Ask Dr. E: Are Christians becoming too political?

OPINION:

Dear Dr. E: Something I hear over and over again in my church is that Christians have become too political and that we should just stay in our lane and focus on the gospel. My preacher even seems to agree with this. I’m curious what you think. Should Christians stay out of politics? - Wanting to be Faithful from Indianapolis

Dear Wanting: I’m going to answer your question by asking a question (or two).

First, when your pastor suggests you should stay away from politics, what does he mean? Is he implying that all Christians should disengage from the market square of ideas when the issues become political? If the answer is yes, I have to ask my second question: Who decides what’s political and what’s not?

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For example, who decided that the definition of a baby’s life is political rather than biblical? Who decided that the definition of marriage is political and not biblical? And likewise, who decided that the definition of a male and female is political as opposed to biblical?

I could go on and on. What about education, civil rights, suffrage, and alleviating poverty? Does your pastor think you should avoid all these issues too? And does he believe you should “stay in your lane” and distance yourself from discussing climate change, renewable energy, racial injustice, and systemic inequities? Would your pastor hold that these topics are all too political for the Church? Or does he suddenly argue that such hot-button issues are now biblical priorities and not just political? If so, why?

My point here is obvious. I’m willing to bet that your pastor’s definition of “political” is somewhat arbitrary and perhaps even a little self-serving. The odds are that his list of acceptable and unacceptable issues for discussion within the Church might reflect his personal politics more than he’s willing to admit and that his call to be “apolitical” is, well, how should I say it, transparently political.

With that all said, I can’t resist reminding your pastor (and all others tempted to agree with him) that the argument that Christians should avoid the political arena is, frankly, a bit ignorant of history.

Was Martin Luther King Jr. too political, and should Christians have distanced themselves from his Letter from the Birmingham Jail? Was his insertion of the “law of God” into the political debate ill-advised? Would your pastor have chastised Dr. King for quoting Augustine and Thomas Aquinas as he challenged our nation’s leaders to honor their oath of office and the consequent biblical imperative to support African American rights?

How about Harriet Tubman? Should Christians have closed their doors to her and those she was helping escape chattel slavery via the Underground Railroad? Were the churches that were allied with Ms. Tubman too political for your pastor’s taste?

What would your pastor say about Frederick Douglas and his public fight for black independence, dignity, and respect? Was this too political?

What of Booker T. Washington, William Lloyd Garrison, and Harriet Beecher Stowe? Were these Christians all too political?

And what would your pastor say of William Wilberforce, who fought for over 20 years on the floor of the British Parliament for the abolition of the slave trade? Would he say that this was too political?

Was John Wesley, likewise, too political when he encouraged Wilberforce in his efforts?

Or how about John Newton? Was he too political when he told Wilberforce he would accomplish more for the Church by staying in politics rather than becoming a priest?

What does your pastor think of Abraham Kuyper, who boldly declared as prime minister of the Netherlands: “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ’Mine!’” Was he too political?

And has your pastor forgotten that many of America’s present evangelical denominations, such as the Wesleyans, the Nazarenes, and the Free Methodists, began as abolitionist movements that sprung out of, arguably, the most politically contentious event in U.S. history? It was called the Civil War! All of these churches exist today because they believed human dignity was a biblical mandate and not just political. Is your pastor arguing that leaders of these movements, such as Orange Scott, Luther Lee, and B.T. Roberts, were wrong to welcome black brothers and sisters into fellowship? Were they too political? 

 

Whenever you’re challenged by Christian leaders such as your pastor for being too political, I’d recommend you remember that a few well-placed questions will often expose innumerable lies.