The democratic presidential race is not over. Last night, Hillary Clinton defeated Barak Obama in the Pennsylvania primary. This means, of course, that the primary battle will come to North Carolina for the May 6 contest.On a national news website I noticed this church sign. Reading the story, I realized this church is near where I grew up in SC. The church sign (I cropped it so the name of the church isn't visible) asks, "Obama, Osama...hmmm are they brothers?" Now, this blog is not political. This priest is not political. But it is fair to say that politics and religion are sensitive and volatile issues - or more specific politics in religion and religion in politics. Problems arise when religion is used for political gain and when politics is used for religious gain. This sign, I think, is an attempt to use politics for religious gain. It is relying on the assumption from many that since Obama's name sounds similar to Osama bin Laden, an Islamic connection can be made (Obama is a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago - a mainline Christian denomination).
Interestingly enough, whenever I stumble into a conversation of religion and politics, I find that the participants' faces turn red more and blood pressure rises higher when talking about politics than religion. We seem to be more willing to 'agree to disagree' on matters of faith than we are matters of state. Does that mean matters of state matter more than matters of faith?
I think Christians should be politically active. I think churches should be active in proclaiming the Good News of God in Christ and calling the world to love, serve, worship, and be agents of reconciliation and change. But I don't think churches should endorse candidates (or do the opposite). When Election Day rolls around, Christians should be able to vote according to their convictions - convictions informed by the message, life, and witness of Christ.
The church's politics should be faith, hope, and love. What do you think?
Fr. Steve+
PS: Many times I will ask "What do you think?" Please contribute to the conversation. One of the purposes of this blog is to stimulate and encourage theological thinking, writing, and speaking past Sunday morning. Click on the Comments link to post your thoughts (and you don't have to agree with the post!). Also take a look at the map on the right sidebar. Every day, this map will be updated to show how many view this blog and where in the world they are.
It angers me to see a church being so forthright with its unintellegent propogandist remarks. But we are all prone to those, I suppose. I try my hardest to support my candidate while not being negative about the other. Even BOB and HC have succomb to the negativity at times, but I believe they are both running a fairly positive campaign.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the church's call to preach faith, hope, and love. Being humans, we have messy lives where our political thoughts and feelings spill over to our religious thoughts and feelings, and vice-versa. Apparently whoever made this marquee is human, and hopefully there are other humans in the congregation who will not be afraid to speak up about their discomfort with the sign (I'm assuming the entire church does not endorse this message). We humans need each other.
Father Steve, welcome to St. Tim's. Thank you for your words.
Hi Fr. Steve! This blog is a great idea and I am looking forward to reading your posts each day. I think I am going to jump right in and what better topic than one discussing religion AND politics to add my two cents!
ReplyDeleteOn several occasions we can't help but co-mingle religion and politics because there is a large amount of overlap between both spheres. To early Christians, the proclamation of "Jesus is Lord," was inherently a political as well as religious statement. When Christians speak about the coming rule and reign of God (God's kingdom - or "kin-dom" as a friend from another church has suggested) we are brought into a certain amount of conflict with the present political powers across the globe. And of course, in this day and age the government and religion have both waded into the middle of debates concerning several moral and ethical questions of our time. One cannot separate religion and politics when discussing abortion, support for the war, or gay marriage to name a few. Faith, Hope and Love, only make good politics if we act upon them. So I guess a question that I would ask is can we actually separate religion from politics?
I have also noticed that people seem to get more heated when discussing politics than religion in conversations related to both religion and politics. I can only conclude that Christians have more *faith* in the government than we do in the church. This then leads me to answer yes to your question - for most of us, matters of State matter more than matters pertaining to God. Is it because we have been taught to see the government as the official "solver of problems" for the world (who else do we blame or turn to when times are rough?), or is it simply that the government seems more *real* because we see it and it touches our everyday lives more completely?
I agree whole-heartedly with your overall sentiment however. As a Christian we are called to let the gospel inform and shape our politics. We are not faithful to the call of Christ to be salt and light in this world if we stay silent.
David, great post! I don't think we should separate our faith from our politics. I absolutely agree with you that the world needs the church to speak up and speak out on all sorts of issues - poverty, human rights, and many more.
ReplyDeleteFrS+
Dear Steve
ReplyDeleteWhat's in a name? Why not call your blog what it is: The Rector's Blog and link it to St Timothy's page? I really think that would be more appropriate because it is your blog, not St Timothy's. We are a community of many different voices and you are "the new priest". The new priest has a blog...just like the old blog at his previous church...you've just changed the name as you have changed churches. You are not St Timothy's...you are a priest at St Timothys Episcopal Church. We are ST Timothy's.
And to answer the question posed by the Methodist sign: Yes, if we believe that God made us all...Sen Obama, Bin Laden and you and I are all related by God. We will all stand in judgement one day.
You are going to love St Timothys. Welcome.
You're absolutely right! I am certainly not St Tim's. My hope is that this blog will be a stimulus for conversation for all the people of St Timothy's, which includes members making posts. Thanks for adding to the conversation!
ReplyDeleteFr Steve+