Why I Feel so Ambivalent about Politics

In his book, Ministries of Mercy, Tim Kellar reminds me why government is so ineffectual at addressing the social injustices our our society, and why the church needs to get back to the business of demonstrating the love of Christ, not just beating people over the head with our Bibles.

First he quotes Francis Shaeffer. "Christians may be at times, 'co-belligerents with the Left or the Right, but never allies. If there is social injustice, say there is social injustice. If we need order, say we need order...But do not align yourself as though you are in either of these camps: You are an ally of neither. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is different from either--totally different."

Kellar goes on to say, "The ideology of the Left believes big government and social reform will solve social ills, while the Right believes big business and economic growth will do it. The Left expects a citizen to be held legally accountable for the use of his wealth, but totally autonomous in other areas, such as sexual morality. The Right expects a citizen to be held legally accountable in areas of personal morality, but totally autonomous in the use of wealth. The North American 'idol'--radical individualism--lies beneath both ideologies. A Christian sees either 'solution' as fundamentally humanistic and simplistic."

When I was in college I heard Dietrich Bonhoeffer's brother-in-law speak. Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor who took a public stand against Nazism and was executed by Hitler in the concentration camp at Flossenburg just weeks before the camp was liberated by the Allied Forces. He spoke about how quickly the religious leaders of Germany got in bed with the Nazi party as Hitler was on the rise. Only when it was too late did they realize they were sleeping with the devil.

When I see the religous right and religious left lining up with the political right and political left, it makes me wonder where our faith really is--in the transforming power of Christ, or in 21st century American politics? In the years since I first voted for a president (Jimmy Carter, 1976) I have never seen the church well-served by political investment. I have seen the church lose all credibility with the greater society, because unfortunately, the media has no problem finding strident, ill-tempered, dogmatic, fat, white men who speak as though they represent all who claim to follow Christ.

My favorite quote on the subject: "Mixing politics and religion is like mixing manure and ice cream. It doesn't hurt the manure at all, but it sure doesn't help the ice cream." (I guess you could take that both ways, depending on whether your disdain was greater for the church or politics!)

Certainly Christians have engaged the political process to bring about social reform (abolition and civil rights were both considered 'liberal' causes in their day and pastors were thrown from their congregations for supporting them), but to align oneself with either party seems dangerous and narrow-minded to me.

I will certainly exercise my responsibility as a citizen to vote, but I'm not expecting government at any level to address the deeper issues people face. Neither economic growth nor more government programs can match the impact the church could have if we would identify the immediate needs in our own communities, then roll up our sleeves and get on the solution side.

Small things done with great love can change the world. When you get down to the root, that's the only thing that ever has.

Comments

[ScW]

Very true stuff and Bonhoeffer just rocks... especially Ethics, which I think is particulary useful in trying to figure out the roles of government and church from a Biblical perspective.

[inWorship]

Well written. Great thoughts. I really appreciate your stance on this.

Brent

[Ric Booth]

Your 3rd paragraph with Kellar's quote sums up my ambivalence toward politics. "The North American 'idol'--radical individualism--lies beneath both ideologies." -- wow. I'm going to have to check out his book. thanks.

[Odgie]

You managed to say what I have been thinking only in a better fashion. Thanks.

[Chad Jarnagin]

interesting my friend. we could probably have a lengthy convo on this over coffee...

hope you guys are all great!

[Michael Courtney]

There is a place for Christian involvement in politics as we follow Christ's command to disciple our nation (Mt 28:19). Indeed, Godly people have a long history of political involvement. The priest Jehoida organized a palace coup, replacing queen Ataliah with Joash on the throne (2 Ki 11). The prophet Elisha sent a man to anoint commander Jehu to overthrow Ahab's house and rule Israel (2 Ki 9). John the Baptist rebuked King Herod for violating the sexual prohibitions of Leviticus 18.

It may sound erudite to attempt to place all political positions on an equally unspiritual footing. However, just as good spiritual counsel to a marriage asks which positions are more faithful to the marriage covenant which created the union, good spiritual counsel to a nation asks which positions are more faithful to the Constitution, which is the national covenant creating our union. The government overreaching the authority granted by the Constitution is somewhat analagous to the husband overreaching his proper authority.

Furthermore, in discipling nations, Christians should realize that the sins of sexual immorality and child sacrifice prohibited in Leviticus 18 have have consequences beyond the individual sinner and can bring judgement on the nation as a whole. When gentiles are rebuked, disciplined, or judged in the Old Testament, it is most often for bloodguilt and sexual immorality.

The pre-incarnate Jesus is the same as YHWH in the Old Testament (Jn 1, Ro 10). We have a false Jesus if we deny that the pre-incarnate Jesus gave the commands of Leviticus 18, rained burning sulfur on Sodom, and was in full agreement with every public policy command and political decision given by YHWH in the Old Testament. Likewise, we have changed Christ's great commission if we only disciple individuals when we've been commanded to disciple nations.

[Rebecca]

i subscribe to your last statement. i do also believe that little things are the one that make the difference, and if you put some love into them, much higher odds to change things in a better way.