Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
–The First Amendment of the US Constitution
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 1and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.
–Mark 1:14-15
I spend way too much time thinking about the intersection of politics, faith, ethics, and citizenship.
The CNN spot that I posted online obviously piqued my curiosity. Coming from my theological position on what it means to be faitfhful–seeking the Kingdom/Reign of God is about seeking the hope for peace, justice, and renewal to which Jesus called his first Disciples–I see being involved in advocacy and public life (seeking justice) as a core part of my call to ministry. That’s why I’ve been involved in things like the ONE Campaign, why I’ve been to demonstrations against state-sponsored violence and human exploitation, and why I preach on such issues from the pulpit. Part of our call to love our neighbors as ourselves is about saying “no” to structures and institutions that do damage to other people. My career–my vocation–is about living into that call.
At the same time, I’m a true believer in the Establishment clause of the first amendment…you know–the clause that reads “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” and have a great respect for its function as what Thomas Jefferson coined as the “Wall separating Church and State”. I don’t believe in a singular, state-sponsored religion, Christian or otherwise.
Even though the demographic data may demonstrate that most American citizens are indeed members of Christian churches, the establishment clause keeps us from becoming–in terms of requirements for full participation of citizens in the political life of our country–a Christian Nation. It also leads us to assume that we can practice our religious values freely. (Of course, our history is full of complicated issues regarding what it means to practice religion freely in the US. Peyote and Polygamy are just two issues that immediately come to mind–but there are many, many more that we could spend hours talking about.)
But, as someone who believes that there is a clear separation of Church and State, tries to be a law-abiding citizen (acknowledging that not every law is just, of course), and believes that being faithful means engaging in public life, I must admit, things get tricky.
I speak about issues, ideas, hopes, and a better future every time I preach.
But I don’t endorse candidates from the pulpit in the course of preaching or leading worship. Not only does it strike me as legally problematic (as pointed out in the CNN clip), but it strikes me as coercive. Even in my tradition, which recognizes “the priesthood of all believers,” there’s a good amount of authority granted to the person who stands behind the pulpit, preaching. Endorsing a candidate from the same position from which you speak on issues of spirituality, theology, and morality, and advocacy can be problematic. Can faithful people vote differently on different issues and still both be faithful?
Of course. Theology is always perspectival. Ever since Peter and Paul debated over issues of circumcision and dietary codes, Christians have debated over the way to publically live out our faith. In terms of history, Paul won that debate, but that sure didn’t make Peter any less faithful.
But in my personal writings, my life outside of the church, in a conversation over coffee, or in other advocacy networks, I’ll tell you why I’m voting for whom or what. And often, my faith is a key reason for my choice. But I don’t make those statements as an agent of the church, and I certainly don’t imply that my choice is the ONLY conclusion one can reach when motivated by faith.
I like that wall. But I also find myself on both sides of it sometimes.
I agree, especially with the “my choice is [not] the ONLY conclusion one can reach when motivated by faith.” I wish all people of faith could see the beauty of reading scripture and finding different things, of hearing speeches and reaching multiple conclusions, of sharing God’s world and seeing God’s creativity to be celebrated. Thanks for your good words!
It is definitely a condundrum — how one is faithful to the belief that we are called by God to help bring the Kingdom to fruition, while at the same time believing that government and church don’t mix.