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Do you agree with me that Jesus has taken a real beating since that shocking day in September? It is not that he is being vilified, that would be understandable. Rather, he has been quietly pushed right out of the picture.

What ever happened to Jesus in public conversation? God talk is in. Even around the coffee maker at break time, when God is mentioned, eyebrows remain calm where once they would have been raised. And how about all those stirring songs that remind us that God is around? “God bless America” seems to flow from all our lips these days. God gets all the lines. It is a good time for God.

I have been thinking about that. I suppose it is because when we mention the name of God it is like acknowledging that we are all brothers and sisters. It is what we call an “inclusive” term. It includes everyone-Hindus, Muslims, even people who have no real faith at all. It has a warm, cuddly feel to it. People say, “Don’t we all worship the same God, after all?” God talk embraces all religion-Islam, Hinduism, New Age, Theosophy or whatever.

I must admit that I cringe a bit when I hear people who have no personal faith at all invoking the name of God. Maybe in their minds there is an amorphous, foggy notion of a power beyond. Why not call it God? I suppose I find all the God talk a bit offsetting.

But, what has happened to Jesus? He is more or less confined to “church talk.” We talk about him freely in church but when we get out into the public, it is better not to mention his name because Jesus has become divisive!

This puts us lovers of Jesus Christ on the spot. For instance, when praying in public, is it right to conclude the prayer with, “In the name of God, Amen?” This is not uncommon these days. Should we talk about Jesus in public, even though it makes people uncomfortable? Surely we do not want to appear to be offensive. But how can we avoid it? Jesus is public news.

Jesus knew all about this. The world hated his claims to uniqueness as the Savior of the world. He alerted us to the fact that we inhabit the same world and so must carry the scandal of the central truth of the Gospel, Jesus is alone the Savior of all. What has happened to Jesus? He is scorned, as always, by those who do not love him with all their hearts.

Donald Jacobs serves the worldwide Mennonite community as a missiologist and teacher. He worked in Tanzania and Kenya for 20 years.

March 8, 2002