the wickedness of the church

​In my last blog post, I quoted from Jim Wallis’ essay, “Jesus has Survived all us Christians,” and expressed my pleasure that he would look inside the Church rather than outside as he pondered why so many Americans are turning away from Christianity. Today’s Just Quote is taken from the same essay.


“It's always amazing to me how — somehow, apparently, mysteriously, and even miraculously — Jesus has survived all of us Christians.
 
“And yet, it’s undeniable that the election of Donald Trump and the presidency that has followed — and the Christian response to all of it — have revealed how disconnected many American Christians have become from Jesus. In particular, the uncritical support Trump enjoys from many white evangelicals in the religious right, and the Faustian bargain they have made for power, are turning many Americans (and others) away from Christianity altogether” (sojo.net).
 
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As I contemplated these quotes, and the essay in totality, it occurred to me that Brother Wallis could be channeling the Book of Mormon editor, Mormon: “Alma saw the wickedness of the church, and he saw also that the example of the church began to lead those who were unbelievers on from one piece of iniquity to another, thus bringing on the destruction of the people” (Alma 4.11).