Explanate!

To follow up on my previous post and the points raised in "Slow Traffic Ahead"'s comment, here is a further explanation of why the Alabama Christian Coalition and others who are leaders in the Body of Christ were wrong to openly oppose Alabama's constitutional amendment.

My principle points are contained in the words "leaders" and "openly". When an individual takes a leadership position in the Church, he speaks for God to the world. This should give all Christian leaders pause, for we as humans know that our words and judgments fall far short of the wisdom of God. Nevertheless, He has called His people to speak for Him and given instructions on what to say. When a leader (pastor or otherwise) speaks in that capacity, his words must be measured against the Bible. Leaders should be slow to speak on anything that the Bible is neutral on, and should never speak on something the Bible is clearly opposed to.

In this case, those who have set themselves up as the voice of God in Alabama's public life put their own political agenda (a Bible-neutral item) ahead of God's law of love. For Christian leaders to speak as such for lower taxes is unwise (because it marries the gospel to a particular political leaning); to advocate lower taxes when the collateral baggage is racism, hate, and disunity is despicable. This was not two amendments, but one, and the leaders involved made it clear that a remote risk of future taxation was a greater threat to them than the present and certain risk of insulting and alienating their black brothers and sisters and diluting the Church's moral authority. Even if racism was not a motive, there is no justification whatsoever for prioritizing low taxation above love for the brethren.

A reader may well ask, But why is this sin grounds for excommunication? It is not heretical, nor do we expect preachers to be sinless in word and deed. Shouldn't we ask them quietly to repent and then leave it between them and God?

Heresy* is one reason for excommunication. However, Paul recommends excommunication of church members in Corinth for engaging unrepentantly in sin so repugnant that it made the church a spectacle of unrighteousness before the world. To me, in our day, this sin is on that level. I understand if others disagree with me, but I think that this destroys the Church's credibility as followers of Christ. There isn't even a whiff of sacrificial love here! Instead, the Church has become an interest group that wants lower taxes and less federal interference. Do we care about civil rights? No. Do we care about showing love to our brothers and sisters of a different race? No.

Do we retain any moral authority if we let this abuse go unpunished? No.