June 30, 2011

Independence v. Freedom

The Gospel lesson for Sunday, July 3, 2011 is very topical. Frighteningly topical. Dangerously topical. As I sit and read headlines of President Obama's unsurprising economic news conference and the unsurprisingly partisan responses to it, I'm left wondering just how close to the "don't talk politics from the pulpit" line.

If you know me, you'll know that I probably won't take a particular party's stance on anything. Instead, if I were to compare our current political climate to anything it would be children (yes, children) in the marketplace (only these children would never deign themselves to enter the marketplace until reelection time rolls around) yelling at one another, "We played the flute for you, and you didn't dance. We wailed and you did not mourn."

The Daily Show, as always, portrays this childish back and forth quite well.


All of this, with The 4th of July upon us as well, has me thinking about the difference between Independence and Freedom. We celebrate the 4th with its official title, Independence Day, to our detriment. Before you accuse me of being one of those anti-American Episcopal priests, let me explain.

Though the fight in 1776 was to gain our independence from the crown, our goal was not, at least I don't think, to isolate ourselves in an individualist utopia. That is to say, moreso now than ever, independence is impossible. As the world grows flat and the economy is increasingly global in scale, we are more dependent on more people than ever before. Over the past 200 or so years, we have bastardized the Gospel to make it about independence rather than about freedom.

Jesus never offered independence. He offered a yoke, that is, by its very nature, an instrument of dependence. Jesus did, however, offer freedom. His yoke is gentle, his burden is light. The freedom Jesus offers is by way of loosing the bondage of sin. He wants us to be free to be in right relationship. Free to be dependent, you might say. Oxymoronic, sure, but truer to the message of the Kingdom than either the "I'm OK, you're OK" message of the left or the "Personal salvation" hope of the right.

Now, all I need to do is throw this all away and find something that will preach. Here sermon, sermon, sermon!

3 comments:

jennifer said...

You know, this is the 1st time I recall anyone pointing out that freedom & independence are not one and the same. But now that you mention it, is there any such thing as independence since we are always dependent upon God? The very God who truly frees us.

Don't worry-each of us must try to do and say what we believe to be God's will and/or what we believe to be right and just. And this we can do without ever mentioning politics.

Talk to us-talk to us not about politics but about those things "which are beyond price, outlast time and bridge all space" (1) (even that of political differences.)
Freedom from guilt; freedom from sin; "pure joy; a merrie heart & a clear conscience & love which thinks no evil, is not easily provoked & seeks not its own." (2)

The word freedom begins with free.
Never thought about this until I treated myself to reading your blog. The yoke to the word freedom seems lighter somehow than the words "independence".

Is freedom a means to an end and independence sort of a phony ending?

Am I wondering the equivalent of "how far up is up?"

It's hard to believe that God thinks of us as merely okay. Is "I'm ok, you're ok" a bit blah for Almighty God?

Never pondered this until now-

I want to attend church Sunday to listen to the "sermon, sermon, sermon" and to commune with
God the "Author of freedom"; God of our Fathers- "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty" (St. Paul-don't know which letter)

(1 & 2) Bishop Remington

jennifer said...

You know, this is the 1st time I recall anyone pointing out that freedom & independence are not one and the same. But now that you mention it, is there any such thing as independence since we are always dependent upon God? The very God who truly frees us.

Don't worry-each of us must try to do and say what we believe to be God's will and/or what we believe to be right and just. And this we can do without ever mentioning politics.

Talk to us-talk to us not about politics but about those things "which are beyond price, outlast time and bridge all space" (1) (even that of political differences.)
Freedom from guilt; freedom from sin; "pure joy; a merrie heart & a clear conscience & love which thinks no evil, is not easily provoked & seeks not its own." (2)

The word freedom begins with free.
Never thought about this until I treated myself to reading your blog. The yoke to the word freedom seems lighter somehow than the words "independence".

Is freedom a means to an end and independence sort of a phony ending?

Am I wondering the equivalent of "how far up is up?"

It's hard to believe that God thinks of us as merely okay. Is "I'm ok, you're ok" a bit blah for Almighty God?

Never pondered this until now-

I want to attend church Sunday to listen to the "sermon, sermon, sermon" and to commune with
God the "Author of freedom"; God of our Fathers- "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty" (St. Paul-don't know which letter)

(1 & 2) Bishop Remington

jennifer said...

In the New Book of the Art of Living, Wilferd A. Peterson writes about the "Art of America" and the "Art of Freedom" but he doesn't seem to consider independence, liberty, or justice arts. At least if he does, he didn't write essays on them. This is what he writes about The Art of Freedom
"Freedom is a personal thing.
Freedom is an open door, but you must walk through it.
Freedom is a ladder, but you must climb it.
Freedom doesn't mean that you can do what you please, but it does mean that there isn't anything holding you back from striving to make your finest dreams come true.
Freedom is yours now, this very minute, & what you do with it is up to you. You can aim at the highest goal.
Freedom is an invitation to be creative-to paint, sing, carve, write, build according to your heart's desire.
Freedom is the opportunity to dedicate your life to the service of others. You can follow your gleam wherever it leads.
Freedom is your right to be yourself, to make mistakes, to fail & try again. No failure is final; freedom always gives you another chance.
Freedom is a blessing to be shared. The fruits of freedom depend upon the interaction of the thoughts, ideas & ideals of men.
Freedom is a wide horizon gleaming with promise. The only chains & shackles you must break are within you. You practice the art of freedom when you make the most of all that freedom offers.
Freedom is God's gift to you. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty," wrote St. Paul.
Thank God for your freedom. It is your key to an inspiring future."
That's the entire essay on "The Art of Freedom"