Ron Sider has a new book (see excerpt here) that looks like an important read. I also found this endorsement by Scot McKnight for the upcoming conference at Eastern University.
After observing the divisiveness of the 2004 election season, even within Mennonite congregations, John Roth proposed that Mennonites take a 5-year sabbatical from political engagement. I was a delegate to the general assembly in Charlotte 2005 when Roth and J. Darryl Byler shared differing perspectives on this topic.
This discussion has not diminished in importance. Now, in The Scandal of Evangelical Politics, Sider makes a compelling case for why Christians should be engaged in politics.
The theological reason for political engagement is even more compelling. The central Christian confession is that Jesus is now Lord—Lord of the entire universe. The New Testament explicitly teaches that he is now “ruler of the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5). “All authority in heaven and on earth” has been given to the Risen Jesus (Matthew 28:18). Christians who know that must submit every corner of their lives to their wonderful Lord.
Since we live in democratic societies where we have the freedom to vote, our votes—or even our failure to vote—shape what happens in important areas of politics. If Christ is my Lord, if Christ desires the well-being of all, and if my vote has the potential to encourage political decisions that will promote the well-being of my neighbors, then the obligation to vote responsibly follows necessarily from my confession that Christ my Lord calls me to love my neighbor. One way Christians must live out our belief that Christ is Lord, even of political life, is to think and pray for wisdom to act politically in ways that best reflect Christ our Lord.
3 Comments
February 21, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Interesting.
I have heard it said that when you mix religion and politics you get politics. I think sometimes Christians are more vocal about politics than they are about sharing their faith in Jesus Christ.
Thank you for this post.
I enjoy your blog.
I hope you have a great week.
February 21, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Preacherman,
Thanks for stopping by. I think Christians who claim you can keep religion and politics separate, have not truly understood what it means to confess Jesus as Lord.
To confess Jesus as Lord is to make declare allegiance to someone other than Caesar. This is an inherently political statement. It means I am choosing to follow Jesus and his way.
When I say that Jesus is Lord of my life, that is not just some statement regarding the private realm of my personal life. I am saying that I recognize Jesus as Lord of all creation.
How can we keep the implications of this confession out of the political arena. To attempt to do this is to make the Lordship of Jesus a private matter.
Have a good week.
February 22, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Sounds like a great read. I’ll have to check it out.