By Bishop Durrell Watkins, DMin

Honestly, I have no idea if Jesus would be a flag waver of any sort. I do know that according to our sacred stories he welcomed children (the vulnerable), touched untouchables (lepers), engaged women in a patriarchal culture, fed people even when he seemed to have limited resources (feeding 5,000 with a sack lunch), affirmed Samaritans (a group that people in his tradition minoritized and otherized), confronted commercial enterprises that exploited pilgrims (turning over tables of the money-changers), and that when a centurion’s man “servant” was ill, Jesus healed him and praised the faith of the pagan soldier (moreover, the cultural context and the Greek word used in the story suggest that the servant was a lover).

I also know, according to biblical tradition, that Jesus was born in scandal, was temporarily homeless, and spent time in his childhood as a refugee.

And I know from his Sermon on the Mount that he said, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Everything I know about Jesus shows him to be compassionate, committed to justice-love, welcoming of the marginalized, and annoyed with hypocrisy and with hyper-religiosity that caused people to be less kind, less generous, or less willing to confront injustice.

You know what? I am sure that Jesus would fly the Inclusive Progress Pride Flag after all.

Durrell Watkins holds a Doctor of Ministry degree, is an auxiliary bishop of the Global Justice Institute, and is the Senior Minister of Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale.