Letter to the Editor: Torrington Christian Flag Raising

The following letter was received in reaction to an article appearing in the Torrington Register-Citizen on September 17, 2023, entitled “Torrington's churches gather to show unity, strength at Christian flag-raising at City Hall”. The article included an image of Messianic “Rabbi” Peter Oliveira, Pastor of the Litchfield Congregational Church wearing a Jewish Tallit (prayer shawl) and blowing a traditional Jewish shofar.

I came to this corner of CT in 1976. We utilized the grocery stores, movies, restaurants, made new friends and feasted on our beautiful scenery.  Slowly we became a part of the community. I should also point out that regardless of ethnicity, we were called “the New Yorkers”.  

During my 47 years here, I have witnessed the KKK marching in Torrington in 2001, which was met with very low local attendance and overall community disapproval.  And now the Christian flag raising. I am not in any way joining the two events, nevertheless they are singly troubling. They share a common element, only Christians allowed. Which brings me to the question:

What was the reason for the Christian flag raising?  Was it a special event, cause?  Or was it out of the blue.

I found reading the article in the Torrington Register newspaper painful.  It was almost a KKK throwback without any of the malice intended.  However, it gave the same message, Christians first.

Torrington took the easy and not thought-through act of assenting to the Christian flag raising. Torrington, like all of America, is a melting pot and because of its size, a melting pot in miniature.  However, there are many faiths, and ethnicities, and we come in all different shapes and sizes. Therefore, a Christian-only flag raising in such a fraught political atmosphere should not have happened. 

Furthermore, an explanation was necessary that the Rabbi cited in the story is not a Jewish Rabbi. Not giving an explanation it implied Jewish participation.  A Rabbi to Jews is the equivalent of a priest or a pastor or a bishop in Christian denominated houses of worship.   There is no confusion in the types of congregations they serve.  Rabbi Oliveira’s’ title demanded an explanation that he is a Messianic Rabbi.  To most of the population worldwide, a Rabbi is a Jew.

The Rabbi of the Litchfield Congregational Church is a messianic rabbi, who according to Wikipedia, “Messianic Judaism is a modernist and syncretic movement of Protestant Christianity that incorporates some elements of Judaism and other traditions into evangelicalism.” .

I have no problem with the Rabbi nor with his CHURCH and from what I’ve heard he is a leader whose congregation greatly admires and respects him.   They are indeed fortunate to have such a man at the helm of their church.  The fact that this was not explained in the story led readers to believe that a Jewish Rabbi was a participant and sanctioned the raising of a Christian flag.  In no way am I blaming the “rabbi” for this oversight. He was a rightful participant. It was the reporter’s obligation to explain.

Under the title of Rabbi, he preaches in a church not in a synagogue.  By not explaining this to your readers, many of whom do not know the difference, it comes off as a rabbi sanctioning the raising of a Christian flag in a governmental area.  If this was a celebration of religious communities’ contributions, why not other denominations, why specifically only Christian?

An explanation by the newspaper was owed to all non-Christians, to explain the difference. The fact that this flag was raised and was subsequently praised as in the quote below is scary.  This is not inclusivity.  This is telling all non-Christians, we came first, and we are being told not so subtly: This is a Christian nation.

"Associate Pastor Michael Ambrose from Northwest Hills Community Church said Torrington was founded around the Christian faith.  "This is an opportunity to recognize who came first," (stress is mine) he said.  "It's a recognition of our faith and a chance to pray together.”  Doesn’t praying together happen every Sunday and all holidays?

The newspaper further states, “Flags that have been raised over the years include Irish, Italian, Ukrainian, Pride, Juneteenth, Purple Heart, and the Prisoner of War”. Were any of these religious?

The obvious answer is no.

A more reasoned comment was made by The Rev. G. Scott Cady, pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran’s Church in Torrington, who does not agree with the decision to fly the flag over City Hall.  He said he fears the flag will lead to a suggestion of a mingling of religion and politics.

“I’m always one of those people who’s very much in favor of clear boundaries, lines between sacred and secular, religion and politics,” he said.

Cady said he had spoken to the mayor and said she’s appreciative of all the religious traditions in town and supports them but he said putting a Christian flag over City Hall could suggest favorites.

“This is a first, having a specific Christian flag flying over City Hall,” he said. “It demarcates that line of separation between church and state that could be misunderstood.”

This event, which should have been the raising of many faith flags, is almost the equivalent of Torrington declaring itself a Christian city.

In times as fragile as we are living through, it is ever more imperative that the separation of church and state become a holy decree so that all faiths feel that they are equally represented and welcomed before and within our government.

Billie Robbins

Goshen, CT