Jesus has been betrayed again. This time by Oklahoma legislators
As I wrote this on Maundy Thursday, preparing for our communion service and Good Friday, I could not help but feel that Jesus has been betrayed again — not by a disciple in a garden, but by legislators at the Oklahoma Capitol.
Earlier today, the House passed Concurrent Resolution 1013, a proclamation declaring 'Christ is King.' As a United Methodist pastor, I believe that phrase deeply — but only within the context of faith, worship and the countercultural way of life Jesus calls us to. When the state takes those sacred words upon its lips, they are transformed into something else entirely. What was once a confession of worship becomes a political power play. What was once a theological truth becomes a civil decree. And in doing so, the government steps into the dangerous territory of Christian nationalism.
Let me be clear: This resolution is unconstitutional, anti-democratic and theologically misguided.
It is Holy Week — the most sacred time in the Christian calendar. On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem not on a warhorse but a donkey, rejecting displays of imperial power. He was crucified by the Roman government — the very kind of earthly authority this resolution claims to represent. When offered political dominion in the wilderness, he refused. When Pilate asked him, 'Are you the king of the Jews?' Jesus replied, 'You say that I am. My kingdom is not of this world.'
He did not claim earthly kingship for himself. It was attributed to him by others. The sign above his head on the cross declaring him 'King of the Jews' was written in mockery.
So why are Oklahoma legislators using their power to confer earthly authority on Christ — something Christ himself rejected?
More: The entire strategy for education in Oklahoma is failing. It is wrong and unjust | Pastor
HCR 1013 betrays the Christ who refused power and domination. In Mark 10, Jesus gathers his disciples and says, 'You know that among the gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant… For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.'
Jesus never crowned himself king. The title he uses is 'servant.' His vision is an upside-down one, where the first are last and the last are first. The only throne Jesus ever sat on was a cross. His kingdom looks less like the Capitol dome and more like foot-washing, shared meals, and solidarity with the poor and oppressed.
Our state, however, often operates in contradiction to this vision. As noted from the House floor today:
The first bill our state passed established segregation.
Our history is filled with the mistreatment of Black, Native, Latine, Asian, Pacific Islander and Middle Eastern communities.
We criminalized 'the least of these,' rather than cared for the unhoused.
We continue to underfund education, and our outcomes lag behind the rest of the nation.
If Christ truly were king here, our priorities would look radically different. As my friend and church member, Rep. Andy Fugate, said on the House floor: 'Instead of spending our time defunding the principles of Jesus, let's spend it defending the principles of Jesus.'
More: Rabbi: 'I am deeply offended' by the Legislature's resolution proclaiming 'Christ is King'
The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion — including the freedom not to have a specific religion declared on your behalf by the state. This resolution violates that freedom. It elevates one faith above all others, disregarding the rich religious and cultural diversity of Oklahoma: Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Indigenous spiritualities, atheists — and even Christians like me who see this proclamation as a distortion of our faith.
It sends a chilling message: You are not fully Oklahoman unless you accept our version of religion. That is not democracy. That is theocracy. That is Christian nationalism.
And it is not the gospel.
This is a kairos moment — a time to reject Christian nationalism. It confuses patriotism with discipleship and turns the crucified Christ into a mascot for the empire. HCR 1013 fits this mold exactly.
As a pastor, I reject it. Not because I don't believe Christ is King — but because I do.
If Christ is King, then Caesar is not.
If Christ is King, no Legislature can legislate it — we must live it.
If Christ is King, let us love our enemies and welcome the stranger.
If Christ is King, let the hungry be fed and the prisoner cared for.
If Christ is King, let justice roll down and the oppressed go free.
Oklahoma doesn't need symbolic resolutions. We need spiritual integrity. We need moral courage. We need a Christianity that humbles itself to serve — not exalts itself to dominate.
Because Christ may be King — but he rules from a cross, not a Capitol.
The Rev. Adam Young is the senior pastor at Sunny Lane United Methodist Church in Del City and lives in Edmond with his wife and four boys who attend public schools.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma legislators proclaim 'Christ is King,' a political power play
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