Let the Bird Fly

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It's easy for Christians in our day to become fearful and confused. From doctrinal debates to culture wars, some Christians feel like they move from one crisis to another. Christ didn't die and rise for us to live afraid, however, and our crucified and risen Savior ascended to rule all things for our good. We are not a people without hope. We have Christ. Let the Bird Fly reminds readers that we are a free people, bought with the price of Christ's own blood. We are free to weigh the issues of the day, to engage our neighbor, to live out our callings, and know who we are no matter what: redeemed children of God. At the heart of the Christian life is a spoken word, God's absolution, the declaration that Christ's righteousness is our own through faith. From this our Christian life flows and in this we find our confidence to live, love, and labor for our neighbor. Law and gospel become lenses through which we see our world and others. Together with the two kinds of righteousness, civil and divine, Christians have a sort of diagnostic tool for navigating life in a world given back to us as a penultimate gift. We are graced to live beyond ourselves and the here and now. We are gifted to consider and look forward to more than those live without the optimism and freedom of sins forgiven. We are turned outside of ourselves and grounded, even as we are made new and set loose to dare to live as though there is more to life than this life. In short, precisely when fear seems most tempting, Christ calls us to let the bird fly.

Wade Johnston serves as assistant professor of theology at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before that, he served ten years as a parish pastor in Michigan. He is also the author of An Uncompromising Gospel: Lutheranism's First Identity Crisis and Lessons for Today.