The Story Most Fit to Print

Published December 22, 2007

IN THEORY

The Story Most Fit to Print

Q:

The Religion Newswriters Assn. picked evangelicals’ struggle to select a presidential candidate as the top religion story of 2007. What do you think was the top religion story of the year?

A:

Sadly, the top religion story is a non-story.

For me, the top religion story is the amazing silence of the Christian church, across denominational lines, regarding the war in Iraq and all of its ramifications. This includes, but certainly is not limited to, the stories out of Guantanamo Bay, misinformation and intelligence discrepancies, the refugees of Iraq and now, the saber-rattling toward Iran. Second, it’s the silence toward Darfur and the Sudan by the Christian church. And I only place it second, because the Iraq war is so much more visible and prominent as a news story.

I’m not talking about the politics of war, nor am I trying to champion a partisan platform; rather, I’m critical of the almost nonexistent moral conscience that the Christian church can and should provide to the war conversation. If there is one thing that all Christians agree on; it is that the central figure of our religion is called the “Prince of Peace.” Yet, apart from a few exceptions, that message of peace is being stifled in the back pews of our churches.

If you take a look at the top 10 news items according to the Religion Newswriters Assn., there is not one item that even points to Iraq. Throughout the year, we talk about the relevancy of religion and the church; can we find a better indicator of the church’s irrelevancy than this? The war is front-page news, yet it doesn’t even score on the “religion top 10”?

I can only think of the millions of cards that are being exchanged this week with the holiday wish for “Peace on Earth.” Before it was adopted by Hallmark, it was the voice of the angels at the Birth of One, whose love for humanity overpowered humanity’s ability to destroy itself. Peace on Earth is achievable. To me, that was, is and always will be the greatest news story.

Merry Christmas.

FATHER VAZKEN MOVSESIAN
Armenian Church Youth Ministries
In His Shoes Mission