Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Evangelical Political Involvement?

This is a question that must be readdressed. Christians have been actively involved in the Western political process since the 300's. However, there is a move for (legitimately--not simply brought on by a reaction to the failures of G. W. Bush), minimizing political involvement including no more blanket endorsments of the Republican party. This shift was seen dramatically in this last election (of course) but what has virtually gone unnoticed is how many Evangelical Christians were moving against this with many even voting Democratic before that (the irony of the caricature painted in the news).

This push for the reduction or increase in Evangelical political involvement must be motivated by only one question:

In what way will political involvement (candidate endorsment, lobbying, voting, etc) on any given issue affect the deliverance of the Gospel?

For instance, if the United States goes to war with Iraq, how will this affect the reception of the Gospel within Iraq? If Christians come together to support Proposition 8, how will that affect the reception of the Gospel within the homosexual community? Of course we cannot please all but we have to please some do we not? We must become all things to all people not only as individuals but also as the Church. This is difficult to say the least but the corporate church must weigh corporate policies by this rule. Maybe boycotting Disney sounds good and right but how will it be viewed? Maybe the US invading Iraq is good but will the Iraqies see the "crusaders" coming again?

It is difficult for us to reconcile a justice by force with a mercy that's in meekness.

The mercy of the Gospel is primary. It must trump our push for justice in the Church. It did in the early Church. The early Church was concerned with social injustices (they took it upon themselves to make up for them) but to say they were "political" in that they sought political power is a laugh. If they are our example in everything else, why don't we complete the picture? If they didn't fight the Romans out of Israel or form a mob and take Jerusalem or join the rebels at Masada, why do we over invest in the political process? We must fully accept our call to share the Gospel. Anything in addition is neglect and discredits the message. We cannot hold a gun and a Bible. We cannot perform two missions. We are either peace makers or peace keepers. We cannot be both.