You know I love press releases. They are the ego masturbation of publishing, even more than dust jackets, blurbs and epigraphs in Russian novels. One organization, perhaps Albany UMC in the San Francisco Bay Area, has christened (um, yeah, Christ is in there) Septembe 11, 2011, Patriot Sunday. As he's in San Francisco, David James Randolph, Ph. D., "a teacher and religious leader who is widely known as a speaker and writer" (that's from the blog), probably isn't talking about the New England Patriots. He's likely a 49ers fan. Also according to the blog, "He lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area where he is Chief Celebrant of the New Way Fest."
I have two quibbles initially. What constitutes widely known? I've never heard of him. Now, that doesn't mean he's not important. I've studied religion and been a religion journalist for the better part of 21 years, but I could have missed him along the way. That being said, my other quibble is New Way Fest. I don't know what it is. If you only have three lines to introduce yourself, pick three good ones.
Now to the press release:
The sermon preachers deliver on September 11, 2011 will be one of the most important in their lives and that of their congregations according to Dr. David James Randolph, widely known preacher and author.
I understand I'm not a member of the tribe Christian any longer, but this is still a little unsettling. Apparently, Mr. (Dr.) Randolph has never heard of the liturgical calendar. (In all fairness, Ed Stetzer hasn't either. He keeps insisting there is a Back to Church Sunday every year, and it's clearly nowhere to be found in Ordinary Time, and I know for a fact it isn't one of the Sundays in Pentecost, Advent, Lent, or Easter.) If he knew about the calendar, he'd know that September 11, 2011, is the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, not Patriot Sunday. But, to be fair, the press release was written for him by one David Magdalene (insert little demon joke here).
And now for some hyperbole, or perhaps just trite nonsense—I truly can't decide:
Because this Patriot Sunday falls on the tenth anniversary of the attacks on the United States this will be an historic opportunity to relate biblical faith to national and global concerns.
They left the comma out, not me. Apparently, there are no other good days in the year to relate biblical faith to national and global concerns. Good thing the United States is so important in the contextualization of the gospel. Imagine if you'd been born elsewhere. You'd be fucked. You'd know nothing. It's only when we get attacked that the stage is set for the proclamation of the gospel in a global context. But wait. We're not done with the idolatry, er...nationalism...er...xenophobia...shit...press release.
Preaching, worship and celebrations around and on the Fourth of July signal the beginning of a season of study, discussion, and action in preparation for 9/11 Patriot Sunday.
Um, signaled by whom? Mr. (Dr.) Randolph? Is there an Old Testament prophet wandering around Cali? Is there some motherfucker in sackcloth lying on his side while building mud models of the city of San Francisco? And what kind of action should we expect? Honestly, between the press release and the blog, I can't tell if these folks are Republicans or Democrats, Tea Party or Libertarian. There is a reference to one nation under God, so I'm going with idolators for now. And if this isn't the tritest thing I've heard this year (outside of missives from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary), I'll convert to Christianity again: "Doubt reduction leads to debt reduction." Sigh. That's straight from a sermon he's prepared for Patriot Sunday. Can't wait to hear the rest...
Can I just say that I'm weary past telling of all this patriot talk combined with church talk. Keep the cannons out of the baptistry this 4th of July, keep the American flags off the platform, don't let soldiers in uniform have official positions in the service, and as much as possible, keep the sacred groves, asherah, and idols out of your services. I don't ask this as a messenger of god, just as someone who likes the idea of Christians acting like Christians instead of Romans. Give the metaphor a minute. Okay, thanks.
