The old saw proscribes mixing religion and politics. Well, that doesn’t mean I can’t write about it.
Whether by plan or evolution, I rarely wax political during sermons, newsletter columns, teaching experiences, or any other aspect of my ministry. Given the value in pastoral settings I give to listening before talking, inviting before invading, my resistance to in-church political discourse shouldn’t surprise me, but it does. It does because at heart I am so thoroughly political, so intensely partisan.
In college I majored in political science and economics. Thirty years ago in a University of Iowa dorm, with Dutch Masters “President” cigars in hand, friends and I planned our future executive branch administration. We filled staff and cabinet positions. We envisioned a bold future. Our imagination sessions were not products of delusion, but evidence of our fascination, closer to preoccupation, with things political.
Today, for nearly fifteen years eligible – by age – for the White House job, I am still infected. I watch political talkfests. I devour partisan political blogs. I cheer or howl in reaction to the most incidental minutia produced in Washington. That media of all forms are now chewing on 2008 presidential election matters is for most people sickeningly similar to the expansion of Christmas earlier and earlier into the calendar; for me, it’s a calorie-free buffet that’s open 24/7.
Yet, I don’t talk about politics in my ministry. More broadly, as a rule I oppose most any mix of the sacred and the secular:
* Prayer in public schools – NO
* The ten commandments in public places – NO
* “In God we trust” on coins – Doesn’t bother me, only because no one notices the slogan
* Removing “one nation under God” from the “Pledge of Allegiance” – A Valid Point
Coming from me, some or all of those “political” positions may surprise you; if so, your surprise validates my claim of self-imposed ecclesipolitical silence (“ecclesipolitical” is my contrived word for the mixing of religion and politics).
Some or all of those “political” positions may also irritate you; if so, your anger underscores the value and rationale for ecclesipolitical silence! When as a pastor I take a firm stand on the eschatological variations latent in Matthew’s Gospel, no one blinks (except, perhaps, in boredom). When as a pastor I take and declare a position on abortion, or the war in Iraq, or immigration, however, once nodding heads jump to attention, their previously slumbering ears focused on every word. No one cares what, or whether, I think about mundane theology; for most people, there’s little at stake. In political matters, the personal investment is far greater, as is the cost of disagreement to a pastor-parishioner relationship.
So, I don’t mix religion and politics. I no more than nod my head and offer issue-neutral hums in response to partisan conversation with those I serve. . . as did Jesus, I figure. The best known scene depicts Jesus dodging the trap of a Pharisee’s question of whether it’s lawful to pay taxes – He says give to Caesar what Caesar deserves; give to God what God deserves. Later, when under arrest and asked by Pilate whether he’s the king of the Jews, Jesus says his kingdom is not of this world (translation: it’s sacred, not secular).
Jesus was anything but silent on issues of modern political consequence such as poverty, marriage, and children. But he gave little guidance about war, and had nothing to say about abortion or homosexuality, issues that divide political parties and faithful followers alike. Thanks for the help, Jesus.
So what do you think? Do you want pastors and other followers of Jesus mingling things sacred and secular? Or should they watch “Meet the Press” before, and only before, they meet their congregations? How “separate” are your church and state? I invite you to use the comments link below to share your thoughts.
Pray with me:
God, in things political as well as faithful, help me understand what matters (and what doesn’t), what’s worth fighting for and fighting about (and what isn’t). Use me as a healing thorn in the side of dysfunctional social and political systems, but also help me more often close my mouth and open my ears when engaging my world, whether sacred or secular. I don’t know how to mix those two; I just know I’m glad you’re God over both. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
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4 comments:
Bill, hits the nail on the head once again, or should I say invests his coin where it matters. The distinctions between sacred and secular are well articulated as Bill connects the dots with some of Jesus' words. The challenge for me remains Jesus' challenge, to be in the world but not of it - Mostly I like being in this world, God did create it, even though we humans have done a pretty good job of messing it up. I think we "see" the sacred in this world, but we also "know" that all returns to dust eventually except that which is eternal, that which does last forever. On a sub topic, I too have been very careful about how and if I share my political views within the life of the church. On a practical level, my pastoral ministry would suffer if people knew for sure, most of us - me included - can get pretty emotional when it comes to politics - saddly it is hard to discuss the issues of the day in such a way as to promote understanding and maintain respect. We want to do so, but at the end of the day we have a hard time with this. If I am too closely identified with one perspective on a controversial issue, then I can easily be discounted by those who hold the other (other views), but if I as a minister am allowed to share some of the "sacred" moments of another person's life - then this is the blessing I seek to be a part of and am willing to sacrifice much - even my own beliefs - in an effort to protect sacred moments that might be fewer. It remains a certain irony to me - people want to know what I think about the issues of the day AND they really do not want to know. My satisfaction comes in "knowing" that God works through my life and the lives of others in the personal aspects of meaning and revelation in such a way that there are and always will be sincere people of faith with intergrity who hold opposing political views - somehow I suspect God made us this way - and as important as politics are to me - of even greater importance is the way we treat each other especially when we disagree. Guess that will suffice for now. As always Bill, thanks for inviting me to think. Greg
I've thought a lot about this over the past couple days. Not quite knowing how to respond, but knowing i must because ... well, to suggest that we should not mix politics and religion is perhaps a nice thought. It is impossible.
And what I have concluded is that how funny (odd, not ha-ha) it is that we get all emotional over poltical issues -- BUT NOT ABOUT RELIGION. Sure, the war in Iraq is important (and wrong!) and the health insurance maze discriminates against the poor -- but those are issues of this world. And religion is "not of this world" and in my humble opinion, that makes it all the more important. When Bill says, and rightfully so, that no one blinks when he takes a stand on Matthew's gospel, but they get bent out of shape if he were to suggest that our current administration in DC ignores discrimination on many levels, this makes me sad. Mundane issues of theology have a great impact on us (doesn't eternal salavation mean a bit more than a prescription drug plan?)
And I would also take issue with the suggestion that Jesus was not political. Heavens! He challenged the status quo. The government ordered him killed because he was upsetting the apple cart. He was teaching about loving our neighbors for heavens sake. Today, that might translate into such crazy notions as universal health care and the free school lunch program and decent housing for all, a livable wage for all workers. If those are not valid, important issues for Christians, then I am not sure what is.
Of course, this can also go overboard ... and I am not sure how to draw the line. But I do know that we work really hard to develop a community of honest, caring, open people, then there are no topics that need to be off limits. A few years ago, I was responsible for a group of people trying to sort through a controversy surround homosexuality, the Boy Scouts and support by the church. Talk about a field of landminds! But we talked about it. We opened our hearts and our minds and, while the ultimate solution did not please everyone, we did what we believe Jesus was calling us to do.
So, while I know this is not easy stuff, I think we have to mix politics and religion at a certain level. It's the extremes we need to avoid.
Well, it just occurred to me (so I have a little trouble of "letting go"!) that while I don't want politicians pontificating about religion, I do want my preachers, my religious leaders to help me navigate the polticial waters, especially when the issues deal with social justice and others topics near and dear to my heart, and Jesus'. Sen. Brownback (one of those presidential candidates on Bill's Buffet) tells us that he only has one constituent: God. That's going to far in my mind: politicians are elected to represent US. Pastors, on the other hand, are called and appointed for the express purpose of spreading the word and making disciples of Christ. So when the issue of politics intersect with religion, please Bill, tell me what you think. And as always, when I disagree, I will let you know. But I will do so lovingly and in the spirit of the Christ, who taught is to do our best and strive for goodness.
Wow! What a great conversation. Thanks, Greg and Thomas, for making The Express a better place.
It seems to me that the three of us are saying the same thing: faith and politics are curious, sometimes risky bedfellows. We seem all to agree that there are times when one should not engage the other; the issue is how to discern those times.
Here, I think there are notable differences between the church at the local versus the denominational level.
Denominational/Institutional mucky-mucks (everyone from regional/district supervisory people, to national/international talking heads) seem to have more freedom to blur the lines. News-oriented talk shows rely on denominational voices to represent "the faithful."
More to my point, though, those mucky mucks talk without much concern from, let alone accountability to people in local church pews. I can't think of a single person in the church I serve who cares what the general minister and president of our denomination thinks about the Iraq war. Some might appreciate the company for their particular points of view, but if they disagree with their mucky muck, there's little pushback.
At the local church level things change. When 70 people hear me talk about Iraq or Bush (synonymous, yes?) or the pros and cons of tax cuts, there is a standing relationship shaping the filter through which they hear me. Whether their pastor concurs with their politics much more likely matters to local pew people than does whether broader church representatives agree.
The bottom line of this is that I think local church pastors are in a different, more vulnerable place than the mucky mucks (don't you love the respect I have for authority?) when it comes to engaging political issues. We can get fired; the mucky mucks won't.
All that said, I agree with you, Thomas, that Jesus was very political, and we are called to follow his example. But the threat he posed in his society was not of merging faith and religion, but in claiming that they were very different realms.
Jesus said, Society, I have a new world to tell you about -- the kingdom of God. It's a place of justice, righteousness, mercy, and love, but what's new about this world I am telling you about is that those good outcomes will not come from your institutions and their politicians; they will come from changed hearts. Jesus undermined the power structure of his mucky mucks in that he essentially told them in the new world, they would not be needed.
That's a new kind of politics, one with which we're not much familiar today. . . except in authentic ministry, the kind most likely to happen at the local church level where I think pastors proceed with caution on the politics of this world because in this world, political disagreement divides. In the world we're called to proclaim, people unite around one hope.
Granted, until the realm we preach becomes the realm that is, we must use the politics of this world, but not without much discernment.
So, I talk about social and political issues, but in terms of spiritual transformation. I am also willing to engage people on political turf, but only at their invitation, with full prior disclosure of potential relationship risks.
I have droned on long enough. Hope this makes some sense.
Please continue the conversation!
Bill
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