(This article also includes a podcast discussion. Click the play button below, or subscribe and listen on your Apple or Google podcast app.)
The internet and media are angry again. On January 3rd, 2021 a Methodist minister and congressman named Emanuel Cleaver concluded his prayer in front of congress with “Amen and a-woman,” leading many to accuse the minister (or the government) of taking a non-gendered Hebrew word and forcing political correctness on it. Before you start sharing news articles or ranting to your friends, let’s look at what really happened, how his intentions are being twisted, and the real reason followers of Jesus Christ should be furious.
The prayer
Here’s a video if you’d like to see it for yourself. I’ve also included the transcript of the prayer below, taken from the congressional record posted in the video’s description. If nothing else, read the last 2 lines of his prayer before jumping to my own discussion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgI8HL7J4Ns
Eternal God, noiselessly we bow before Your throne of grace as we leave behind the politically and socially clamorous year of 2020. We gather, now, in this consequential Chamber to inaugurate another chapter in our roller coaster representative government. The Members of
this august body acknowledge Your sacred supremacy and, therefore, confess that without Your favor and forbearance, we enter this new year relying, dangerously, on our own fallible nature.
God, at a moment when many believe that the bright light of democracy is beginning to dim, empower us with an extra dose of commitment to its principles. May we, of the 117th Congress, refuel the lamp of liberty so brimful that generations unborn will witness its undying flame. And may we model community healing, control our tribal tendencies and quicken our spirit that we may feel Thy priestly presence even in moments of heightened disagreement. May we so feel Your presence that our service here may not be soiled by any utterances or acts unworthy of this high office. Insert in our spirit a light so bright that we can see ourselves and our politics as we really are–soiled by selfishness, perverted by prejudice and inveigled by ideology.
Now, may the God who created the world and everything in it bless us and keep us. May the Lord make His face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us. May the Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon us and give us peace–peace in our families, peace across this land and dare I ask, O Lord, peace even in this Chamber, now and evermore. We ask it in the name of the monotheistic God and Brahma and God known by many names by many different faiths.
Amen, and a woman.
The controversy
At first glance, it seems fairly obvious that this is just another example of people trying to remove gendered words by attacking patriarchal language. Just as people want to turn “history” into “hxstory” to make it gender-neutral, it seems that Emanuel Cleaver has likewise tried taking the male-sounding word “amen” and making it fair to the other gender.
And if this was the congressman’s intention, it would certainly be blasphemous and ignorant. After all, “amen” is a Hebrew word that simply means “so be it,” and occurs at the end of all the New Testament letters. While many of us may not really understand why we say it at the end of prayers, it’s essentially our way of putting a period at the end of our prayer. With “amen” and a large amount of humility before a sovereign God, we’re saying “Lord, I stand by the praise I’ve given you and the requests I’ve made. I believe in what was said, despite my weakness and limitations. Please grant it all according to your will.” There’s quite a lot wrapped up in the intention behind “amen,” and it’s considerably easier saying one word than twenty.
However, Emanuel Cleaver has responded to the incredible backlash he’s faced after the final word of his prayer. Here’s what he told the Kansas City Star (emphasis mine):
“I concluded with a lighthearted pun in recognition of the record number of women who will be representing the American people in Congress during this term as well as in recognition of the first female Chaplain of the House of Representatives whose service commenced this week,” said Cleaver, who led the search committee that selected Grun Kibben, the former chief chaplain of the Navy, for the role. “I personally find these historic occasions to be blessings from God for which I am grateful.”
In other words, he made a dad joke. He used a play-on-words to both conclude his prayer and give a nod to how many women were in such important positions. It wasn’t a political statement, nor an attempt to bow down to liberals. Many news sources are portraying his words in a certain way, perhaps ironically revealing their own agenda as they accuse Cleaver of having one.
However, Christians need to love truth enough to acknowledge what actually happened, not what their preferred news source riles them up to believe. The joke wasn’t funny or clever, and it should rightly sit wrong with us. But people are arguing over something that didn’t happen, and it’s making us look foolish.
So the a-woman thing isn’t a big deal, right?
The real issue
Those who are outside the Christian faith probably don’t have much to say about this situation if they’re being honest and fair to what happened. It was a bad joke, and probably in very poor taste during such an important and solemn moment. Yet for those who care about the sacredness of God, Emmanuel Cleaver’s prayer has an enormous red flag that people seem to be ignoring.
I’d really encourage you to read the entire prayer and note one thing: the general tone is incredibly reverent. As Cleaver reads the beautiful words, it may remind us of older preachers who held God in the highest view, even slipping into old English words like “thy.” Personally, I found myself in awe at the high view of God’s sovereignty that seemed present in Cleaver’s words, especially because he spoke them in a government setting.
However, notice the final line before the pun.
“We ask it in the name of the monotheistic God and Brahma and God known by many names by many different faiths.”
Despite the eloquent words, it appears that Cleaver reveals his true theology in these final words. To approach the throne of God and be able to use these words is a clear sign of someone who has a twisted view of who God is and what it means to worship Him. Although his church’s website seems innocent enough, those who believe that the God of the Bible is the same as the Hindu god Brahma, or any other deity, is clear evidence that they believe in universalism (the belief that all will go to Heaven) or a weird version of pantheism (believing that God is in everything, in this case in all religions).
Viewing these words for the blasphemies that they are, the minister’s attempt at humor begins to make more sense. No, it’s not a political statement. Instead, “a-woman” is just further evidence of someone who fails to understand the weight of God’s majesty, the reality of His holiness, and the unbelievable privilege we have to approach Him in the name of Jesus Christ.
Many words were spoken during this prayer, but these were the clearest of them all. And what those words truly mean, and how they radically change the gospel, is what Christians should be dividing over.
Let’s be honest, all of us are guilty of ignoring the sacredness of prayer at some point. Whether we say we’re too busy, or rattle off a quick prayer on the way to our car, we can all repent of treating prayer as something less than it is. So let’s not be unfair and attack someone for not “getting prayer right.”
However, Cleaver is reading all of this from a sheet of paper. This wasn’t a prayer offered in haste, nor poorly timed as he tried to pray while lying in bed. Every word, from the poetic language all the way to the joke at the end, was planned. That means that as he sat and prepared what he was going to say as he approached the throne of God in front of the entire country, he made the decision to tell God that praying to Brahma or any other god is the same as praying to the one true God of the universe. He’s correcting people for misconstruing his words, yet he’s offered no correction on this false view of God.
As people discuss this prayer, many are offended on behalf of their politics. As followers of Jesus Christ, let’s not give in to sensational reporting and easily-shared articles or posts that twist a human being’s words. Leave that for those whose only hope and satisfaction in this world are what happens in this life.
Instead, let’s be offended and furious on behalf of our God. Let’s be angry that someone would claim to approach a perfect and holy God, only able to do so because Jesus Christ took the father’s wrath for our sin… and insist that praying to a pagan god is just as good as what he’s doing. Let our posts and discussions center around how a mockery was made of the gospel and our need for Jesus Christ alone to save us from God’s perfect judgment and punishment for our sin. Let the truth of the gospel be what we’re willing to fight and divide over.
Let’s call out the blasphemy that actually took place, which is far worse than someone simply making a political statement.
For further reading, check out these articles:
Solus Cristus – Salvation Is Through Christ Alone
What Happens to People Who Never Hear the Gospel?
Stand with Christ, Not Your Political Party
Let Christ Be Offensive, Not You
