Bill and The Star and Them and Us

Several years ago I saw an older guy eating breakfast alone at a week-long national event. I asked if I could join him, told him my name. He smiled, looked around, said his name was Bill. We had a great week of breakfasts together, talking about anything and everything and sharing stories and generally carrying on together.

On the last day of the event I inadvertently learned he was Bishop William Grove…THE Bishop William Grove.

He has very recently given me his expressed permission to share with you here something he wrote within the context of Epiphany [if that word’s not familiar, jump back to my blog from Sunday, January 6th for details]—

Many people in the world live in daily fear of their government. That has not been the experience of Americans who through free elections, choose those who will govern them.

In nearly ninety years of life, I do not remember ever fearing our government. But I confess that I fear it now.

And it deeply saddens me that self styled Evangelical Christians form the strongest base of support for this government that frightens me.

In my understanding of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, we are called to welcome the stranger, the refugee and the immigrant in the name of the One who said “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” [Matthew 25:35]

There is an insidious form of Christian heresy sweeping our land, supporting a dangerous government to protect white America. Never did we so need to watch for the Star.