When you live in a thriving, smart, ideologically diverse small town in Iowa in a presidential election cycle, politics follow you around. Things that I have learned:
A few years ago, I wrote up a "this I believe" statement - a personal creed, if you will, that lays out, in very uncomplicated terms, the things that I value in life. You can read it here. All of these statements are informed by my faith. I mean, truly, even if I am not always vocal about my faith in explicit ways, trust me, my worldview is strongly, permanently shaped by my understanding of God, faith, resurrection, hope, holy justice, and the life and example of Jesus.
I think a lot about how individuals and communities can best care for the poor and vulnerable. I think a lot about what "justice" truly means. I think about inequality and race and gender and how my faith calls me toward lifting up and honoring all people as bearers of the image of God. I think about things like mercy, forgiveness, grace, generosity, and compassion. And my faith, in the end, shoves me one particular direction on the political spectrum. Other people, who share this same faith, feel shoved to the other end of the spectrum. It is the way of things.
Being a public person of faith means that I crave conversations about the how and the why of faith and politics. I want people to ask me questions like:
Let's be honest. Our political climate leaves very little room for imagination. It leaves virtually no room for indecision, curiosity, growth, or change. Candidates who have shifted positions on policies are berated by other candidates for "flip-flopping" or are held hostage by votes and decisions made years and decades ago. We make certain controversial issues the litmus test for party loyalty and faithful voting. We want good guys and bad guys, clear victories, sharp distinctions drawn between parties and candidates.
If there is one thing that I think people of faith can bring to the table against all of this, it would be our capacity for imagination and hope, compassion for one another, the mandate to love our enemies: that is, faith gives us the power to see the image of God in one another and to talk deeply about the issues behind the issues, the values behind the values, the real stuff underneath the surface of pre-fabricated stump speeches, political ads, and media sound-bytes.
I don't think that being a person of faith automatically aligns you with one political party or another. But I do think that faith calls us to work that much harder to understand how our beliefs shape our values and influence our political ideas. Because when you have a God who pretty much promises to flip the world upside-down for the sake of the vulnerable, broken, and suffering, you can't just skim the issues and vote lightly. God isn't calling for mere revolution, he's bringing us resurrection.
Blessings on the hard work of living your faith and voting your faith in this election cycle. Remember that God invites us into a perfect love which casts out all fear. Remember that the highest values are loving God and loving our neighbor (even our enemies). Remember that we live out a calling toward compassion and service, no matter who gets elected or what policies are enacted. Remember that we are bound together in the body of Christ, and that even in our diversity and disagreement, we are yet blessed, beloved children of God, made in God's image, and promised the same gifts of forgiveness, mercy, and life. May your faith and the example of Jesus Christ lead you to live differently in this world, that your light may shine for all to see.
- If you pay attention to the local news, you will realize that pretty much every candidate heading into the primaries has visited this town (and you find yourself feeling a little guilty for not making it to more candidate events, because it's a rare and interesting set of opportunities that you are not taking advantage of).
- On the Monday morning of caucuses, you shouldn't feel as surprised as you do that your morning book-and-coffee routine at your favorite local cafe was interrupted by the presence and canvassing of the smart, interesting, young adult children of one of the major primary candidates.
- Being a pastor in such a politically-invested community is really really difficult - a lesson I have learned the hard way from trying to preach about the audacity of Jesus' mission and message for our 21st century American context....and having the sermon be heard as a political commentary (both by those who agree and disagree with me politically).
A few years ago, I wrote up a "this I believe" statement - a personal creed, if you will, that lays out, in very uncomplicated terms, the things that I value in life. You can read it here. All of these statements are informed by my faith. I mean, truly, even if I am not always vocal about my faith in explicit ways, trust me, my worldview is strongly, permanently shaped by my understanding of God, faith, resurrection, hope, holy justice, and the life and example of Jesus.
I think a lot about how individuals and communities can best care for the poor and vulnerable. I think a lot about what "justice" truly means. I think about inequality and race and gender and how my faith calls me toward lifting up and honoring all people as bearers of the image of God. I think about things like mercy, forgiveness, grace, generosity, and compassion. And my faith, in the end, shoves me one particular direction on the political spectrum. Other people, who share this same faith, feel shoved to the other end of the spectrum. It is the way of things.
Being a public person of faith means that I crave conversations about the how and the why of faith and politics. I want people to ask me questions like:
- How has your faith driven you to oppose the death penalty?
- When Jesus calls us to help the poor and vulnerable, how do we do that? Through charity? Through government? Both? Neither?
- What do you do when your faith calls you toward hopes, dreams, and ideologies that are not politically viable or logistically possible in our current society?
- Where does the Biblical narrative encourage us toward civil disobedience? Where does it encourage us toward patience and submission?
- Is the Gospel good news for people only in the afterlife, or is it good news here and now? What is that good news?
- How does the compassionate, boundary-crossing model of Christ inform how we engage leaders of other nations, or leaders across the aisle?
- How does faith play into our consideration of the full range of political campaign issues, not just hot-button issues like abortion or gay marriage?
- Does it feel different voting as a member of the clergy as opposed to a non-ordained person of faith?
- How has your faith pushed you toward different political conclusions than you might have drawn otherwise?
Let's be honest. Our political climate leaves very little room for imagination. It leaves virtually no room for indecision, curiosity, growth, or change. Candidates who have shifted positions on policies are berated by other candidates for "flip-flopping" or are held hostage by votes and decisions made years and decades ago. We make certain controversial issues the litmus test for party loyalty and faithful voting. We want good guys and bad guys, clear victories, sharp distinctions drawn between parties and candidates.
If there is one thing that I think people of faith can bring to the table against all of this, it would be our capacity for imagination and hope, compassion for one another, the mandate to love our enemies: that is, faith gives us the power to see the image of God in one another and to talk deeply about the issues behind the issues, the values behind the values, the real stuff underneath the surface of pre-fabricated stump speeches, political ads, and media sound-bytes.
I don't think that being a person of faith automatically aligns you with one political party or another. But I do think that faith calls us to work that much harder to understand how our beliefs shape our values and influence our political ideas. Because when you have a God who pretty much promises to flip the world upside-down for the sake of the vulnerable, broken, and suffering, you can't just skim the issues and vote lightly. God isn't calling for mere revolution, he's bringing us resurrection.
Blessings on the hard work of living your faith and voting your faith in this election cycle. Remember that God invites us into a perfect love which casts out all fear. Remember that the highest values are loving God and loving our neighbor (even our enemies). Remember that we live out a calling toward compassion and service, no matter who gets elected or what policies are enacted. Remember that we are bound together in the body of Christ, and that even in our diversity and disagreement, we are yet blessed, beloved children of God, made in God's image, and promised the same gifts of forgiveness, mercy, and life. May your faith and the example of Jesus Christ lead you to live differently in this world, that your light may shine for all to see.
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