Christian Political Engagement as Witness and Apologetic

I've obviously been thinking a lot about politics lately, as have most Americans. I've continually made the statement that Christians are to be prophetic on issues instead of being political. We are to live from the ethic of the Kingdom of God rather than the power plays of the kingdoms of men. Being prophetic is about adhering to the truth while being political is about grasping for worldly power, something that is forbidden to Christians. That does not meant that we should not be engaged in politics. Political activity is only the way that human beings govern themselves and establish an ordered society. Christians should most definitely be involved in that. But, we should always involve ourselves in the political process on the basis of truth instead of on the basis of ideology or party affiliation. If we lean toward worldy ideology without being tied to the truth of Scripture, we end up sacrificing truth for political expediency and we become nothing more than a special interest group attempting to get our own way. It all becomes very selfish and unchristian.

That is why I brought up the issues with Sarah Palin over the past few days. I am not rejecting her as a candidate or as a person. I am a conservative, so you can probably figure out which way I will end up going in this election. But, it is important to praise the good in our candidates while also sticking to our convictions on the issues that matter to us. Sarah Palin and her husband both work very long hours and they have 5 children. She has a newborn with Down's Syndrome. Her 17 year old daughter is 5 months pregnant. I would imagine that her husband will quit his job if they move to Washington, so he will obviously be around with the children and that is a good thing. I bring all of this up because we've never had a female candidate for our highest offices who was a mother of young children. What we say about that has everything to do with the message on the family that we have been proclaiming for 3 decades now. We can't just jettison that message because we have a chance to have access to the White House and get conservative justices elected to the Supreme Court.

Do I think that Sarah is a bad mother? No. Do I think that it is wrong for her to work? No. Do I think that a mother should not be a governor? Absolutely not. Do I think that she won't make a good VP? Again, no. I can accept someone as a person and a candidate without accepting all of their views because I have my own convictions on issues related to the family that are formed by Scripture. I happen to think that parental involvement in your kids lives is really important, especially when they are young. Maybe Palin is REALLY involved with her kids. I heard someone say that she sleeps about 4 hours a night. Wow. So, if she and her husband are able to do it all, that is wonderful. But, I think that these things have to be thought through because of the way that we interpret these events for our own lives. I pastor a church where we encourage parents to be really involved with their children. Often, both parents have to work for financial reasons and that is understandable. I do not condemn that. Those parents should be supported even more. But, to fully embrace the Palin candidacy without at least thinking through the implications for discipleship on our part is not wise.  The leaders we choose become our examples. If parents chase after career without giving due attention to their children, that becomes a problem. We have preached against that for years. In supporting the Palin candidacy, we have to make sure that we communicate the balance that she and her husband have possibly struck, lest we lose our own message on the family.

Here is where Christian witness and apologetics comes in. The whole country is talking about this thing. We talk about politics and issues that matter to us as a nation. I believe that God has something to say about all of these issues and that they all come together to form a holistic Christian worldview. Politics is the land of compromise - I understand that. I do not expect our candidates to be perfect or to fully represent my view on every issue. But, as a Christian who adheres to the prophetic rather than the political, I am free to disagree with a candidate, not accept every part of them, while still accepting them as a candidate. To disagree with a conservative on an issue does not make me a liberal. And, I think that if we want America to really understand what Christianity is about, we need to engage in politics in a way that represents truth instead of grasps for power. God is our defense, not the Republican Party or conservative judges on the Supreme Court.

When the great issues of our day come to the forefront, we should speak out and represent truth. We can be proactive and make history by bringing justice to places of injustice and by proclaiming righteousness in the streets. The truth of God is not locked up in the church house, but instead, it should be spread into every domain of society. To use the current example, we can affirm Sarah Palin's views on abortion and other issues, and even her candidacy, and also provide commentary on what her candidacy potentially says about the role of the family. When we do this, we maintain our integrity and our witness. We defend the faith and recognize that while we live in the world, we are not of the world. This world is not our home - it has no hold on us. We are ambassadors of another Kingdom and we are bringing the reign and rule of God with us wherever we go.

Let me be clear for those who might read this and miss my point: I am not judging Sarah Palin. I am sure that she is a wonderful person and mother and it seems that she has been a fantastic governor. But, for the casual observer, when Evangelicals fully support a mother of 5 who has a newborn with Down's Syndrome and has a 17 year old daughter who is 5 months pregnant - well, a message can be sent that is not very clear. My point is that in dealing with the candidate, we can clarify the messages that are sent by helping people work through the role of the family and men and women, even when it applies to politics.  And, in case you are wondering, I would feel the same way if it were Sarah Palin's husband was governor of Alaska and was running for VP under the same circumstances. I make decisions all the time to limit my responsibilities appropriate to what I need to do with my family as well as my ministry, as I am sure we all do. But, unfortunately, gender does matter here because we've never been in this situation before. So, we need to give a little more thought to how we help people work through this in their own minds. It doesn't mean that a balance cannot be struck - it just means that we have to have the courage to strike it for the sake of our future witness. If we forsake or compromise the view that we have held for sometime, then we appear to be hypocrites who want power more than truth. This ultimately damages our witness and we end up in a worse position than when we started.

It seems that there will be a lot of chances to engage with people this fall over what Christians believe on the major issues of our day, like education, energy, foreign policy, health care, poverty, abortion, the environment, immigration, the economy, etc. We can do this prophetically instead of politically, full of grace - our conversation seasoned with salt. If we lose our saltiness, we are not good for anything and are only fit to be tossed aside.

Comments

[Joe Kennedy]

Well said, Alan.

[Alan Cross]

Thanks, Joe. You know, after all that I've said on this issue in trying to make sure that I deal with the issues instead of just politics, the political side of me is getting pretty angry. The media's attack on Sarah Palin is really getting out of hand. Watching the coverage of the RNC is almost unbelievable. CNN, MSNBC, etc. are falling all over themselves to make fun of the Republicans and everything they do and say. After the lovefest with the Democrats last week, I am motivated to vote for Republicans just because the media is so biased.

Why can't we just get straight coverage of the candidates and the issues without all of the polarizing commentary?

[wesmith]

Alan,

ANEN AMEN AMEN to Your excellent Post and your Heart for God.

I find it strange that the Baptist Press and the BI people have going under Rocks and not come out in support of Gov Sarah Palin.

Alan, You and Tim G. are the only 2 Bloggers in my circle of Baptist Blogs that have Blogged anything in regard to Gov Sarah Palin.
Mike Huckabee had this to say in this interview HERE:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080903/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_convention_rdp_171

"I haven't seen anything that comes out about her that in any way troubles me or shakes my confidence in her," said former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the party's presidential nomination this year.

Wayne Smith

[Debbie Kaufman]

Alan: I think you are putting way too much into this. Working or not working, what is there to think about? A child who is raised in a Christian home, with a mother full time as a homemaker, or working to make ends meet or choosing to isn't the issue. Her daughter becoming pregnant is not anything new, even in good Christian homes.

You can't control everything a child does. Especially at the age of Sarah Palin's daughter. Trusting God through even this, how one handles the situation when it happens, is the key. Can we trust God even when our children sin?

Drugs are in good Christian families whether the mother is working or not. Many do come back to Christ, or God does bring them to the point of salvation, but it's not a bad reflection on parents when their children get pregnant, become alcoholics or get into drugs. The question is, how is it handled. Unconditional love? Rejection? Caring about our reputation more than the child? That is the litmus test, or should be. How we deal with our children when they sin is usually harsher than we would a fellow Christian who sins in the same way. I think Sarah and her family did just fine. It should strengthen the fact that she would be a good VP?

BTW when President Bush's daughters got into some drinking in college, did those here feel the same way?

We can take the kids out of the public school system, and they will still get into the same kinds of trouble.

[Laura]

Good post. I must say that I have been chewing on the overall picture of Sarah Palin as VP since she was annouced. I am intrigued by her testimony being an evangelical Christian, a mother of five, one of whom is expecting, and a major reformer in Alaskan government, and a beautiful woman at that. Her family seems to exhibit unity (maybe its just for TV) but they all appear to be standing together in this walk through the campaign. You have to wonder if they all sat down as a family and said "okay gang, everyone will have to make sacrifices, so we are in this together." What I keep hearing on NPR is that Palin should have considered birth control for her daughter and the world just doesn't get it.
Abstinence is the ONLY way to prevent pregnancy but the problem is that the world doesn't embrace purity. I personally don't think that it is Palin's fault that her daughter is pregnant. I applaud Palin for standing by her daughter and it is no surprise to God that as a nation we are faced with this issue in our own hearts and how we define and deal with sin. I am personally convicted that I would not respond with such grace had it been a liberal. Great thoughts Alan. I do not think you have been judgemental but causing the blogosphere to think about the issues.

[Alan Cross]

Debbie, I get the feeling that you are missing my point.

[Debbie Kaufman]

I must be Alan, because I've read it twice and still come away thinking the same thing that I wrote. Could you clarify for me? If I am misunderstanding, I do apologize. That is not my intent.

[Beth]

I think I do understand. And, once again, I'm ticked off that you've reached into the deepest, nebulousest part of my brain and put to words what I couldn't. Knock it off.

I understand your concern about example and influence and the need to clarify and differentiate where exactly one's support lies. But, in the murky, ambiguous issue of a mother of five in a high-stress, high-commitment job, maybe her example and influence is to be in the sacrifices and the faith that make her successful in each. Maybe God's plan, in part, is to reveal how He can equip a woman in such a situation if she completely relies on Him. Because, you have to admit, if an Evangelical-Christian-mother-of-five gets into the second desk of the White House, God must have put her there.

It's historically difficult for any busy parent to raise Godly children (David being my favorite example). If she is called to this by God, He'll make sure she can do it. I'm going to watch that--and then use what I learn to support the parents around me.

[Alan Cross]

Thank you, Beth. You did it! That is exactly the kind of thoughtfulness that is required here. Because, in the past, we have just said that either mothers should stay at home no matter what (legalism), or it doesn't matter - pursue your career (license). Rarely have we had a chance to explore the nuances of how God might actually enable someone to do something that we cannot do ourselves and it be His will. We are people that work off of principles so much that we rarely move into that shadowland of dependence upon the Lord to do the things that we cannot do. If the example here is one of looking to God for strength to do the impossible, then we know that God is in the business of doing the impossible. He constantly increases our capacity for good.

Those types of answers only come from wrestling with the Lord and Scripture. They do not come from jumping into political camps and defending things that we used to say that we were against just because it happens to support our views.

Yes, Sarah Palin can do this job. Being a mother of 5 is not a disqualifier and God can enable her to do what He has called her to do. No, Bristol's pregnancy is not all her fault, although I am sure she is broken over it and there are things that she would probably say that she wishes she had done differently. Any parent would say that. But, God works for the good in all things and we can trust Him to do so here as well.

Thanks, Beth, for bringing this home. I was not satisfied with the answers that I was getting from our evangelical "leaders" because they never addressed the issues in this circumstance that they have addressed so many other times. I also knew that if Sarah Palin was a liberal Democrat, the acclaim would not be as universal. It struck me as hypocrisy. Now I know why. To see the bigger picture here requires you to see things through God's eyes and I don't think that we do a lot of that. It is easier to grab hold of a principle and foist it upon everyone and call for conformity. But, maybe God really does work in mysterious ways and He has provision for us in our time of need. Even if our leaders have not articulated a consistent position here, it doesn't mean that one does not exist. With God all things are possible.

One question, though: Nebulousest?

[Alan Cross]

Debbie,

My point was not that the Palin's were bad parents because Bristol got pregnant. You are right - this happens a lot and how they handled it shows their heart in the matter. My point was how Conservative Evangelical Christians approached the fact that a mother of 5 (baby with Down's Syndrome and 17 year old pregnant daughter) was running for VP and seemingly was not available to be a mother to her children. The stance of the family-first, conservative evangelical movement over the past 30 years has looked askance at this type of pursuit of career by women and mothers. They have stopped just short of saying that a woman's place is in the home, and some have said that, yet they have almost unanimously praised Palin's nomination. I am not criticizing her, rather, I am wondering why conservative evangelicals seem to be abandoning a core position of their's (and I do not think that I have misunderstood their position). That has been my point. I hardly feel that we would have had the same reaction to a liberal Democrat.

No, I was not critiquing Sarah Palin. I was using this as an example of how our thinking becomes fuzzy when political camps become involved. Beth brought out an answer that brings us back to consistency and it is one that I would like to see our leaders articulate before a watching world (and then apply to all the women and mothers in our churches who are trying to do the best they can to serve God and their families).

I am calling for consistency, not condemnation.

[Alan Cross]

All,

The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood finally weighed in on the Palin announcement regarding the issue of gender and leadership. I think they gave a reasoned and well thought out approach that brings to mind the things that Beth pointed out:

http://www.cbmw.org/Blog/Posts/Does-Governor-Sarah-Palin-Present-a-Dilemma-for-Complementarians

I am glad that we are thinking through this and are striving to be consistent. I think that we'll have a consistent and clear approach to this in the future.

[Debbie Kaufman]

OK Alan. I read it as semi-condemning and a call for us to think about the ramifications of having a woman as VP or any other vocation outside the home. Thank you for the clarification.

[Greg Murks]

Alan,
What I appreciate about your political comments is the reminder that we as the Body of Christ should examine everything we are told - whether from FoxNews or CNN by the same biblical standard. I suspect there is truth and error from both sources. Thanks for the challenge!