Jephthah is in a conflict with the Ephraimites, one of the tribes of Israel. Jephthah’s men seize an important path of retreat and devise a test to smoke out the Ephraimites. These men all look alike, Hebrews, but they have different accents. So, that is the test, can they say one word and that will reveal their tribe.
“they said to him, “Then say Shibboleth,” and he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites fell.” Judges 12:6
Think of asking someone from Missouri to say “wash”, but they say “warsh” or asking someone from Boston to say “park”, but they say “paahk”. You get the idea.
I think we do this in church when it comes to politics. We know the talking points and the shibboleths of politics. So, if someone says, “back the blue” or “vaccines are a blessing”, then we can with a good deal of certainty categorize them as my team or not. Or if someone says, “no one is illegal” or “protect women’s sports”, we know if someone is on our team. There are many more political shibboleths at play in our culture and I from time to time hear them in during our fellowship time or in small groups I visit. We play this linguistic game to find out what team everyone is on. I get it being on a team is fun, having someone to root for and believe in is invigorating. To have heroes and villains, us and them, the righteous and the apostate creates a good deal of security and confidence. And yet as Christians we’re called to so much more than our political teams and shibboleths.
“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3:27-29
That is our call, we are not primarily on a team full of donkeys or elephants. Our team is full of sheep lead by the lamb who died for us. Our team doesn’t wear R’s or D’s, but the Chi Rho of Christ. We are not even a political team but a holy family of coheirs with Christ. I just want to caution you as this election season ramps up, remember your primary identity. If you think our church membership is a monolith politically, I can tell with 100% confidence that you are mistaken. What we are a monolith on is Christ, let that reign supreme in your hearts now and always.
Maybe, you’re reading this and thinking “this isn’t a big deal” or you’re tired of the leadership of the church beating this drum. Let me highlight the problem and the stakes. We have had small groups implode due to politics and church members have left due to politics. This is a live issue not just out there for other churches, it is in our church as well. As the Connections Pastor of this church, it is my prayer that everyone can find deep connection with God and neighbor, but neither are possible if identity in Christ is not primary. If we can’t come together around our primary identity in Christ and instead add to the gospel our political shibboleths, then we fail to show the unity Christ prayed for us to display.
“The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” John 17:22-23