Christians and Politics
What is the role of Christians in public policy and politics? The answer to this question will vary among denominations with only a few, such as the Amish, believing Christians should be entirely disconnected. The believers who do take an inactive position, do so based on the verses of scripture that make reference to being unspotted from "this world" (James 1:27) and not conforming to "this world" (Romans 12:2). This assumes that "this world" is making reference to a political system, of which I can find no such reference in the context of those verses. A recent article suggests Christians should not be involved in politics because of the mess we made during the Inquisitions and Crusades. Of course this writer ignores all the good that Christians have done over the centuries by elevating Biblical ideas of human rights and equality into public policy. It ignores the fact that it was Christians who brought us concepts of democracy and justice over the ages. In fact, it wasn't long after Constantine legalized Christianity in the 4th century, that Christians took it upon themselves to eliminate the gladiator games in the Colosseum, seeing they had brought about so much death and misery. Since then it was Christians who developed the most comprehensive legal and political philosophy in the works of St. Thomas Aquinas, William Blackstone, and John Locke, to name just a few.
Though the Bible gives us no clear mandate to be involved in politics, some verses do support the idea that Christians should be engaged. Jesus clearly indicates that the second most important commandment for the Christian should be to love our neighbor. When a lawyer confronts him on this mandate by asking who is my neighbor, Jesus responds with a parable in Luke 10:25-37. He describes loving your neighbor with the story of an injured person who is rescued and helped by a certain Samaritan that was walking along the road. The implication is that loving your neighbor is expressed in acts of charity, rather than in a feeling of pity. That said, we can extend this idea of helping others by supporting government action on behalf of those in need of protection, knowing that nothing has brought about more poverty and human suffering throughout history than bad and corrupt governments.
In the Old Testament, God appoints kings and judges to make and enforce public policy. Joseph, Daniel, and Esther were all elevated to positions of political power so that God could carry out His will. And while public policy cannot stop sin, it can constrain it by passing laws that punish injustices. While Christians often have to choose candidates that are the lessor of two evils, the lessor is still less evil, which could make a big difference on issues of law and justice. If Christians refrain from politics, things could only get worse, faster.
Unlike the Roman Empire in the first century, our country is a participatory republic. We have the obligation to make our voices heard and to get involved in dialogue. Christians are best suited for this role. The Bible points out that only the "righteous" can truly understand the needs of the poor (Proverbs 29:7), and they understand justice like no other (Proverbs 28:5). Tom Minnery author of, Why You Can’t Stay Silent: A Biblical Mandate to Shape Our Culture, puts it this way, "Our government asks us, as citizens, to participate…. Being salt and light in this age means contending responsibly for godly standards wherever they are under assault,…There is no escaping the mixture of religion and politics, because nearly every law is the result of somebody’s judgment about what is good and what is bad." Other scriptures about governing authorities:
Romans 13:1-7 best describes the relationship between the government and its people when it states, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’s sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor." Here we can see that governments are in fact appointed by God and therefore if God takes an interest in governments, certainly we should as Christians.
Despite your political leaning, the Bible is clear, we are all to pray for our political leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-3) and do it sincerely. This doesn't mean to pray for their demise, rather it means to pray that God gives them wisdom and if necessary, repentance. The need to submit to our government is unquestionable as well, though their may be instances where disobedience is merited.
Christians and Civil Disobedience
The most dramatic example of civil disobedience in the New Testament can be found in Acts 4 and 5. When Peter and John were commanded not to preach the gospel, their response was, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). There may come a time in the life of the Christian where it is proper to disobey the law, despite the consequences. A modern example of this would be performing a gay wedding, which is in violation of everything Biblical.
John Cobin, Ph.D, in his book Bible and Government: Public Policy from a Christian Perspective gives us more insight into the idea of civil disobedience, "The state is not a special sphere of authority to promote or enhance the kingdom of God. It is an agent of the kingdom of Satan that God ordains and uses primarily as His servant to bring terrestrial judgment on sinners. Accordingly, disobedience to the evil state is never sin in cases when public policy would compel us to violate a clear commandment of God or to disregard or abrogate a conviction we hold with a strong basis in Scripture. In all other cases, disobedience to the state might be sinful but not because of disregard of a public policy per se. Civil disobedience would be sinful if it were public and flagrant, especially during dire times such as Christians faced under Nero and if it involved careless or cavalier disregard for God’s glory and the apostolic concerns noted above. Otherwise, violating biblically innocuous public policy would not be sinful if done discreetly, privately, clandestinely, wisely, prudently, and carefully."
Articles
From Campus Bullies to Empty Churches Mary Eberstadt
National Suicide? Cutting Off a Society’s Ethical and Religious History Charles Chaput
Jesus, Christians and Politics Frank Turek
Though the Bible gives us no clear mandate to be involved in politics, some verses do support the idea that Christians should be engaged. Jesus clearly indicates that the second most important commandment for the Christian should be to love our neighbor. When a lawyer confronts him on this mandate by asking who is my neighbor, Jesus responds with a parable in Luke 10:25-37. He describes loving your neighbor with the story of an injured person who is rescued and helped by a certain Samaritan that was walking along the road. The implication is that loving your neighbor is expressed in acts of charity, rather than in a feeling of pity. That said, we can extend this idea of helping others by supporting government action on behalf of those in need of protection, knowing that nothing has brought about more poverty and human suffering throughout history than bad and corrupt governments.
In the Old Testament, God appoints kings and judges to make and enforce public policy. Joseph, Daniel, and Esther were all elevated to positions of political power so that God could carry out His will. And while public policy cannot stop sin, it can constrain it by passing laws that punish injustices. While Christians often have to choose candidates that are the lessor of two evils, the lessor is still less evil, which could make a big difference on issues of law and justice. If Christians refrain from politics, things could only get worse, faster.
Unlike the Roman Empire in the first century, our country is a participatory republic. We have the obligation to make our voices heard and to get involved in dialogue. Christians are best suited for this role. The Bible points out that only the "righteous" can truly understand the needs of the poor (Proverbs 29:7), and they understand justice like no other (Proverbs 28:5). Tom Minnery author of, Why You Can’t Stay Silent: A Biblical Mandate to Shape Our Culture, puts it this way, "Our government asks us, as citizens, to participate…. Being salt and light in this age means contending responsibly for godly standards wherever they are under assault,…There is no escaping the mixture of religion and politics, because nearly every law is the result of somebody’s judgment about what is good and what is bad." Other scriptures about governing authorities:
- I Samuel 8:4-20
- Mark 12:13-17
- Luke 20:20-26
- Romans 13:1-7
- Titus 3:1-2
- I Peter 2:13-17
- 1 Timothy 2:1-3
Romans 13:1-7 best describes the relationship between the government and its people when it states, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’s sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor." Here we can see that governments are in fact appointed by God and therefore if God takes an interest in governments, certainly we should as Christians.
Despite your political leaning, the Bible is clear, we are all to pray for our political leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-3) and do it sincerely. This doesn't mean to pray for their demise, rather it means to pray that God gives them wisdom and if necessary, repentance. The need to submit to our government is unquestionable as well, though their may be instances where disobedience is merited.
Christians and Civil Disobedience
The most dramatic example of civil disobedience in the New Testament can be found in Acts 4 and 5. When Peter and John were commanded not to preach the gospel, their response was, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). There may come a time in the life of the Christian where it is proper to disobey the law, despite the consequences. A modern example of this would be performing a gay wedding, which is in violation of everything Biblical.
John Cobin, Ph.D, in his book Bible and Government: Public Policy from a Christian Perspective gives us more insight into the idea of civil disobedience, "The state is not a special sphere of authority to promote or enhance the kingdom of God. It is an agent of the kingdom of Satan that God ordains and uses primarily as His servant to bring terrestrial judgment on sinners. Accordingly, disobedience to the evil state is never sin in cases when public policy would compel us to violate a clear commandment of God or to disregard or abrogate a conviction we hold with a strong basis in Scripture. In all other cases, disobedience to the state might be sinful but not because of disregard of a public policy per se. Civil disobedience would be sinful if it were public and flagrant, especially during dire times such as Christians faced under Nero and if it involved careless or cavalier disregard for God’s glory and the apostolic concerns noted above. Otherwise, violating biblically innocuous public policy would not be sinful if done discreetly, privately, clandestinely, wisely, prudently, and carefully."
Articles
From Campus Bullies to Empty Churches Mary Eberstadt
National Suicide? Cutting Off a Society’s Ethical and Religious History Charles Chaput
Jesus, Christians and Politics Frank Turek