Pledging Allegiance and the End of America

America is a temporary project. As often as we pray the Lord’s Prayer asking for God’s kingdom to come, we’re praying for the end of the United States of America. We look forward to the day when all people will be united in the one nation, under God, in God, by God, and with God. In this sermon that I preached on the 7th of July 2024 I tell my congregation about the importance of remembering where our loyalties lie. As Christians, we of course seek the good of whatever nation we happen to find ourselves inhabiting, but are ultimately looking for the eschatological nation, the final destination of the New Heavens and the New Earth.Pastorally, this sermon does what we theologians call “political theology.” As a sub-discipline of theology, it asks and explores the question, “how should we think about human governance in view of the reign of Christ?” I’m pretty convinced the Lord’s Prayer is the best place to start when considering that question. And, as you’ll hear in the sermon, David’s coronation give witness to what we believe about Jesus’s reign.For those of you who listened to the prequel to this sermon, you will pick up on the continued Christological and ecclesiological themes—that is, what we Christians believe about Jesus and about his church. Give it a listen, let me know what you think in the comments, and if you think it’s worth sharing, please do.Thanks for reading Pastoral Theology with Joseph Lear! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit josephlear.substack.com