Dear Church Family,
What does faith have to do with politics, and politics with faith?
That question has hounded Christians and the church for ages. Our day is no different. Some have concluded that faith and politics have no relationship because faith is private and should be kept at home, while politics involves our public life together and should be free from the bias or influence of personal faith. Others have concluded that faith should enfold politics within it to make (or remake) a Christian nation. Then, there are many sprinkled throughout the spectrum between those two poles. If we add political differences into that mixture, then we can easily envision why there has been so much anger, fear, and finger-pointing among Christians, with many leaving relationships, changing churches or leaving church altogether. Perhaps you yourself are grieving a lost relationship over this topic.
So, how are we to navigate such tumultuous political waters while being faithful to Jesus?
The path lies in searching the Scriptures again for fresh guidance from God, and then looking to one another to apply what we discover and safely practice it. That may sound daunting and even scary: the church doesn’t have the greatest reputation for handling politics in a healthy way. But, that is exactly what we’re going to attempt to do during September because God is keenly interested in giving us guidance that is good news for us and our world.
First, we’ll search the Scriptures in our Faith and Politics sermon series beginning on September 8th. We’ll look at the problems inherent in faith and politics to diagnose ourselves, understand others, and know how we can move forward. Once that is in place, we’ll look at the posture God would have us take in this season, and how he would have us practice our faith in our politics.
Second, we’ll practice what we’re learning in weekly discussion groups. On Wednesdays from 7-8:30pm, Bronwyn will host Faith & Politics discussion group in the Fellowship Hall where we can practice listening well, searching the Scriptures, and responding with grace as we dialog with believers with whom we might disagree. There is no political agenda for these conversations: but there is a clear pastoral one - we want to be people who are growing in grace and truth in all interactions. Find more info and RSVP here to save your seat.
Third, we’ll read some great books to supplement all of that. Over the summer, I’ve been recommending The Spirit of Our Politics by Michael Wear, which I continue to recommend for his description of the problems, posture and practice of faith and politics. I also recommend The After Party by Curtis Chang and Nancy French for their wisdom and insight into how Christians can maintain relationships despite our political differences. If podcasts are more your thing, listen to Russell Moore and David French’s conversation about The After Party.
Personally, I am really excited for what God has for us. Yes, this whole venture poses all kinds of challenges and worries about how it could go wrong, but we’ve always been a church that tackles the tough issues with the Scriptures in hand and relationships intact. And I’ve been pleasantly surprised how the Scriptures speak into our present political moment, and how that has already set the table for some great interactions with others. That good, surprising guidance and the good conversation that follows is what I want to bring to our whole church family so that we come out of this election season looking more like Jesus and blessing this world.
I look forward to seeing you this Sunday, and experiencing all God has for us!
Yours in faithful neighboring,
Steve
Commentaires