Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Christians and Politics

On July 10, 1822 James Madison wrote in a letter to Edward Livingston: "I have no doubt that every new example will succeed, as every past one has done, in showing that religion and government will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together."

The majority of Christians in America have traditionally agreed with James Madison and stood in staunch support of "the separation of church and state." The resistance to comingling religious and political power comes not only from a commonly shared American heritage but more importantly, from our shared Biblical tradition. In recent times, certain branches of Christianity have departed from this view. Christian leaders have become more political in their publically stated views. Recently, James Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, a well-known and respected family-values group said he will abstain from voting if Senator John McCain is the Republican nominee.

The relationship between religion and politics in the Bible is marked by skepticism, challenge, and at times down-right opposition. In the Book of Judges, for instance, there is a humorous parable of a group of trees who go out seeking someone to rule over them (Judges 9:8-15). They approach an olive tree, a fig tree and a grape vine, asking each in turn to serve as their king. All decline the proposition, explaining that they're too busy producing oil, figs, and wine to concern themselves with kingship. Then the trees approach a thorny bramble bush. The bramble, which produces nothing of value, is only too happy to rule over them! This parable takes a jab at political leaders, suggesting that if they had anything better to do, they wouldn't seek positions of governmental authority.

There was a period in Israel's history when the people were so skeptical about human political power that for about 200 years, they chose no king at all. God alone was thought to be sovereign. It was cause of much anguish to the faithful prophet Samuel when the pressure of surrounding nations moved the people to request a human leader to act as king.

It's true the biblical prophets were not always adversaries of the state. The prophet Nathan, for instance, served as a close friend and advisor to King David during his reign. However, this same prophet is responsible for one of the harshest criticisms of David in the entire Bible.

In the New Testament, we see that Jesus' relationship with the state is clearly not a comfortable one. And Paul repeatedly goes to prison for his beliefs and is eventually executed by the very government about which he writes in Romans 13.

What is the prudent path of political participation for today's Christian? We would do well to follow Jesus Christ's admonition to "Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's" (See Matthew 22:16-22).

The bottom line is, when we give the emperor what properly belongs to God, we must bear in mind that the emperor will always seek to use his enhanced power to play God. American Christians, having escaped the tyranny of medieval Europe, have always found it far better to err on the side of safeguarding religious freedom than to err on the side of empowering the emperor.

The wall of separation between church and state protects the church more than it does the state. Let us be politically involved, without allowing politics to distract us from "being about our Father's business."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Very well worded post this time pastor. If only more Americas truly understood what you have just written. The evangels were crucial in electing our latest leader and we all know how well that turned out.

Let me get this straight the evangels believe that they must protect Israel for the end times to have some kind of divine intervention, the Muslims believe if we die a martyr there are 72 virgins waiting for you, and the Hindus believe if we don’t live a good life we come back as a low level animal, and the Buddhists believe that we have no soul and the ultimate goal is to be nothingness. Think I will pass on religion.

I find no fault with Jesus teachings but his message somehow has been given second place standings in America to capitalist ideas and policies supported by the majority of so called Christian voters that greed is good (I am not my neighbors keeper) and wars for profits. (I.e. oil)

My point was and has been that America as a country with the most per cent age of people attending a church on Sunday and considers herself a Christian nation cares less about their citizens than a country like Finland or France or Germany when it comes to having services to care for their citizens. Health care and childcare are perfect examples of this with 47 million in America without health care. Did not Jesus say something about taking care of the sick and poor?

This phenomenon confuses me; should not a Christian be more concerned about their neighbor not less. I suspect Jesus was not a capitalist but more in line with socialist’s approach to caring for their people. (I.e. universal health care)

I see little resemblance between Christianity as it taught and practiced in America and American policies of supporting a war based on lies and deception and capitalist policies more interested in profits than its people. Since we are a republic our elected officials are only a reflection of its voters.

Christians have told me we need more people involved in Christianity but we are already the most Christian industrialized nation on earth. I suspect it is not about more Christians but Christians that actually read what Jesus stated and applying that spiritual wisdom in the voting booth. (I.e. we are our neighbor’s keeper)

God’s laws are perfect laws and what we sow we reap so my judgmental ramblings are like blowing smoke in the wind. It appears with the devalued dollar, and the economy in shambles, and with two wars we are bound to lose the chickens have come home to roost as Reverend Wright quoted in that now famous sermon of his which was a quote but how few Americans understand that. Yes his ego has taken over and he is making a fool of himself but we may want to listen carefully to his words.

He is paying a price from most Christians for that quote about the chickens have come home to roost so might I suggest you do not inquire with your congregation who is for this insane war. Guess we Americans did not learn our lessons from Vietnam. Hopefully Iraq will cool down our imperialistic tendencies. Anyone that thinks we are going to bring a republic or democracy to the Iraqis is living in a fool’s paradise and knows nothing about the tribal and religious mentality of that country.

Oh and judges 9: verses 8 to 15 is a wonderful story and even right on in today’s politics. Our designers of our constitution never dreamt we would have professional politicians controlled by corporations. $$$$$$$$$