ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
October 30, 2026
The Samaritans did not have a good name, especially among the Jewish community. There was a strong animosity that went both ways, and at least from the perspective of scripture, the Samaritans were condemned for simply being Samaritans. Whether some of the hateful passages were Southern Kingdom propaganda against the Samaritans, we do not know. Whatever the case, the Samaritans would reclaim a monotheistic faith, even claiming how they were the true keepers of the original Mosaic law. Of course, this did not set well with those in the Jewish faith. It was sort of like the Protestant/Catholic fight, with both sides claiming to be right. This is all to say that our Bible, along with those who would have originally followed Jesus, both hated and feared Samaritans. I can imagine how Samaritans would have been used in political ads, with one candidate claiming how the other candidate once had dinner with a Samaritan. I’m sure there would have been fuzzy chalk drawings of the event. Yet, despite this deeply held resentment, Jesus had the audacity to chat with a Samaritan woman at a well, and even state how the divisions around worship and holy places were coming to an end. Worship, moving forward, would be expressed through the Spirit, a unifying power. Then Jesus told a parable about a Samaritan, and though the man who Jesus shared the parable with did not like what was being suggested, Jesus made the Samaritan the hero of the story and the embodiment of faithfulness and compassion. And then we cannot forget the story of Jesus healing ten lepers. In the story, only one of the lepers returned to give thanks. The narrator, as almost a side note, tells us that the one who returned was a Samaritan. Jesus turned people’s perception upside down.
Christians today can tell all the stories about Jesus speaking or interacting with Samaritans, yet it does not appear as if Christians are very good at juxtaposing key ideas of scripture alongside what is happening in our world today. I find that many want to applaud Jesus for changing the narrative around Samaritans, but are quick to point out how we don’t have any Samaritans today… which of course, is not true as there are Samaritan groups still worshipping, with the center of their faith being Mount Gerizim. It seems as if many expressions of Christianity are only able to extrapolate a Biblical idea to our current situation when it provides a rationale for judging, hating, or condemning some group. What appears difficult is the capacity to extrapolate the expansive love of Jesus to our current culture. This is uncomfortable for some because such love often challenges people at the core of their underlying convictions.
Tomorrow, I will join members of Cypress Creek Christian Church at the Woodland Pride Festival. Every year, I find it to be both inspiring and painful, while also having little glimmers of hope. In some ways, the LGBTQ+ community has become a sort of caricature of the Samaritans, at least in how they are viewed as the enemy and the source of all problems. Interestingly, Samaritans were often blamed for the Roman occupation of what we would call the Holy Land today. The Samaritans were a small, powerless group, especially against the Roman military machine. Nonetheless, they were scapegoated by those who were Jewish. I’m not throwing Judaism under the bus as scapegoating is something that we as human beings do, and our choice of religion has nothing to do with it. And sadly, many segments of Christianity are allowing our LGBTQ+ siblings to be scapegoated, especially in our current political climate. What often is overlooked are the ramifications of spending millions of dollars to promote lies, giving the impression that a small and misunderstood segment of the population is to blame for all our current woes. Not only is this distracting from the real issues, but just like the days of old, the small and misunderstood segment of the population becomes the target of hatred and violence. In the 14th chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus tells his followers that those who trust in him will do the works he has done. In fact, Jesus says, you will do greater works than these. If you think Jesus’ love was expansive, then what does “greater” love look like?
I give thanks, O Lord, for the amazing stories of Jesus and his self-giving love. Not only were people stunned by his capacity to push what others believed to be the limits of love, but some were threatened to the point of wanting to see Jesus dead. Yet today, I pray for the capacity to continue with the trajectory Jesus set with his life and ministry. Provide me the courage to be bold in doing even greater things. Amen.
