In an epigraph to his poem “Politics,” William Butler Yeats quotes the writer Thomas Mann: “In our time the destiny of man presents its meanings in political terms.” This statement proclaims the great significance of politics in our age. In a presidential election year Americans are particularly confronted with the import of politics for personal and national life.
American Christians are also confronted with this significant reality. Within the context of politics, American Christians must seek responses and involvements which are characterized by obedience to our Lord and his Kingdom. We cannot abandon our existence in and concern for the world about us. Hence, we must care about the political realm, for in that realm we inescapably live. At the same time we cannot ignore our ultimate allegiance to Christ as Lord, for we are indeed citizens of heaven, of the
However, a strong word of admonition must be spoken here.
The strategy and program of the Kingdom, if we may speak thus, cannot and must not be reduced to and identified with the strategy and program of any political party or ideology.
It is a disturbing fact that many American Christians do just that. Some consider a genuine Christian perspective in politics to be identical with nationalistic conservatism, whereas others consider a Christian perspective to be identical with every new advocacy of liberalism. Either identification suffers a tragic reduction and capitulation of the Christian vision of the
In contrast, a faithful and consistent Christian involvement in the world and its politics will confound non-Christian political observers and participants, because sometimes Christians will urge “conservative” positions and sometimes, “liberal” positions. This will be so, not because the Kingdom is chaotic, but because the Kingdom cannot be cut and pasted to the form and content of any political party or ideology. The “political” commitment of Christians must be to the
No comments:
Post a Comment