Christians and Politics

[Homer]

Interesting opinion article:

[Christian Right]

[Murf]

Interesting article.

I tend to think that any Christian activist group that focuses on earthly matters more the Kingdom of God is missing the big picture.

[Paidion]

"Earthly matters" such as partial-birth infanticide are also "Kingdom of God" matters!

Jesus said to the Pharisees, "The Kingdom of God is among you" (King Jesus Himself and His subjects, His disciples). God expects righteousness on this earth, and He acts chiefly through the members of Christ's Kingdom. If those members do nothing about the evil and injustices in the earth, they fail in Kingdom of God business.

Jesus taught us to pray, "May your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." If we pray that prayer with no intention of being used by the master to carry it out, it is hypocrisy.

[Murf]

"Earthly matters" such as partial-birth infanticide are also "Kingdom of God" matters!

This is true. Which is why Christians shouldn't get abortions and American Christians shouldn’t vote for people who advocate them. But since 80ish% of Americans consider themselves Christian; I think we are focusing on the wrong end of the issue.
I didn’t say Christians couldn’t care about the events going on around them. But the ones that make a real difference in people’s lives aren’t protesting in DC or taking out ads in newspapers. They are in the trenches helping those in need.

[mikew]

It would seem that the proper balance is for Christ to run the kingdom while we just be His church.

We should realize that the kingdom of God has started on earth. Then we must realize that this is God's kingdom not a kingdom under the Church. So we just ought to relax and let Christ rule.

I don't think total abstinence of Christians from politics should be envisioned here. Yet the image of Christianity is impaired if non-believers see only a judgmental attitude by the Church against the world and sin. This scares people away from the mediator between God and man. But, first letting Christ rule the world, we then should be cautioned and led to give precedence to be ambassadors of the mercy of Christ.

The Church presents the best benefit to the world by each member having love for one another. Such is what Christ said would be distinct about the disciples. And we are worse ambassadors when trying to be examples of morality to the world -- then we are put on the spotlight especially when Christian leaders in politics are publicly exposed in sin. This attempt to be a moral example is following the example of the Pharisees.
Even the morality of scripture, if such morality could be seen as the goal of Christ's rule over the nations, shouldn't be pushed upon society by the Church. The Church only need to study and preserve the scripture -- as custodians.

The Christian participation in politics probably works best at a less organized level where Christians act individually by the wisdom of scripture. God will even raise some up as leaders -- but this should never be seen as an arm of the Church -- especially since there is no organization among man that properly represents the whole Church before mankind.

[Jess]

Interesting Article, Homer. Thanks for the post.

Whether one believes the Church (I mean the true Church, the body of Christ) has "lost the battle" depends on what one sees as our objective. Too often I see well meaning, Godly individuals and groups get off track on what our mission is in this world. We all have seen examples of what C.S. Lewis called "Christianity and" (see The Screwtape Letters), where Christianity becomes a means to an end and not the end itself. Our goal is not to "elect Republicans" (or at least social conservatives) or develop a certain kind of society. Our goal is to make disciples, be salt and light, to take up our cross, lose our life and follow Jesus, to love one another as He loved us. To me, this means that I am to let my faith flow over into all aspects of my life and my relationships with others. It will obviously affect the way I vote and the stands I take on certain political issues. But if my religion is taken as a means to and end, "social justice" for example, then I am off track, for I will begin to value social justice above my faith. My faith becomes valuable only because it produces social justice and not because it is true in and of itself.

I recently heard a well known Christian speaker on the radio say that we need to "get back to the Christian roots of our founding fathers" because that's the only way our country will stay strong and thrive. See the shift? Subtle but definite. The focus is shifted from our faith to the goal of a thriving country. Pick your cause, Christianity and the environment, Christianity and free trade, Christianity and limited government, Christianity and education, "Christianity and vegetarianism, Christianity and spelling reform" (the latter two are Lewis' examples, a bit tongue in cheek I think).

It's too bad that Dobson feels like Christian social conservatives "have lost the battle". I think his organization has been tremendously helpful to parents and families in teaching godly ways of interacting with each other, how to raise our children etc. I think this is as important or maybe even more than overturning Roe vs. Wade for example (although I would certainly rejoice if that happened).

I think is was Lewis who also said (I can't remember where I read it) that the housewife who wins her neighbor to Christ probably does more for the kingdom than any politician or group who wins some great political battle.

In Him,

Jess

Jess

[Murf]

Jess & Mike I think you have stated my current view much better than I could have so thanks for your post.

[dalibor]

Another interesting discution on NPR in between Chuck Colson, Greg Boyd, and Shane Clairborne on Christians and politics:

http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/ ... ript.shtml