December 23, 2010

A Religion Born in a Barn

In the 1980s, the Minnesota Ad Campaign of Episcopal Church made quite a splash with a series of funny print advertisements, some of which contained pretty good zingers. A few I remember:

“Will it take six strong men to get you back into church?” (Image: six pallbearers carrying a casket through the front door of a church.)

“The problem with religions that have all the answers, they don’t allow questions.” (Image: a young man with two pieces of duct tape across his mouth.)

But probably my favorite was the one whose image was a Renaissance painting of the birth of Jesus in the stable that read, “For a religion that was born in a barn, an open door goes without saying.”

God could have manifest anywhere, anyway that God chose. And of all places, when God chose to dwell among us, he was born to us as a poor baby boy in the feed trough of barn.

In Luke’s story of the birth, everyone is poor. Dr. Walter Pilgrim of Pacific Lutheran University makes this point in his book on the gospel of Luke entitled, Good News for the Poor. No wise men with their gold, frankincense in this story. For Luke, the characters in his Christmas play are poor people. Joseph and Mary are homeless. The shepherds sleep out in the open fields. The cloud of witnesses is made up of barnyard animals.

Our faith was born in a barn with a particular bend toward the poor and lowly. This theme begins with Mary’s great love poem to God, the Magnificat.

"My soul magnifies the Lord, 
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, 
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name. 
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation. 
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly; 
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.”

This theme continues in our own day through our own actions in response to the birth of Christ. Proclaim good news to the poor and be sure your doors are wide open.