Editor:

Our chief denominational officers, Linda Valentine and Gradye Parsons, have issued a Christmas message: "The Hopes and Fears of All the Years." It moves from a passing mention of Christmas to a political analysis of Israel and Palestine.

"O Little Town of Bethlehem" is, in my opinion, the most profoundly theological of our Christmas carols. It tells the gospel story of Christ's birth to save us from the penalty of our sins.

It ends with a prayer of salvation: "O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray. Cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today." I love this carol!

So why turn it from theology to politics, merely because the name "Bethlehem" appears in it? Yes, the hopes and fears of all the years are met in Bethlehem, but not the hopes and fears of political aspiration or liberation. No, it is the hopes and fears of something far greater: salvation.

When Jesus was announcing that he was the Son of Man, he very carefully avoided calling himself the Messiah. For if he were to announce that he were the Messiah, the people would have leapt from religious to political aspirations.

Jesus was not born in Bethlehem so that political parties could liberate Palestine by running the Romans back to Rome. He was born in Bethlehem so that humankind would have a sorely needed Savior. Jesus carefully avoided the political, because there was something far greater for him to do: save the world.

But we as a church seem stuck on the political. At Christmas, when we live in a secular world doing its best to make it crassmas, why would our denominational leaders think the very best thing they could do is to talk about Middle East politics? Have they no message of the birth of a Savior, who is Christ the Lord?

And is it any wonder that our denomination is falling into irrelevant hopelessness, when those who lead us can talk politics but neglect the most redeeming message the world has ever heard? We have heavenly gold to give the world. Why do we insist on giving it more earthly dross?

James D. Berkley
Seattle, WA