As a Christian involved in various forms of political advocacy, I often wrestle with the nuances of how faith and politics intersect. Throw in a healthy dose of passionate emotion, reactionary thinking, and the need to put everything into simple black and white categories – all road blocks to discussing the topics of faith and of politics – and you’ll see why some people caution to never talk about these two “personal” areas of life. But of course, if I am a person of true faith, my call to live into the kingdom of God and “be salt and light” in this world means that my political action (or inaction), should flow from my faith. Too often people compartmentalize their “politics” from their “Christianity” – when Christianity is no more and no less than a way to live, a way to walk by following Christ and imitating Him. Faith must permeate every part of life.
This Sunday morning on our drive to a state park, we listened to an interesting program on Minnesota Public Radio called “Speaking of Faith.” Today’s guest was former Republican Senator and ambassador to the U.N., John Danforth – who is now retired from his days as a stateman, but remains a practicing attorney and an Episcopalian priest. The conversation fascinated me on several different levels – as a person in ministry, a practicing theologian, an organizer with a Christian non-partisan lobby group, and the wife of a man studying public policy. More on Danforth and the two op-eds he recently wrote are available on MPR’s site (and here I am not discussing his past strengths or weaknesses as a Senator or Ambassador), but his comments on the program today centered on the need for humble, “moderate Christians†to caution the rising polarity and sometimes theocractic tendancies of the Republican party. He is a self-labeled conservative, traditional Republican who is troubled by the mis-use of faith and a claim to “truth†in politics lately. Although the word “moderate” is pretty loaded for me, and the topics here are rich enough to make me want to digress on various other threads for quite awhile, I’ve decided to write out more on why faith and politics should mix later on. For now, read an except of what I heard this morning that got me thinking:
It would be an oversimplification to say that American culture wars are now between people of faith and nonbelievers. People of faith are not of one mind, whether on specific issues like stem cell research and government intervention in the case of Terri Schiavo, or the more general issue of how religion related to politics. In recent years, conservative Christians have presented themselves as representing the one authentic Christian perspective on politics. With due respect for our conservative friends, equally devout Christians come to very different conclusions. It is important for those of us who are sometimes called moderates to make the case that we, too, have strongly held Christian convictions, that we speak from the depths of our beliefs, and that our approach to politics is at least as faithful as that of those who are more conservative. Our difference concerns the extent to which government should, or even can, translate religious beliefs into the laws of the state….
Many conservative Christians approach politics with a certainty that they know God’s truth, and that they can advance the kingdom of God through governmental action. So they have developed a political agenda that they believe advances God’s kingdom, one that includes efforts to ‘put God back’ into the public square… Moderate Christians are less certain about when and how our beliefs can be translated into statutory form, not because of a lack of faith in God, but because of a healthy acknowledgement of the limitations of human beings…
Aware that even our most passionate ventures into politics are efforts to carry the treasure of religion into the earthen vessel of government, we proceed in a spirit of humility lacking in our conservative colleagues… To assert that I am on God’s side and you are not, that I know God’s will and you do not, and that I will use the power of government to advance my understanding of God’s kingdom is certain to produce hostility. By contrast, moderate Christians see ourselves, literally, as moderators. Far from claming to possess God’s truth, we claim only to be imperfect seekers of the truth. We reject the notion that religion should present a series of wedge issues useful at election time for energizing a political base….
Following a Lord who cited love of God and love of neighbor as encompassing all the commandments, we reject a political agenda that displaces that love.
Listened to that program too, actually. Started quite a stir on a listserv which raised some interesting questions – especially about how one can use the word “moderate” and “Christian” together. But still fascinating in terms of potential for bridge-building. Danforth is speaking in the DC area on Oct 12 if anyone is in the area – “Religion: Instrument of Peace or Violence?”
Thanks Beth – I also think the term “moderate” is a loaded one, often used in politics to mean moderating or being a bridge person, but in terms of faith, it’s hard to make it not mean wishy-washy or weak. His thoughts on humility are still very valid, I think, but the language around Christianity I would use is biblical, balanced, or holistic, instead of moderate or tolerant. I think he is also not evangelical, which I am – and we have our own Chrsitianese really! 🙂
You and I have spoken about this in the past. It’s interesting that many Christians falsely assume certain Republican ideals that have no doctrinal basis must still somehow implicitly have God’s backing. I think both major parties have some stances that would please God, and many stances that would make him shutter. If a Democrat who opposes abortion and who publicly upholds the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman were to miraculously make it through the primaries to face a Republican in the presidential election, I wonder how many Christians would cross party lines. From my experience, I think very few, because I have seen that many within my circles believe Christian = Republican. I wonder what it would take to change that paradigm.
FYI, I meant “shudder” not “shutter” but didn’t proofread. Sorry. Maybe that invalidates my opinion.
Yes, Ryan – it’s so true! and kind of sad… Party affiliation above faithful biblical reflection and engagement troubles me a lot. I would say it depends on what is your social “norm” though – for example, Christians in urban centers or in a fairly progressive city like Minneapolis might have a differnet norm for what is “faithful politics” than a Christian in the south or more rural area. But how to break through those norms to reach more solid thought and piety is still the issue… I think you’re also right that politicians themselves are limited, or choose to be limited, by many of the same unecessary dualisms. Sojourners wrote some about pro-life progressive evangelicals this past year quite a bit, which was interesting.