The Christian View on Politics (and, in particular, the USA Presidential Election 2016)

There is something rather scary going on in American politics. 

It seems that people are being forced to choose between someone who the FBI (a minor American Government agency, in charge of stuff) seems to have identified as a liar, and someone who is possibly mentally ill, and certainly dangerous. I'm glad to live in the UK - a country where we don't directly elect our head of state, and no one person has the level of executive and military power that the President of the USA has. But I digress. 

There has been a great deal of furore on the internet about the Trump/Clinton divide/dilemma, and whether maybe, just maybe, a third party might hold the key to avoiding the end of the world.

I've been enjoying the internet memes around this - even as I'm very aware of the genuine fear that people have with this election. 

One Twitter user tweeted this:

Whilst my favourite bumper sticker, from an apocalyptic point of view, is this:

But I digress.

The Systematic Theologian and New Testament Scholar Wayne Grudem recently wrote a blog post, coming out in tentative support of Donald Trump, that has been widely panned by my friends online. I think Grudem is probably wrong on this - even as he is very right on some things, and very wrong on others. Grudem, like all of us, is human and flawed, but also human made in the Image of God and capable of good things.

My favourite piece on the USA Presidential election is one that I started out disagreeing with, but ended up applauding in my head.

Thabiti Anyabwile is a pastor at Anacostia River Church in southeast Washington DC, and a Council Member of the Gospel Coalition. He wrote a super post over at TGC, from which I reproduce an extract below:

What About a Third Party?

Finally, let me think out loud about our present predicament with having no third-party candidate. Why is that?

Well, it’s at least due to our allegiance to the two-party system. Americans are sold real hard on the notion that there are only two parties in this democracy; everyone else shouldn’t be taken seriously.

But for Christians, I think there’s another reason. We’ve not taken seriously enough the dignity and necessity of public service as a vocation. And we’ve not discipled people for public service with nearly the kind of prayer and effectiveness the country needs. Why don’t we have a slew of serious Christians available for the highest office in the land? Why is principle in so short supply? Perhaps it’s because the Christian Church–especially the Evangelical Church–has sought to cozy up with Caesar in the hopes of currying his favor rather than oust Caesar in hopes of replacing him in selfless and sacrificial service.

I don’t mean that pastors should leave their pulpits for this demotion. But I suspect more individual Christians need to be discipled to follow Christ into this sphere instead of left to be discipled by the two-party system. It strikes me that an awful lot of the professing Christians in politics wear their faith as a selling point for their constituencies while they really tout Dem or Rep party lines. Few are the servants who tout Christ and have the scriptures shape their platforms. Consequently, we have Christians on both sides of the aisle blindly and uncritically equating their party’s platforms and ethics with Jesus himself. Meanwhile, many others tremble before the world, yelling, “We don’t want a pastor-in-chief but a commander-in-chief” (you see how that worked for Israel in 1 Sam. 8). All the while we risk betraying our Lord, ourselves, and our country.

Conclusion

To be clear about one more thing: I’m in no way putting hope in any candidate, in our election process, or any other election. My hope is firmly in Jesus Christ my Lord. He is my Master and I am His servant. I don’t judge His other servants in this matter and I don’t even judge myself. To Him will I stand or fall–and I’m trusting Him to make me stand. I know Who I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep me in this present evil age and keep me until that Day.

Again, none of this is written to aggravate anyone’s flesh or to create dissension between brethren. If that’s you, then please go elsewhere. And don’t act wounded if your comment gets deleted or you get blocked. Ain’t nobody got time for trolls. Otherwise, feel free to think out loud with me and others that we might help one another arrive at faithful conclusions for our time, this politically desperate time.

I think this is spot on.

Christians get an alternative perspective on their vote. We should still vote - even on things as divisive as Brexit - but we vote in the light of eternity. We vote for losers because ultimately we believe in the King who has already won. Held in the hands of the one who controls the future. Empowered by the same Spirit that rose Christ from the Grave, and as readers of the book of books, that points beyond itself to the true King of Kings.

How can you disciple your people and friends to combine their faith with politics?

Where is your hope?

I think Thabiti points towards the Christian view on Politics...

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I've blogged before on this, curating a series with my friend Johnny. Do read it.