The Hope of Christ in the Midst of Politics
As we come to the second half of 2023 I find myself mentally preparing for the next major political cycle that will begin in 2024. A pastor friend of mine likes to joke that the political season is his “least favorite liturgical season.” Obviously, there are no official liturgical seasons oriented around politics or voting but the moral issues of our day seem to have been, for better or for worse, entirely co-opted by the political process, and as a result many leaders find themselves navigating the question of how, or whether to address political issues in the church.
I’ll say up front I have no easy answers except to say that I believe the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit is the best way to determine the path through that question. Even if a church leader determines that corporately engaged discussions around hot-button issues aren’t going to be productive for his or her particular community, that doesn’t mean we won’t be having potentially challenging one-on-one conversations with the people we disciple and shepherd.
Personally, I’ve struggled deeply with how to have these types of conversations. My life has always been filled with people who hold all manner of religious, social and political perspectives, and while we may not have agreed on many important issues, I have always believed our lives were richer for knowing one another. It’s only been in the last few years I’ve encountered the strange idea that I should view someone with a different worldview than me as my enemy.
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