Wineskins

View Original

March Theme: Christianity and Politics

flagsI cannot tell you how many times I have seen posts on social media start with, "I don't normally talk politics, but..." It seems the current political condition in the United States is not looked upon favorably by many and is inspiring many to write about something they typically avoid. Some fear that this is the continued slide of the loss of influence by Christianity in the United States. Others see it as a widening of an inevitable gap that exists between Christianity and the world. Still others see it as a grand opportunity for Christianity to take root in rocky and unsettling times.One thing we know for sure, God didn't wind this world up to set it on the shelf and leave it alone. No. God is involved in these processes, systems and power structures. Ultimately every knee will bow. In the meantime we wait. We groan. We long for something better. We figure out how to interact with a system, that is not a theocracy nor was it ever intended to be, from a Christian perspective.That is quite the wrestling match and it is very hard to do this well and in a way that doesn't widen the gap between people. So let us share our thoughts with each other on how we navigate politics as a Christian. Do we take a posture of involvement or avoidance, participation or isolation? I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.