Of Christians and politics

Of Christians and politics | February 8, 2017

It's not uncommon for someone to tell me, "politics don't belong in sermons." 

Well, yes and no. Here's what I mean ... and yes, this is in regard to last Sunday's sermon which some folks thought was blatantly political. Two thoughts: 

1. We live in a hyper-political, wildly-divisive climate. There are few places in this country where one can have honest conversation about issues that matter without worry of being labeled or libeled. Surely the church is one such place. At its best the church is an incubator where all kinds of questions and problems might be honestly discussed by all kinds of people, each one (we would hope) clinging to a common denominator: Jesus Christ. Which leads me to number 2 ....

2. It might make us uncomfortable, but Lutherans have a long history of wrestling with touchy issues. In so doing, I've always found Luther's Two Kingdoms Theory a helpful tool. Luther says that God is the ruler of the world, and he rules in two ways: through a temporal (or earthly) kingdom and a spiritual kingdom. In the Gospels, Jesus reveals the ultimate vision for the spiritual kingdom. Take a look at the beatitudes in Matthew 5, Jesus' first words in Luke 4, or the "kingdom parables" throughout the gospels. It's a kingdom rooted in love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and reconciliation among all people. It's a kingdom foretold by the prophets and affirmed by St. Paul. When I preach or teach about this kingdom, it's never rooted in politics. I'm simply looking through the lens given to us by Christ -- a lens that gives us a glimpse into the Kingdom of God. 

The temporal kingdom, on the other hand, acknowledges that we live in a sinful world, and as such we are governed by those who have been given earthly authority to do so. The tools, methods, and strategies they use will vary considerably. Some will use conservative means; others pursue a liberal agenda. Some will be be brutal in their tactics; others will be conciliatory. And here's the point: When we engage in political debate, it's over issues in the TEMPORAL kingdom, not the spiritual kingdom. That's a hugely important distinction.

In fact, I firmly believe that Christians can have wildly divergent opinions about things like walls and refugees and health care ........ as long as they are rooted in a common goal of "seeking first the kingdom of God." What does that mean? In terms of the president's idea to "build the wall," Christians are free to agree or disagree as long as the ultimate goal is reconciliation, peace, mercy, and the common good. I'd love to hear the president say: "We need to build the wall. Things have gotten out of control and we need to bring some order to our border security. But our ultimate goal is to foster a better relationship with our neighbor and create a better method of welcoming and training immigrants." That, friends, would be a two kingdoms approach to the political challenges we face. And that's what I'm longing for in our political discourse. Sadly, we don't seem to be anywhere close. 

When I'm preaching about the Kingdom of God, I do my best to avoid political debate. I'm simply articulating what I believe is abundantly clear and outlined in the gospels -- that the kingdom of God is our destination. It's our vision. It's our ultimate goal. We may well have different ideas for how to get there, but God's kingdom, not our own, remains the ultimate goal.

I'm so very thankful for a congregation that gives space for healthy conversation over issues that matter. But here is our charge during these perilous times: to set the tone for debate that is civil and kingdom-centered. The world desperately needs that of us.