How religion and politics mix
BRENTWOOD, TENN. — We are in the final few months of the 2024 presidential campaign. The rhetoric has been coarse and will get worse. “Red” and “Blue” have become so toxic that friendships have broken down. Some family members don’t speak to one another or show up for family events. People have changed churches to be where they think their partisan political views are better represented.
What’s going on here? As a friend said in an email: “No church member would teach or tolerate from their children the actions, attitudes, language, derision, hypocrisy, dishonesty or hate displayed by both political parties, in varying ways and different levels and locations. What are any of us defending or pushing?”
Related: Listen to Josh Ross, minister for the Sycamore View Church of Christ in Memphis, Tenn., discuss how Christians can navigate an election season without losing their witness on Episode 79 of The Christian Chronicle Podcast.
How should Christians react to what is going on? What is the correct relationship of faith to politics? I do not know how to frame an adequate answer to such a complex problem in our emotionally supercharged environment. But here are a few suggestions that seem relevant.
First, biblical faith is inherently political in nature. One who claims to love God shows the claim to be a lie by failing to love a brother or sister in need (1 John 4:19-21). But loving others requires some degree of concern for the sociopolitical arena in which we all live.
Racial justice, sexual ethics, poverty, child welfare, ecology, gun violence, health care — these political issues are also spiritual concerns because they call for value-based decisions.
Conner Westerby, right, pickets a Michigan clinic, joined by fellow Christians Laura Sawyer and Shannon Filipiak.
Second, biblical faith must not be prostituted to the institutions of power, nationalism or partisan politics. Church and state must remain separate, for the church’s role in the state is to be its conscience.
Identified with the state or a partisan group, it cannot fill that role. It will wind up defending the indefensible and substituting a national flag for the cross of Christ. The sorry religion Karl Marx dubbed the “opiate of the masses” was a church used to prop up the rich and powerful. True religion is always God’s voice for the weak (James 1:27).
Third, Christians must avoid the false dichotomies of secular versus spiritual, justice versus mercy. God still requires this of his people: “To do what is right, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
So should we preach repentance or work to feed hungry people? Yes! Absolutely, yes! There is no credibility for the person who wants to evangelize others without regard to their poverty, addictions or injustices being foisted upon them. Disciples of Jesus address both these issues – as our leader did in his ministry (Acts 10:38).
Members of the Washington, D.C.-area Springfield Church of Christ in Virginia hold signs declaring “Black Lives Matter” and touting justice, love and mercy. After George Floyd’s death, the church decided to “stand for the oppressed,” member Kathy Bailey Holland said.
Fourth, God’s people simply do not have the luxury of washing our hands and being unconcerned about the larger political landscape. Since both justice and mercy are connected to the people and policies of government, we dare not be insular and altogether disengaged with civic issues.
Local and state elections are often more crucial than presidential contests. Support, vote for and hold accountable persons you think can best advance the common good.
Fifth, remember that a Christian’s dual citizenship is to be taken seriously. All the kingdoms of planet Earth are under the judgment of God. Whenever here is a conflict of loyalties between your earthly and heavenly citizenship, there can be no question as to which takes precedence.
As Election Day 2024 comes near, pray for God to bless our people in the choice of leaders at all levels of government. Pray for our historic system of checks and balances in this country to function well.
Whether the candidate you support is elected or that candidate’s opponent carries the day, pray for “all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
Finally, on the morning of Nov. 6, 2024, get out of bed, go about your day’s duty, do everything in that day to the glory of God, and be thankful that we aren’t due to have another presidential election for four years.
RUBEL SHELLY is the teaching minister for the Harpeth Hills Church of Christ in Brentwood, Tenn., a former president of Rochester Christian University and the author of several theology books.
The post How religion and politics mix appeared first on The Christian Chronicle.
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