If you look back at my sermons from 2015 to 2020, more of them subtly point to a certain American President than I care to admit. It has been less than two weeks since January 20th, and in that time, the psychological and emotional turmoil that was Donald Trump’s first term in office has come back in full force. Following his election last November, it seemed like much of the world went into denial, pretending that those awful days of his first term were just a nightmare that we thought was over. 

Then January 20th arrived, and the psychological turmoil and chaos landed on us like a ton of bricks. 

This time around, I am committed to not starting my mornings wondering what the President has done or said that is more outrageous than the day before. I am still following the news but in measured amounts. I am not reading every article of breathless analysis designed to keep my cortisol spiked. I am falling for the trap that I need to read every article to stay apprised of things. I am trying to stay on top of what is happening rather than what might happen. 

Some perspective is important too, even if it is a little unsettling. 

The reality is, for a lot more of human history than not, kings, rulers, emperors, presidents and heads of state have been more Trump-like than not. Perhaps not in his particularities but in his appeal to popular moods and sentiments. It is easier to see why his followers follow him with this perspective. It is the same reason why many societies long endured under cruel and exploitative rulers. The leaders offer the promise of not having to be accountable and responsible ourselves. Leaders like Trump talk about fixes and solutions to all our problems while rarely delivering any. Conversely, they rarely put boundaries on their own words, feelings, behaviours and actions. They offer an intoxicating cult to follow. When a seemingly strong and populist leader promises to fix our problems and then lets loose with their behaviour, it feels oddly liberating. We feel free to express our base desires AND free from being responsible for them. The leader is taking on our responsibility for the problems of our lives and world. 

This kind of ruler is one that was common in 16th century (yes, I am turning again to Luther). In one of Martin Luther’s most important Reformation writings, The Freedom of Christian, he addresses what it means to live a Christian life in this kind of world. In the treatise, Luther asserts two basic theses:

The Christian individual is a completely free lord of all, subject to none.

    The Christian individual is a completely dutiful servant of all, subject to all.

Luther scholar Paul R. Hinlicky argues that this is a frame of who we are accountable to and responsible for. 

We are free “lords of all” because we confess that there is but one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Lord to whom we are accountable. There is no other human Lord that we fear or to whom we owe our allegiance. Thus we are free in the world from subjugating ourselves to human powers and principalities. 

Yet, this one Lord Jesus Christ, to whom we are accountable, first frees us in love and mercy. Then, the one Lord calls us in that same love to care for our neighbour. That accountability to God means we are responsible for our neighbour. This freedom is not easy, but it is hard work. Looking for how our neighbour needs care requires getting past our own needs and concerns. It is the work of seeing and attending to the other. The freedom to love our neighbour means exactly what Jesus reminds us is the greatest commandment: To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbour as ourselves. 

It is easy to see that this is the opposite of putting our trust in flawed human rulers and then absolving ourselves from living into our base desires. 

For me, in these past months of turmoil and chaos, returning to Luther’s theses of Christian Freedom has been a way to keep my sanity. I remind myself often, “Who am I accountable to? God. Not to any human power,” and “Who am I responsible for? For loving and caring for my neighbour.” I am not responsible for God (to my neighbour), or propping up any other systems and structures of human power and control. 

I am accountable TO the One Lord Jesus Christ and responsible FOR loving my neighbour. 

I hope that being reminded of this fundamental truth of faith can help you through the days, months, and years to come too. 

Photo: A community chest in Wittenberg, in which funds for those in need were kept. Accessible by two keys, one held by the mayor and the other by the pastor of the town church.