In our divided, fractious culture, untold thousands of Christians are asking the question, “How would Jesus have Christians approach politics in America?"
If one were to pose that question to a cross-section of self-identifying "followers of Jesus" in America, the responses would inevitably fall along a continuum. One end would comprise those who insist that Christians must be deeply involved in the process and throw full support behind a given political group, leader, or party. This end of the continuum would agree on the assumption that involvement is not only the right thing but something Jesus expects of his followers. That, predictably, is a belief that those on the opposite end of the continuum would strongly reject. This smaller group, comprised of folks like traditional Mennonites, rejects involvement or engagement in political matters, believing that they, as a people, are called to stay distinctly separated from the systems, values, and priorities of the culture at large. So many Christians, so many differing opinions.
And then, there are those in the middle.
Those who don’t feel called to abandon their connection with culture or our governance as citizens but who have questions and maybe growing concern about the increasing influence of politics on the life and faith of those who identify themselves as Christians, followers, disciples of Jesus.
This blog series is for those in the middle. It’s also for those on the majority edge who may have historically espoused the “all-in” approach and the accepted narrative of political engagement but who are starting to feel apprehension that all is not well in the entanglement of faith and politics as it has played out in our country over the past decade.
For all of you, welcome! Because that has been my journey.
(I’ve written extensively on my experience in my other blog series entitled, “I Changed My Mind…” I won’t repeat that story here, but I invite you to check out that series.
It should be noted, however, that there are some for whom this series is not designed. It is not intended to speak to those on the Mennonite end of the continuum who feel engagement with the larger world is a violation of Jesus’ call to “seek first the Kingdom of God.” Personally, I think they are the better for that perspective and that their world is likely richer and more wholesome because of it.
But, neither is this blog intended for those on the opposite end of the spectrum who hold firmly to the conviction that political engagement and loyalty to a group, leader, or party is self-evident and required for fidelity to Jesus and the Gospel.
It’s important to understand that this writing effort is not intended to generate nor invite conflict and argumentation. Its focus is on learning and growth for those pursuing life in Christ. So, if you are certain about the question, “What’s the proper way to respond to and engage with the political sphere in our country?” and if you are confident that your perspective is God’s perspective and there’s nothing else to be said on the subject…
this blog is not for you. Which is a kind and generous way of saying, if you’re just reading to argue and prove a point, and not to engage with Christ, the Scriptures, and the Body of Christ in a desire to grow in your understanding of truth, I encourage you to invest your time elsewhere.
With that out of the way, on with the show.
The Dilemma
It's evident that there is a growing number of Jesus' people who are starting to ask, “I know what my church, my family, and my preferred news sources say, but how would Jesus have me respond to and engage with the political sphere in our country?”
But so many feel at a loss to find a solid answer.
In these difficult days, not engaging can feel irresponsible. But engaging, especially amongst segments of the Body that are deeply committed to party and personality, can feel like compromising basic and sacred principles of the faith. Often, our political culture can feel shamefully devoid of simple kindness and decency, to say nothing of Christlikeness.
Put simply, our world is complex. It’s not always clean, easy, or uncomplicated to determine the right path when considering political questions amidst all the cultural noise. In the age of social media, where nearly every individual has a platform and a voice, there is only more confusion, more disparate voices, and more swirling opinions than at any other time in history. Amidst the complexity and contempt, deciding what to believe, who to trust, and how to respond can feel hopeless and overwhelming. The polarization, drama, and fear that’s designed to bolster news ratings and online clicks inevitably create informational silos where balance becomes impossible and where adhering to what our “tribe” says can be the test of faithfulness. Not only to the tribe, but to Jesus himself.
Our Approach
Thankfully, as confusing as the world around us can be, we are not left on our own or without an objective witness to truth. As in all other seasons of the church’s history, the Bible, and specifically the New Testament, stands as the primary, reliable source of encouragement, guidance, and direction for the individual disciples of Jesus and for the Body collectively.
In the evangelical tradition in which I was educated, the Bible was esteemed as an unrivaled source of truth and absolutely foundational to life and faith. Theological descriptions proclaimed it as “inspired” and “authoritative on all that it addresses.” The Bible, and the New Testament in particular, is THE foundational point of reference for anyone who claims apprenticeship to Jesus. I’ve lost track of the times that I have heard a pastor admonish their hearers that we are not to “adjust the Bible to fit our lives, but rather, adjust our lives to fit the Bible.”
The unavoidable assumption and expectation that we are called to trust and obey the scriptures. Trust and obedience are stated, preached, and understood to be a simple given for any who makes a serious-minded claim to follow Jesus. For the disciple, this authority of the scripture extends to all areas of life and is to intimately inform everything we believe, think, and do.
If that influence is to encompass and affect how we approach life in the home, in business, within the church, within friendships, and in how we deal with things like finances, it can and must be applied to this question of how we engage with politics and our governance in a democratic society.
But increasingly, despite the very loud inclusion of 'God Talk' in political discourse, Jesus' direct commands and the mandates of great sections of the New Testament—ones Christians are duty-bound to obey—are rarely, if ever, heard.
Typically when the scripture is cited in a political context, it is usually from the Old Testament, out of historical context, and misapplied. I'll have a great deal more to say about this subject as we progress through the series, for one of the most important things we must come to terms with as we seek to make sense of how we, as followers of Jesus, are to engage with the politics and governance of our land, is the issues of who we are and when we are as Christians in the flow of history.
And that is the subject of the next blog installment: Identity.
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