Jesse A. Schroeder

Tweet
So much to think (and write) about today! I didn't stay up to watch Obama's acceptance speech, but from what I read online, these are the points I resonate with:

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can’t happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other...

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

I appreciate that Barack Obama doesn't just make political promises, but reminds us that our country is made up of many citizens, all making daily and moment-by-moment choices that move our country in one direction or another. I like that he is a person who recognizes American is an international focal point, and so our actions, our words and our politics will shape the future not only of the U.S.A., but of the world. I think that the phrase "out of many, we are one" applies not only to Americans, but to all humans.

So I would describe myself today, along with many others, as hopeful, excited, and eager to change begin to occur in our country. However, today I certainly encountered some of the "cynicism" that Obama mentioned as well. 47% or so of the nation still voted for McCain, and a good portion of those strongly opposed Obama, especially amongst evangelicals. This TIME article is sad to me, especially when it mentions that "there are unquestionably theological and racial reasons for the continued alignment of many white evangelicals with the GOP."

Today, the atmosphere in the small Christian school where I teach was tense. Students said they were moving to Canada, that America was going down, that this was the beginning of the end. In class, I fielded quesitons about the antichrist, gay marriage, race and other political and theological issues. One email sent by a church pastor said that "it seems God has allowed Barack Obama to become president."

For my part, I told students that I was very hopeful, that I felt that as a nation we were in an exciting time. I reminded them that the antichrist has very little to do with American politics, that both Republicans and Democrats have a similar position regarding gay marriage, and that both Christian Democrats and Christian Republicans want to see the number of abortions reduced but have differing opinions about how to reach that goal.

My hope is that Barack Obama is as much a man of action as he is of rhetoric and that the "new spirit of patriotism" will begin to be felt, even amongst evangelicals.