Taking the Lord's Name in Vain

Calling themselves Christian without doing the work of Christ

Public Theology is based on the work of Zach W. Lambert, Pastor of Restore, an inclusive church in Austin, Texas. Zach’s first book, Better Ways to Read the Bible, will release on August 12, 2025 and is available to preorder today. All of the content available at Public Theology is for those who identify as Christian, as well as those who might be interested in learning about a more inclusive, kind, thoughtful Christianity. We’re glad you’re here.

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Like most church kids growing up in the 90s, I used to play with my friends in the sanctuary after the service, our parents chatting all around us. Those are some of my favorite early memories—ducking under pews, hiding behind the piano, and filling out Guest Cards with fake names like Seymour Butts and I.P. Freely.

One Sunday, we were playing freeze tag after church and, after making an incredible spin move to dodge a tag from my friend Josh, I ran right into the back of a pew and stubbed my toe. For a church kid like me, yelling a cuss word to ease the pain was out of the question, but I did let out an “Oh my god!” under my breath. Fortunately, I was too far away from my parents for them to hear— but unfortunately, my pastor was just a few rows away and heard the whole thing.

He grabbed my arm, pulled me toward him, and sternly told me that “taking the Lord’s name in vain” is a serious sin on par with murder, adultery, and the other 10 Commandments. I wiggled my arm free and ran off to play some more, but that moment has always stuck with me.

I spent a large part of my childhood afraid of committing the egregious sin of “taking the Lord’s name in vain.” As an adult, I’ve realized that taking the Lord’s name in vain isn’t about saying “Oh my god” when you’re frustrated or in pain, it’s about something far more sinister, and we are being inundated with it right now.

On January 6, 2021, a group of insurrectionists violently stormed the United States Capitol building in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Many of those who breached the United States Capitol did so not in spite of their Christian faith, but because of it. Just look at video or pictures from the riot and you’ll see:

• Avowed white supremacists carrying the Christian flag

• People wearing “In God we Trust” shirts as they shove police officers to the ground

• A huge banner bearing the name of Jesus hung outside the Capitol by a group of insurrectionists after they broke in

Atlantic religion writer Emma Green reflected on the Christian imagery present during the riot in an article called A Christian Insurrection:

The name of God was everywhere during Wednesday’s insurrection against the American government. The mob carried signs declaring “Jesus Saves!” and “God, Guns & Guts made America, let’s keep all three.”

Emma Green

All of these Christian symbols marched side by side with hateful and racist emblems like nooses, nazi logos, and Confederate flags.

While January 6th might have been one of the most visceral examples in modern history, people have been using Christianity to justify horrible things for 2000 years. From The Crusades to the genocide of Native peoples to chattel slavery to the current campaign to demonize and remove rights from trans people,¹ THIS is what is looks like to “take the Lord’s name in vain.”