Today is Good Friday and in two days it will be Easter Sunday. Death followed by Resurrection. Sometimes Christians– especially in America– like to skip over the pain and suffering of Friday and go right to the hope and joy of Easter. And sometimes Christians get so overwhelmed by the despair of Friday, they can’t get to Easter hope.
My dear friend Tony Campolo’s most famous sermon is titled “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming.”
Given the genuine moment of crisis we are facing in America–politically, culturally, historically, and spiritually– it’s hard to honestly and seriously embrace the threats we are facing on so many fronts, and yet not lose the promise of hope. This is the essence of the pilgrimage towards Easter.
I am embracing that personally, as I prepare spiritually for the 15 city town meeting tour I am about to begin next week for my new book, The False White Gospel.
The horror of Friday and the hope of Sunday both came up and were discussed at our opening book event at Georgetown University on Tuesday night. Eddie Glaude, who wrote the book’s foreword and who was here for the event, said that many of us are in between fear and hope on Saturday– and feel stuck in between these great and holy days for us as Christians. Bishop Vashti McKenzie became very pastoral as she offered guidance for a time such as this. And Robby Jones, who beautifully moderated the conversation, spoke of the particular and unique tensions of Friday and Easter– a tension that “white” Christians in particular must wrestle with in the battle for the soul of the nation.
I commend that extraordinary conversation to all of you– to reflect on and share as you please. The words of response from that night’s discussion that most heartened me were “compelling, encouraging, and inspiring.” That’s what I'm praying for in this Easter season. May God bless us all, and even bless America through what each of us decides to do.
Here is the schedule for the book tour, a town meeting tour. I hope to see you soon.
My new book, “False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith, and Refounding Democracy,” is available for preorder. Please consider ordering a copy.
Doing both in Holland, MI
https://open.substack.com/pub/jonathanbrownson/p/not-good?r=gdp9j&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web