I’m not the biggest fan of church denominations.  Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying here – denominations have their benefits.  However, I was raised both Catholic and Pentecostal by my divorced parents – the two most opposite extremes of the spectrum.  Through this I gained a deep appreciation for tradition and the free movement of Spirit.  Add to this my time in the military as a Chaplain’s Assistant – having to minister to people of all faiths – and you may arrive at my deep apprecaition for the unified Body of Christ actually living out their faith and making a difference in the world.  When Pope Benedict announced he was coming to America, I watched with cautious anticipation.  But I have been most impressed with his messages of hope and unification.  I was even more impressed in the manner by which he apologized to those who were harmed from priest sexual assaults.

As a pastor myself, I was very impressed by Pope Benedict’s words at Sunday Mass at Yankee Stadium, according to The New York Times:

“Here we are reminded of a fundamental truth: that the church’s unity has no other basis than the word of God, made flesh in Christ Jesus our Lord,” the pope said. “All external signs of identity, all structures, associations and programs, valuable or even essential as they may be, ultimately exist only to support and foster the deeper unity which, in Christ, is God’s indefectible gift to his church.”

The pope said American Catholics needed to unite behind church teachings and resist the challenges of living in a society that increasingly values secularism, a theme he has repeated throughout his six-day visit.

“It means overcoming every separation between faith and life, and countering false gospels of freedom and happiness,” he said. “It also means rejecting a false dichotomy between faith and political life.”

I want to take a look at these words for just a minute.  The Pope spoke the truth and shamed the devil when he said that the church’s unity has no other basis than the Word of God made flesh in Christ.  This is the desperate truth that many church folk have forgotten about in our country today.  The primary purpose of the church is to serve as Christ’s ambassador on Earth, to proclaim the Gospel message, and to live out the power of the Gospel – Christ in us.

Just as the apostles warned the early church – the modern church needs to avoid and resist modernity so that the truth not only matters, but is not lost in the social agendas of the media, the political realm, and our colleges and universities.  By holding fast to the truth, the words and teachings found within the Word of God, we can continue to live moral lives that are pleasing to God, and help to exhort and build-up the body of believers.

Overcoming every separation between faith and life is a deeply profound statement for this day in this country.  When the far left is crying separation of church and state to the point that our nation’s faith roots have no say or impact on government or how we are to live and act as people, there is a problem.  What I appreciate about Benedict’s comments are that they are rooted in scripture – in the Gospel, in the Epistles from Paul, even in the Old Testament: we are to live a life that is pleasing to God, not to man or the lowly standards of man.

In terms of the false dichotomy between faith and political life, the Pope is right, again.  It is impossible to elect a leader and not his or her faith.  Faith is not something that can be turned on or off like a light switch.  It is part of who a person is.  When you elect a person to office, you are voting for their values and their depth and quality of faith as well.  The two cannot be separated as many on the left, and even on the emerging right have suggested.  I am a Christian.  I pray.  I fast.  I worship God and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  To think that being an elected official, that I would be asked to leave Jesus in the car, or stop operating within the parameters of pray and faith, is absurd.  Because they are part of who I am.

The Pope’s visit was refreshing and it was great to hear what he had to say as one of God’s representatives on earth.  The question is, will we internalize his words and the Gospel message and begin to live our faith out loud?

My name is Bert Copple, and I’m ready to be your next Congressman.

HOPE.  FAITH.  CHANGE in 2008!

www.bertcopple.com