“The mixing of patriotism and pietism has produced an American civil religion that is sweeping people off of their feet with a romantic nationalism that makes flag-waving a religious sacrament.” (from The Baptist Joint Committee on Public Policy, Washington, D.C.)

For many of my 15 years as the pastor at Glade Church (in Blacksburg), I have been asked to record my sermons or place manuscripts of them on our church’s Web site. I have resisted because I believe a sermon must be experienced in the communal setting to more fully embody its message. However, in recent weeks I have another reason for resisting … in the chance that one of my parishioners might decide to run for public office, I do not want sound bites of my words being used against him or her.

In the name of God, the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright’s proclamation of black liberation theology has been reinterpreted into a terrorist-like agenda. In the name of God, the congregation at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago must enter security checks before worshipping in their sanctuary on Sunday mornings. In the name of God, The Rev. Otis Moss III has round-the-clock security because of death threats to him and his predecessor. In the name of God, what is going on?!

The continual crumbling of one of our nation’s cornerstones—religious liberty—is dissolving one primary at a time, one election at a time. How American is this?

As a pastor in The United Church of Christ, I have watched a colleague’s sermons be reduced to fodder for the Religious Loud (they certainly are not “Right”). We have witnessed a young family torn between the church and pastor that has nurtured their faith or pursuing a vision of hope for our nation. Yet, we stay safely in our offices, sit comfortably in our recliners, and avoid controversial conversation with our neighbors while muttering to like-minded liberals “Ain’t it awful?”

Where is the courage of our convictions? When do we say: “Enough!”? When do people of all faiths (and no faiths) reclaim the America founded on religious tolerance and freedom for all people—even those in public life? I doubt the early activists would have settled for slogans on bumper stickers or T-shirts and yard signs as doing enough to bring about real change.

I was raised a baptist. I was ordained a baptist. At my very core, I will always be a baptist. Yes, that is a little “b” baptist … not to be confused with those who claim and proclaim Baptist but ignore early American history. It was people of that faith heritage who led out, spoke out, were imprisoned, and fought to their life’s ends for a free church in a free state, and freedom of/for/from religion for all persons. They wore the scarlet “L” of their day, and did not apologize for it. That was the Christianity instilled in me. That was the gospel I heard proclaimed faithfully years before The Religious Loud took it hostage.

We need leadership to rise up out of our homes, our communities, our pews … and reclaim America’s faithful heritage. But, just in case that leadership is in my church—I still will not publish my sermons.

The Rev. Kelly M. Sisson is Pastor of Glade Church in Blacksburg. Glade Church and its pastor are dually aligned with The United Church of Christ and The Alliance of Baptists. For more information go to: gladeucc.org