"Faith & Politics"
“While we do not believe churches should affiliate with particular political parties, we do encourage churches to speak boldly on social issues from a gospel perspective. We further believe churches have a right and responsibility to educate and equip their members to be effective advocates for justice in the wider world” (Book of Discipline 2020/2024, Government Responsibilities, A., Church and Society).
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19, CEB).
There are a few things that people are told to not discuss in mixed company. Two of those things are politics and religion. I always laugh about this though because, number one, I got a degree in both of those subjects, and, two, it makes me wonder how we will ever get better at engaging in those topics if we never discuss them with anyone. The answer to that is that we won’t.
Moreover, when the church does not engage in politics, it then forfeits its voice to those who have no problem manipulating Jesus for economic and political gain. Right now, it often looks like authoritarian leaders using the image of Jesus to give their policies a blanket endorsement.
The word politics comes from the Greek word politika, which translates to the “affairs of the city.” In essence, as argued in Building Beloved Community: The Courage to Love in the Face of Tyranny, politics at its best works for all human beings to flourish. We engage in the affairs of the city so that people may be well. We don’t tire of doing good for others.
Jesus, in his ministry, called people into following him. In that discipleship, he called them into engaging in the healing work he was doing within communities. As it says in Luke, Jesus came to preach good news, liberate the oppressed, and release the captives. This was not just a spiritual mission but one that affected people’s everyday lives, too.
As the authors in Building Beloved Community write, “The gospel calls us to seek the welfare of the city, to work for justice, and to care for the least of these—all of which require engagement with the systems that shape human community.”
We will not always get this right. We will mess up. But we must as Christians not abandon our calling to speak words of hope and life into our communities. We must support and encourage policies and leaders to “protect the vulnerable rather than exploit them, share power rather than concentrate it, tell the truth rather than manipulate through fear, build bridges rather than walls, seek justice for all rather than privilege for the few.” This is not about endorsing a particular political candidate; it is about standing on our faith.
There is much happening in our country and world that is not right. Some leaders are seeking to manipulate the image of Jesus and cause harm to people who do not adhere to a particular value set. Yet God sends people and churches into the fray to speak for truth, encourage, teach, comfort, feed, and engage in mission and ministry that lifts up the broken and marginalized.
When governmental policy and rhetoric affects our neighbors and they are being harmed, then we cannot stand idly by and watch it happen. For our neighbors, regardless if we know them well or not, are people who are made in God’s image. They bear Christ’s face (Matthew 25). And we cannot stay silent when people are being hurt. We speak, we act, and we work, because God so loves this world and everyone who is made in God’s image. And so we love them, too.
When we engage in politics, we engage in the affairs of the city. But we also engage in the ministry Jesus calls us to be about. And we pray each and every day for the kingdom to come “on earth as it is in heaven.” We are longing for a better day. A hopeful day. A day where God’s reign of justice and peace finally comes.
Moreover, we offer a witness to the living Christ who healed, fed, and walked among the marginalized in his ministry. So, let us dream and imagine what God is calling us toward as people who resist evil, injustice, and oppression in every form they present themselves. Let us partner with others who are engaging in this justice and mercy work. Let us speak truth to power so that we all are reminded that politics, government, should be about doing good rather than doing harm. Let us not be afraid but work together for the common good. For the love of God.
God’s peace be with you,
Pastor Jordan Louks
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