Ok, let’s get something historically straight: there is no such thing as a singular “Christianity”. There are multiple traditions of the faith where some act more like Jesus than others. Some are the worst of the tradition, some are the best. Let’s learn to distinguish the two.

Now I’m no apologist for the pristine nature of Christianity. Our faith is as flawed as it is beautiful. Enslavement and murder have been justified by it and liberation and love have been fueled by it. In our time and in many ways both are powerfully at work around us.

It’s quite easy to want to say people storming the US Capitol, with signs reading: Jesus Saves, with confederate flags, and nooses are not “real” Christians and thereby distancing them from any part of our Christian story. No, they are part of the worst of Christian tradition.

For generations, they have been told that this country belongs to them —that Black advancement, Black citizenship, and Black survival threatens their very existence. They have been told that Jesus desires to protect white supremacy and desires Black destruction.

They have been told that this country is Christian, loving, just — that the country is innocent, despite what it has created: those who do not know love or justice, but who do know violence. They have believed all these things they were told by parents, pastors, and politicians.

Instead of realizing that Jesus does not have the same enemies that they have often been led to believe, they tried to make the country more white and less equal. It is both their historical and theological ignorance that perpetuated such lies and such terror.

Let’s be honest: where we are today is not because of secularist, or liberals, or atheist, or progressive Christians. No, we are here today because the political and religious right gave white supremacy legal, political, and theological power and justification.

Let me remind you, that is not the only Christian tradition. There is also at work in our country the best of us. People out of the street, in the prisons, in the halls of government, in churches, in schools, etc. who are, with Jesus, embodying love, liberation, and hope.

So when people say “Look at those Christians”, we actually should and see ways in which they embody the worst of our tradition and we should commit to trying to tell a better story of faith, purpose, Jesus, and meaning. I mean, Jesus did say they people will know us by love.

When he says people will know us by the love we show, he definitely knew there would be traditions that look more like power grabs and hatred than loving God and our neighbors. He does not protect himself or us from them. But he does show the possibility of better.