(Note: Rev. Anderegg is pastor at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in St Robert, Missouri. This article was written in response to Rev. Benke's participation [23 September] in the interfaith memorial service at Yankee Stadium for the victims of the World Trade Center. With his kind permission, here is Rev. Anderegg's article. Thanks to Lisa Stapp for sending it to me.)
If I were an artist I would paint or draw the following: Picture a group of men and women standing in a half circle, facing you. All of them have their arms draped over the shoulder of the person next to them. It is clear they are all friends, for each is smiling. It's a picture of unity and harmony. In the middle stands Muhammad, the Muslim "prophet." To his left is Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science. To her left is Joseph Smith, the Mormon "prophet." To his left is Buddha! Look! There's Abraham. In fact, all the religious figures from all of history are standing side by side--in something like a "group hug"--clearly acknowledging their acceptance of each other. Jesus? He's there too! He stands third to the right of Muhammad, between Confucius and Moses. And he is just as happy to be there as the rest of these "religious leaders."
When I was a child, the highlight of my Saturday morning was a cartoon called "Superfriends." In it superheroes like Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Superman and Aquaman all worked together to rid the world of crime. It doesn't surprise me, now, to realize that this was the beginning of a new era. No longer would heroes work alone! They would all work side-by-side. Together, they would rid the world of evil. And it doesn't surprise me, now, that this idea soon entered the realm of religion. Equality, cooperation, and teamwork are not just qualities our cartoon characters should have but also our religions. So religious pluralism has become the "be all and end all."
It wasn't until I saw a picture of the prayer service held at Yankee Stadium, on September 23, that I thought of Superfriends. Until then, I was on the fence as to whether we should have been involved in that event. But as I viewed the different religious clothing each participant was wearing, I couldn't help but think that this is precisely what our culture wants most. "Superfriends" are now "Super-religious-leaders," whose greatest accomplishment is getting along with each other.
Now, it's understandable that some would see such an event as an opportunity. At first glance, it looks like a good occasion to share the Gospel with others. The problem lies not in what we might seek to accomplish by participating, but in the expectations of those who organize, coordinate, and attend such events. Because what most people want to see is cooperation among "equal" religions, our most pressing question--"Was this a mistake?"--is answered quite easily. When people see Sikhs, Moslems, Jews, Christians etc. praying together how can they help but think "we're all in this together, each praying to an equally valid god?" So whether it was a religious "service" or not, the picture we're left with looks like "Superfriends." It's a picture of harmony and cooperation among equals, with no one religion claiming to be better than the others.
Is this the picture God wants people to see? Shortly, we will celebrate Jesus' Baptism. There, the Lord God paints an entirely different picture. John the Baptist is the only "religious leader" around, and he quickly fades into the background. (He knows he's not fit to tie Jesus' sandals!) Jesus stands in the water. The Holy Spirit descends on Him. And His Father proclaims, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."(Matthew 3:17) Later, Jesus would spell things out for us: "I and the Father are one." (John 10:30) And again, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) No. Jesus will not stand "arm in arm" with other religious leaders. He stands alone. The only company He keeps is with the Father and Spirit. The three are one. They are the only true God. And there is salvation in no other name but His. (Acts 4:12)
There are no "equal rights" among religions. And it was simply a mistake to be involved in an event that appeared to satisfy our culture's desire to have friendly "equal" religions. Making the mistake was understandable, but it is not something we should do again. For God has never tolerated "friendliness" among religions. Remember the Old Testament Israelites? The Lord commanded them to destroy the false gods of Canaan, along with those who worshiped them. Remember what happened when the people decided to "go along to get along" with other religions? It was more than just a religious "group hug." The Lord rightly accused His people of adultery! Often, He punished them harshly for their unfaithfulness. Clearly, the true Christian faith cannot become bedfellows with other religions. God will have none of it! That's why it's incumbent upon the LCMS to avoid situations that give even the slightest suggestion that Christianity is the same as any other religion.
What then of evangelism? What about the opportunity to share the Gospel? It is temporarily overshadowed by the expectations of those who attend such events. It's precisely because the media and others are pressuring us to be on equal footing with other religions that we must carefully and lovingly refrain from participating.
But all is not lost! There will still be opportunities for evangelism! Just as it has been throughout the ages, the Gospel is often best shared in one-to-one situations. In fact, refusing to participate in such an event may itself present an opportunity to share the Gospel. When someone says, "Why didn't your church participate," we can explain. It's because Jesus "rises above" all other religious leaders. It's because He is "the way, the truth, and the life." It's because we can't mix the truth with error. And it's because we love others enough not to confuse them by making it look like He is just one among many.
Copyright © 2001 Rev. Richard Anderegg
Permission is granted to reproduce this for Bible classes, etc.
Comments may be sent to:
Rev. Richard Anderegg
Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church
981 Highway Z
St. Robert, MO 65584
felc at rollanet.org
