Politics & The Bible:

A Study Guide For

Christians

A publication of Evangelicals forSocialAction.org

Contents
Lesson 1: Why care about politics? .............................................. 4
Lesson 2: Why do Good Christians Disagree About Politics? .......... 5
Lesson 3: Starting with a Normative Biblical Framework .............. 6
Lesson 4: Studying Society Accurately .......................................... 7
Lesson 5: More Than Just the Bible and the “Facts”: Toward a
Christian Political Philosophy ........................................................ 8
Lesson 6: How Should Christians Judge Politicians? ...................... 9
Lesson 7: How Political Should the Church Be? ............................. 10

What Should Churches Do? ......................................................

For More Information

+ Christian Organizations Working on Politics ...............................
+ Resources for Assessing Candidates ...........................................
+ A Few Books for Further Reading ..............................................

3
 Lesson 1:
Why Care About Politics?
W
hy should we spend our precious time on politics? Does it
really make any difference? Does God care about what hap-
pens in politics? Does God want Christians to spend time on
politics that we could devote to evangelism? There are four good
reasons to care about politics:
) Christ is Lord of everything—including politics
) Political decisions—about taxes and education for exam-
ple—affect all of us
) Jesus’ example compels us to care about the whole person,
not just their soul
) The Bible shows that sin is both personal and social
1. Christ is Lord of All
After the resurrection, Jesus assured his disciples that “all authority
in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt. 28:18). From
the time of the first-century church, Christians have confessed that
Jesus the carpenter is “far above all rule and authority, power and
dominion” (Eph. 1:21). He is now “ruler of the kings of the earth”
(Rev. 1:5).
The Old Testament makes the same sweeping claim. God is King
of kings and Lord of lords. Even when they do not know it, foreign
conquerors and marching armies move at God’s command. Even
Cyrus, the powerful Persian political master of the Middle East of
his day, moved at God’s direction (Isa. 45:1-25).
Further Study: Read Isaiah 45
+ Does Cyrus Know the God of Israel?
+ Who arms and supplies this powerful ruler
+ Why does God use Cyrus?
+ How far does Jehovah’s authority extend?
2. Political Decisions Affect Everyone
Politicians ended slavery and introduced democracy. Today, political
decisions frequently determine whether everyone will have quality
education, whether the unborn will be protected, and whether our
taxes will go up or down.
In the Bible, too, political decisions sometimes had a devastating
impact. Pilate decided to execute Jesus. King David used his control
of the army to murder Bathsheba’s husband (2 Sam. 1:14-17).
Government, however, can also do good. That is why God estab-
lished government (Rom. 13:4). “Give the king thy justice, O God”
was the Psalmist’s prayer (Ps. 72:1). Politicians can do much good
and much evil.
Further Study: Read 1 Kings 21
4
+ How did Jezebel arrange Naboth’s death?
+ What is God’s response?
If God does not allow wrong political decisions to go unchallenged,
should we?
3. Evangelism and Social Action—Loving the Whole Person the
Way Jesus Did
Some Christians think followers of Jesus should not waste their time
on politics—that evangelism is all that matters. Jesus himself said
it is better to lose the whole world than to lose one’s relationship
with God (Mark 8:34-38).
But did Jesus conclude that therefore he should spend all his time
preaching the Gospel? Not at all. Matthew 9:35 summarizes Jesus’
activities: “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teach-
ing in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the king-
dom, and curing every disease and every sickness.”
Jesus preached, taught, and healed. He cared about the whole per-
son, and commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt.
22:39).
Political decisions affect our neighbors. How can we love our neigh-
bors and yet ignore the political choices that injure or help them?
Further Study: Read Matthew 9:35, Matthew 25:31-46
+ What examples in Jesus’ life illustrate his preaching? His min-
istering to physical needs of people?
+ How important is offering material help and ministering to
people’s physical needs?
4. What is Social Sin?
We all know what personal sin is—things like lying, stealing, and
committing adultery. But what about participating in a citywide
educational system that provides better schools in white neighbor-
hoods? Or choosing to be part of an economic system that does
not pay a whole group of working people a living wage? It that sin?
According to the Bible, sin is both personal and social. In one
breath, the prophet Amos condemns both sexual sin and economic
injustice (Amos 2:6-7) Isaiah denounces alcoholism and economic
policies that wipe out poor farmers (Isa. 5:8-11). Laws may be
legal and still unjust (Isa. 10:1-4). God abhors those who “contrive
mischief by statute” (Ps. 94:20).
Further Study: Read Amos 4:1-2
+ What happens to the wealthy women?
+ Does the text suggest that they personally cheated poor
people?
+ Why were they punished?
+ Do these biblical texts teach that it is a sin to participate in
systems that are unfair?
+ What does God do to people involved in social sin?
+ What social sins exist today? How are we involved in them?
 + In a democracy, citizens can change the law. Is it a sin to be
aware of unjust laws and yet do nothing to change them?

5. Don’t Exaggerate—or Underestimate—the Importance of

Politics
Politics is not all-important. We cannot create a prefect world or
bring in the kingdom of heaven through political activity. So we dare
not expect too much from politics.

But was it not a good thing to end slavery and apartheid? Is it not
a good thing to create more democratic societies and strengthen
human rights? Would it not have been a wonderful gift to the world
if German Christians before the rise of Hitler had worked politically
to keep things from getting worse? Politics is important—but not
all-important.

Final Questions:
L Is Jesus Lord of the Congress just as much as of the church?

L Does Jesus care as much about how you vote as how you
pray?

L How much time do you spend reading about and working on

politics?

L If politics is important, how should your priorities change?

Your schedule?

Further Reading: Sider, Just Politics, Chapters 1 and 2

5
 Lesson 2:
Why Do Good Christians
Disagree About Politics?
Y
ou probably know devout Christians who voted for different
candidates in the last election. (Did their disagreement put a
strain on their friendship?) One Senator votes against abor-
tion, but for tobacco subsidies. Another Senator does just the op-
posite. Both claim to be Christians. Sincere believers voted for both.
Sharp political disagreement among committed Christians is simply
a fact of life.
Why does it happen? Because you and I are limited. Our knowledge
is incomplete. And we still have not been freed from all selfishness
and sin.
If we had complete knowledge, then we would know what the best
laws were and who the best politicians would be. If we were perfect,
we would want the best politician even if that meant voting against
our own narrow self-interest.
Yet God in his wisdom made us finite. Our knowledge is limited.
During this life, we see through a glass darkly. We can know only in
part. Only in heaven will our knowledge be perfect (1 Cor. 13:12).
In addition, selfishness and sin still plague us—not even the apos-
tle Paul claimed to be perfect (Phil. 3:12). So we and our politi-
cal leaders sometimes make wrong choices because we care more
about ourselves than others.
God could solve our ignorance instantly—if God thought that would
be good for us. Sometimes, in the Old Testament, God supernatu-
rally directed a prophet to pick a political leader. God could send us
each a text or tweet to tell us who to vote for. But apparently the
creator prefers free persons with minds. The creator intends us to
use our brains to think carefully and choose wisely about political
decisions. Yet even when we do our best thinking, our knowledge is
still limited. So we get it wrong in spite of our most sincere efforts.
That’s why good Christians disagree about politics.
So what can we do?
We can never fully escape this dilemma in this world, but we could
make some progress if we realized that four components go into
every political judgment: [numbered list]
our personal history
a normative framework
an analysis of the world and
a (often unconscious) political philosophy.
Christians who understand each of these will find it easier to under-
stand why they often disagree over politics. They will also be better
able to resolve their disagreements.
1. Personal History
We all know that children who grew up in Republican families and
towns often vote Republican. The same thing happens in Demo-
6
cratic families and wards. People whose friends all accept right-wing
or left-wing ideologies tend to do the same.
Is this good?
Not if Jesus is our Lord. Christians dare not uncritically accept what
their friends or their families tell them about politics. If Jesus is Lord
of all, then he must be Lord of our political thinking and our voting.
That means Christians will try to set aside inherited, unexamined
political ideas and seek a biblical approach.
How can that happen? It will only happen if we start with a norma-
tive biblical framework.
2. A Normative Biblical Framework
Every political decision depends on some values, principles and
understanding of persons. Karl Marx thought persons were just
economic machines whose “decisions” the economic environment
totally shapes; thus Marx’s normative framework (his values, un-
derstanding of history, etc.) led to totalitarian government and the
murder of opponents. The bible says every person is created in
the image of God and is called by God to be a co-worker with God
freely exercising stewardship over God’s creation. That normative
framework leads to different political decisions.
Every vote requires some norms about right and wrong, about the
value of persons, and the meaning of life. Either Christians get this
normative framework from God’s Word or we get it from some secu-
lar source. Too often Christians unthinkingly get the basic principles
for our politics from secular sources—whether left or right. That’s
one reason we disagree so often. If Christians were more careful to
go back to the Bible for our normative framework, we could over-
come some of our disagreement. (In Lesson 3, we will explore some
key elements of a normative biblical framework.)
Further Study: Read Genesis 1-3
+ What principles do you find in this text about the nature of
persons?
+ What does it say about the creation and humanity’s call to
stewardship?
+ Think of a current, prominent politician. What are the key
values and norms that shape her or his decisions?
3. Analysis of the World
We need more than the Bible to think Christianly about politics.
Should we use nuclear energy? Should there be a flat tax or a
graduated income tax? Should there be a constitutional amend-
ment on abortion? Not one text in all of Scripture gives us a direct
answer. Biblical principles relate to each of those questions, but not
one biblical text tells us exactly what laws to write.
We must combine biblical norms with careful analysis of the world.
That means studying what does and does not work over the broad
course of human history. (For example, in the twentieth century we
have learned that a market economy is far more efficient than a
communist one.) Careful analysis also includes doing detailed study
(economics, sociology, etc.) on every concrete issue.
Is it a good idea to raise the minimum wage? Complete knowledge
of the Bible simply will not answer this question. To be sure, the
Bible does tell us that God has a special concern for the poor. Some
economists tell us that raising the minimum wage hurts the poor—
others disagree. God’s concern for the poor is a biblical matter. The
impact of minimum wage laws on the poor is a matter of economics.

Wise politics requires careful study on every issue.

4. A Political Philosophy
So we need a biblical framework and a careful study of our world.
Is that enough?

Not really. We make political decisions every week. It is impossible

every time you want to vote or write your Senator, to go back and
spend days (or months) studying the Bible and the world to learn
what is relevant to that particular political decision. If we did that,
it would take us years to decide how to vote.

So what do we do?

We need a road map, a short, handy guide that tells us the kind of
laws and politicians we should support—a political philosophy. With
a road map, you don’t have to call in the surveyors and do all the
measurements again every time you want to know how to get from
Chicago to Denver. A quick look at the map provides your answer.

That’s what a political philosophy does. (In Lesson 5, we will ex-

plore this in more detail.) It summarizes your conclusions on the
big questions like the role of government, the place of the market,
democracy, the best ways to work for economic justice, etc. Every-
body has a political philosophy even though they often don’t realize
it. Without one, we could not function in a democratic society.

Where does a political philosophy come from? Most people just ac-
cept what they learned from their family or their neighbors. That is
not good enough for Christians.

A political philosophy ought to come from two things: a normative

framework and social analysis of the world. Christians therefore
should develop our political philosophy as we combine our norma-
tive biblical framework with honest study of society. We should be
ready to modify our political philosophy whenever better biblical
understanding or further analysis of the world requires a change.
Meanwhile, with confidence and humility, we apply our current road
map even as we invite friend and foe to show us where the Bible or
“the fats” suggest we should improve it.

Further Discussion: Choose as an example a specific political issue

that divides Christians today.
c What are the relevant biblical norms that relate to this is-
sue?

c What are the most significant factual questions?

c What differences of political philosophy are at work here?

c Where specifically do we disagree? What specific kinds of

information would both sides accept to settle the disagreement?

(Note: It will help a lot if you specify precisely where and why you
disagree and do not confuse a disagreement over how to interpret
a biblical text with a disagreement over the economic facts or a
political philosophy about the role of government.)

Further Research: Sider, Just Politics, Chapter 2

7
 Lesson 3:
Staring with a Normative
Biblical Framework
S
hould there be laws against abortion? Should government en-
act laws to protect endangered species? Is an ongoing federal
budget deficit wise?
Answering these questions without some standard or normative
framework is impossible. Are the unborn human beings? Are hu-
man beings asked by God to be careful stewards of God’s created
garden? Is it ethical to ask our grandchildren to pay our bills?
Every political decision is grounded in some ethical principles and
normative framework. Tragically, many Christians unconsciously get
their norms for politics from secular thinkers rather than from Jesus
and the Scriptures. That is flatly un-Christian.
Jesus is Lord. Lord of everything in heaven and earth—Lord even
of politics. Therefore, Christians must look to God’s revelation for
the principles and norms to guide our politics.
What are the crucial parts of a normative biblical framework for
political thinking? It would take a library of books to give a detailed
answer (see the bibliography for a few good ones.) This lesson
develops a few of the most important ones.
1. The Special Dignity and Sanctity of Every Human Being
Every person—and only human beings—is made in the image of
God (Gen. 1:26). God calls us to stewardship of the nonhuman
creation (Gen. 1:26-28, 2:15). The Creator made us to find fulfill-
ment only when rightly related to God, neighbor, the earth, and self
(Matt. 22:37-40). God summons each person to respond freely to
his invitation of salvation, and to live forever in his presence (John
3:16).
2. Freedom of Belief
Throughout biblical history, God gives persons enormous freedom
to obey or to rebel (Matt. 5:45). Jesus’ parable of the wheat and
tares (Matt. 13:24-40) shows that God chooses to extend this free-
dom to persons until the final judgment. Therefore, religious free-
dom is an essential element of a good society.
3. The Family
Strong, stable families (persons related by blood, marriage, or
adoption) are essential for a good society. Keeping marriage vows,
accepting God’s design that sexual intercourse is reserved for a
man and a woman united in lifelong marriage covenant, and valuing
singles in the extended family are all important aspects of strength-
ening the family (Mal. 2:13-16; Matt. 5:31-32; 1 Tim. 5:4-8).
4. Justice
Justice includes fair, unbiased legal systems (Amos 5:10-15). Jus-
tice also involves economic structures that offer opportunity so that
all who can work have the capital and the opportunity to earn a
decent living and to be dignified, participating members of their
community (Num. 26:52-56; Lev. 25).
8
5. A Special Concern for the Poor
Hundreds of biblical texts describe God’s special concern for the
poor (Prov. 19:17; Ps. 140:12). God judges people and societies
by what they do to the poorest, weakest, and most marginalized. We
must care for those who cannot work (Acts 2:43-47; 2 Cor. 8:8-15).
6. Work
Work is essential to the dignity of human beings. Every able person
has the responsibility to work (2 Thess. 3:10-13). People also must
structure society so that every person can work in a way that re-
spects human dignity and earns a decent living (Lev. 25).
7. Peacemaking
Christians look forward to the time when “nation shall not lift up
sword against nation neither shall they learn war anymore” (Mic.
4:3). Until the Lord returns, unfortunately, persons persistently re-
sort to wars and rumors of wars (Matt. 24:6). Should Christians
sometimes kill for the sake of preserving peace (Rom. 13:1-4)?
Christians disagree. Yet we can agree that Jesus’ words “Blessed
are the peacemakers” are urgent in our time (Matt. 5:9).
8. Individuality and Community
Biblical faith holds together two things: first, the inestimable value
of each person and each person’s freedom to shape her own life;
and second, the fact that God made persons for community and we
can achieve wholeness only in right relationship with others in the
family and the larger society.
9. Government
The purpose of government is both to restrain evil and to promote
good (Rom. 13:1-7). God calls the king to do justice (Ps. 72:1-4,
12-14). That includes nurturing both fair courts and economic sys-
tems that strengthen the poor.
10. Stewardship of Creation
The earth is the Lord’s (Ps. 24:1). God calls us to “till and keep” his
creation (Gen. 2:15). The word shamar (translated as “keep” here)
is the same word used eight times in Psalm 121 to describe the
way God gently watches over us: “He who keeps Israel will neither
slumber nor sleep… The Lord will keep you from all evil.”
11. One-Issue Politics or a Biblical Balance?
Should Christians be one-issue voters? The best way to answer that
is to look again at what God cares about. The Bible tells us God
cares a lot about the poor and the family, the sanctity of human
life and the nonhuman creation, sexual integrity and peacemaking,
freedom and justice. If Christ is Lord of our politics, we will work
politically for a biblically balanced agenda.
Further Study: Read the biblical references in each of the above
sections.
+ What do these texts tell us?
+ Do they support the summary of this study guide?
+ Are there other texts that say the same thing?
+ Are there other important teachings that are crucial for a
biblical approach to politics?
+ What are they and what texts support them?
+ Are you ready to change your political opinions if careful
biblical study demands it?
 + What would it mean if you refused? Or even were reluctant?

Further Reading: Sider, Just Politics, Chapter 3

9
 Lesson 4:
should serve God “with all our mind” (Matt. 22:37). In our social
analysis, Christians should strive for the high standard outlined in
Proverbs: “my mouth will utter truth… All the words of my mouth
are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them” (Prov.

Studying Society Accurately

8:7-8). That kind of knowledge is better than “choice gold” (v. 10).

Clear, vigorous, ruthlessly honest thinking is a Christian virtue. That

is the kind of careful social analysis needed today. It would be an
inestimable gift to democratic political debate.

C
hristians in politics sometimes do stupid things, and not always
because we ignore biblical norms. Sometimes we simply fail Further Study: Read Proverbs 8:6-11
to do our homework. Sometimes we rush into politics without
studying society carefully. Just because we share God’s concern for + What does this passage tell us about the importance of truth
the poor does not mean we know how to reform welfare! for our political decisions?

Most Christians agree that when people cannot care for themselves,
then family first and finally government should help. Most also agree
that welfare assistance through government should strengthen, not
weaken, the family, personal responsibility and the obligation and
opportunity to work.
+ Do you think most politicians seek honest, careful analysis
the way this passage demands?
+ Can you think of recent examples were politicians have ig-
nored “the facts”?

Yet agreement on these biblical norms does not by itself qualify us + What should be the role of Christians (who worship the One
to tell the President and Congress how to reform welfare. We also who is the Truth) in promoting careful factual research?
need to know a lot about society. How many people are on welfare?
For how long? Does welfare itself create dependency that lasts for + What does God want you to do to obtain more careful
generations? Why are people on welfare? Is it because of sinful analysis?
personal choices or social sin? Or both? Is it partly that our whole
society has abandoned sexual integrity? Is it partly due to the long + How can you help each other in your church?
history of racism and the fact that low-skill, good paying jobs have
moved to Mexico and China?

This one “simple” question of welfare reform illustrates how essen-

tial and complex accurate study of society is for thoughtful politics.
Successful reform proposals require accurate answers to these big
questions about the real causes of long-term dependence on wel-
fare. But any contemporary social scientist who said they knew for
sure the correct answers to these big questions would be lying.

Some questions of course are easier. We can discover how many

people of what ethnic background are on welfare for how long. That
kind of data is also important.

If careful social analysis is both essential and yet never complete,

what do we do? Obviously, we must study as carefully as we can.
That means learning where to get accurate information. Regularly
reading one national newspaper is a good place to start. Many re-
search centers produce sophisticated studies on social policy (see
a list of a few in the Appendix).

Careful study is a communal task. None of us has enough time to

do all the study needed to obtain all the information we need for
responsible political work. So we need to find a few good organiza-
tions doing social analysis. How do we find reliable ones? Ask two
basic questions: Are the guiding norms of the organization ground-
ed in God’s Word? Are they known for fairness and accuracy? Join
those kinds of organizations and use their materials.

Some people feel overwhelmed with the complexity. They just throw
up their hands in despair at all the conflicting voices. That is un-
necessary. We should be humble about our present conclusions. We
should be eager to find better information. But then we should go
on confidently and humbly to act on our present knowledge. God
never intended us to wait to act until we are all-knowing.

God does, however, intend for us to use our minds Jesus said we
10
Lesson 5:
More Than Just the Bible &
the "Facts": Toward a Christian
Political Philosophy
W
e have seen how every political decision rests on two things:
normative principles and study of the world. In principle, ev-
ery time we wanted to make a careful, responsible political
decision we should examine all the relevant Christian norms and all
the pertinent social analysis. But that’s impossible. We simply don’t
have the time. We should not even feel bad about that because God
made us finite.
So we need a road map, but not just any will do. If our road map is
going to help us let Christ be Lord of our politics, we must root it
in a normative biblical worldview. If our road map is going to keep
us close to the real world, it must grow out of honest, accurate
knowledge of that world.
The Bible nowhere teachers a specific political philosophy. So we
never dare claim direct divine authority for ours. Political philoso-
phies emerge as people work together over time to combine their
normative framework with knowledge of the world.
In this lesson, we explore several aspects of a Christian political
philosophy. Developing one takes a lifetime. (Refer to the bibliog-
raphy to learn how other Christians have worked at it.) This lesson
is just a beginning.
The most important question in every section is this: Does your
conclusion follow from biblical norms and the best available rel-
evant knowledge? Keep asking yourself and your friends that ques-
tion and modify your political philosophy accordingly.
A political philosophy is only a very rough road map. Precise cal-
culations here are much harder than in geography! So never claim
your current road map is final, complete, or recently endorsed by
heaven. Use it humbly—but also confidently—until friend or foe
helps you improve it.
1. Human Rights
The right to life and freedom come not from government but from
God who made us in the divine image. Government should recognize
and protect freedom of religion, speech, and political activity. [list]
What is the ultimate basis for human rights?
Do these rights exist even when not recognized by the law of the
land?
2. “Church and State”
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution rightly respects hu-
man dignity and freedom by: 1) forbidding the government to es-
tablish any official religion; and 2) guaranteeing the free exercise of
religion. That means government should not directly fund churches,
synagogues, and mosques.
Does this mean there should be an absolute “wall of separation”
between church and state?
Should public officials only express their religious views in private?
Should government funding go only to secular agencies or should
religious and secular non-profits, for example, be equally eligible for
government funds authorized to promote some public good?
3. The Role of Government
Government should provide the legal and social context to guar-
antee citizens safety and promote their well-being. Yet limited gov-
ernment should also offer a setting where the other institutions in
society—church, family, media, business, etc.—flourish. Govern-
ment should carefully strengthen rather than replace these other
institutions when they experience trouble.
) What kinds of things should government legislate?
) Should individuals normally be free to harm themselves
(e.g., get drunk at home) if they do not harm others (drive
while drunk)?
) Should we even pass good laws if we cannot enforce them?
) How important is the teaching function of laws?
) Do people think that what is legal is moral? Is it?
4. Democratization and Decentralization of Power
Power is dangerous because of sin. Long ago, Lord Acton said
that power tends to corrupt and absolute power tends to corrupt
absolutely. Sinful people almost always use unchecked, centralized
power to benefit themselves rather than others. Therefore to avoid
totalitarianism and injustice, we must decentralize power.
There is also a positive reason to democratize power. The creator
gives each person a creation mandate to be a coworker with God in
shaping history. If a few people make all the decisions, the rest of
us cannot exercise our God-given mandate.
This principle of democratizing power shapes many aspects of a
Christian political philosophy, especially the next three parts on de-
mocracy, civil society, and the economy. Other things being equal,
decentralizing power is better—although some good things can
only be done at a central level.
) When is the concern to decentralize power less important
than some good that can only be done at a more central level?
) Can you think of concrete examples?
5. Democracy
A concern for human rights, individual freedom, and the decen-
tralization of power all lead to a democratic political order. When
freedom of speech, secret voting and universal suffrage exist, peo-
ple—at least in theory—have the political power to shape society
for the benefit of the majority. Separating legislative, administrative
and judicial functions also decentralizes power. So does balancing
national, state, and local government. [list]
To what extent does our nation have genuine democracy?
To what extent does centralized economic and political power un-
dermine democracy today?
How could we strengthen democracy?
6. Civil Society
Many institutions intermediate between the individual and govern-
ment decentralize power, and provide smaller contexts for human
communities to flourish. Theses include the family, the church, the
11
 media, the schools, businesses, and a host of smaller voluntary
associations. These intermediate centers of power provide a check
on governmental power and thus are a significant foundation of
freedom.
So, the question is: how do we know when the best place to solve a
real problem (e.g., the breakdown of the family or poverty) is some
intermediate institution in civil society rather than government?
7. Private Ownership and a Market Economy
The history of the twentieth century has taught us a clear lesson:
When the state owns and controls most of the economy, it central-
izes economic and political power so that totalitarianism is almost
guaranteed. Decentralized private ownership, on the other hand,
nurtures free individuals and serves as a counterbalance to po-
litical power. Determining prices and production via supply and de-
mand has also been far more efficient than central planning.
Huge privately owned corporations, of course, can also become
centers of enormous economic power. When the same corporations
own the media and provide most of the funding for election cam-
paigns, economic and political power is again dangerously central-
ized.
A concern for justice and freedom demands a continuing vigilance
against all forms of centralized economic power and constant ef-
fort to strengthen smaller centers of economic life including family-
owned farms and businesses, cooperatives, and widespread home
ownership.
Then, how can government counteract centralize economic power
without dangerously centralizing political power?
8. Family
Government rightly recognizes and favors the family (those related
by blood, marriage, and adoption) and especially the nuclear fam-
ily (wife, husband, and children) with its larger circle of extended
family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.). The family is an essential
element in a stable society. The family, not government, has the pri-
mary responsibility for raising children. Religious institutions can do
far more than government to strengthen the family, but government
should do what it can. That includes discouraging (although not
prohibiting) divorce and sexual promiscuity and recognizing that we
best serve children when they live with both of their parents. It also
includes not broadening the definition of marriage to include homo-
sexual partners and not defining family as merely any two or more
people cohabitating. Government should provide tax and other ben-
efits that favor marriage rather than cohabitation or divorce. [list]
How can government privilege two-parent families without being
unfair to single parents?
How strongly should government discourage divorce?
Are there any rights, short of the benefits that go with legal mar-
riage, that same-sex partners should have?
9. Care for Creation and a Sustainable Planet
We face a long-term environmental crisis. We must aim to develop
sustainable economic practices that enable us to pass on a lively,
sustainable planet to our grandchildren. The needs of the poor and
most vulnerable must be central in all environmental decisions; the
rich must pay the major cost of reducing environmental damage. We
must encourage alternative sources of energy that decrease our
reliance on non-renewable sources.
) How much affluence should we be willing to give up in order
not to destroy an entire endangered species or some other ir-
12
replaceable part of God’s creation?
) How do we balance the needs of workers and the environ-
ment?
10. Work and Workers
Work is essential to human dignity. Therefore, every able-bodied
person should have the opportunity to work at a job that pays a liv-
ing wage. Unemployment that denies the dignity of work to people
other than those properly in transition from one job to another is
immoral and socially destructive. Conversely, people who can work
must do so to earn their living. Welfare policies should help those
who cannot care for themselves but dare not discourage work and
responsibility. Workers have a right to safe working conditions, a
living wage, and reasonable job security.
) Is the legal right of workers to organize unions a good way
to counterbalance corporate economic power and encourage
justice?
) Do unions nurture dignity and self-respect?
11. The Priority of the Poor
Poverty has many causes. Those who are poor because they are
unable to provide for themselves should be given a decent living by
their family where possible and the government where necessary.
Those who are poor because of personal irresponsibility should
suffer appropriate consequences.
Justice at least demand that every person have equal opportunity
to acquire the basic capital (whether land, money, or education)
that will enable that person to earn a decent living and be a dig-
nified participating member of society. Strengthening the poor by
providing such opportunity should be a central concern of govern-
ment. Every significant governmental decision should be judged by
its impact on the poorest.
) What is the major cause of poverty?
) How can the government provide capital to the poor without
creating dependency? Can you think of current policies that do
that?
12. A Consistent Ethic of Life
The first and most basic human right is the inviolable right to life of
every human being. The first and most basic responsibility of civil
law is to recognize and protect this right.
Abortion involves the direct, intentional and violent taking of hu-
man life. No law that legitimizes the direct killing of innocent human
beings through abortion can be just. Therefore, we must work for
the legal protection of the unborn, and oppose all public funding
of abortions.
We must also develop a wide range of alternatives to abortion—
both to reduce the evil of abortion and to recognize that two people
are directly involved, not just one. A caring society will surround
women facing unwanted pregnancies with love and concrete sup-
port including financial assistance and better adoption alternatives.
Euthanasia—the direct killing of the aged and infirm either with or
without their consent—is wrong. That does not mean that it is im-
moral to refuse or withhold extraordinary medical treatment when
death is imminent or inevitable. But we dare not blur the distinction
between on the one hand allowing a person to die and on the other
killing a person.

Concern for a consistent ethic of life does not end with abortion
and euthanasia. Life does not begin at conception and end at birth.
Tens of millions of people die unnecessarily each year of starva-
tion and malnutrition. Tobacco and other drugs cause millions to
die prematurely each year. Capital punishment kills human beings.
We should seek to protect the sanctity of human life wherever it is
threatened and violated. [list]
Under what circumstances, if any, should abortion be legal?
What is the moral difference between deaths caused by abortion, by
capital punishment, and by lung cancer from smoking?

13. Peacemaking
Those who threaten society, from within or without, must be re-
strained. Historically, that has usually been done through lethal
force as a last resort. Historically, too, vast numbers of people
have been killed, yet in some cases nonviolent methods of conflict
resolution have successfully replaced lethal force. In the Twentieth
Century, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and a host of others
used nonviolent techniques to end oppression and seek justice. In
this century, the world was shocked by nonviolent uprisings that
overthrew decade-old dictatorships in Tunisia and Egypt.

Christians today disagree over the extent to which nonviolent mod-

els of conflict resolution can replace most or all use of lethal force.
Yet we all should agree that we must greatly strengthen the search
for nonviolent alternatives. Wherever possible, nonviolence must
replace lethal force.

) Do you agree that, “wherever possible, nonviolence must

replace lethal force”?

) Are there places where nonviolence will not work?

Final Questions

L Do you agree that Christians need a Christian political phi-

losophy?

L If so, how should we develop one?

L How much should we expect Christians to agree in their po-

litical philosophy?

L If all Christians submit to biblical revelation and honestly

accept the best social analysis, will we all agree on one political
philosophy?

L How do we resolve disagreements in political philosophy

among Christians?

Further Reading: Sider, Just Politics, Chapters 4-12

13
 Lesson 6:
The person who pays the piper calls the tune. Check out where
each candidate’s money is coming from. Are special interests con-
tributing a lot of campaign funds? Is the campaign high-budget or
low-budget?

How Should Christians Getting this information is not hard. Visit Project Vote Smart’s web-
site to get information on all candidates for national office. Similar

Judge Politicians
information is available at the state and local level.

Further Discussion:

c Should you vote for a non-Christian candidate who shares

I
n a democracy, we all vote frequently. At least we should! Regu- what you believe is a biblically shaped agenda rather than a
larly we face the tough task of choosing the best candidate. How Christian whose agenda is less “biblical?”
can we do that in a way that pleases Christ?
c What kinds of help do people in the group most want in
The Bible tells us that God desires righteousness, justice and peace. thinking through the questions in this lesson? How could you
Throughout the Old Testament, we see God punishing Israel for per- organize that?
sonal and social injustices. God’s goal, however, is not punishment
but a renewed society full of justice. Isaiah 1:1-26 is an amazing
text. It predicts terrible destruction because of unfair courts and
oppression of the poor. But it also promises that later, God will
wonderfully restore the nation to wholeness. God has not changed.
God wants you and me to vote in a way that promotes goodness and
wholeness in society.

But how do we know which candidate will do that best? (Or in bad
years, which one will do the least damage?)

1. Evaluate Each Candidate’s Platform

Lessons 3, 4, and 5 suggest one crucial part of the answer. We must
ask how the candidates’ platforms measure up to the standards we
have explored. Which platform is closer to the direction suggested
by a biblically grounded, factually rooted political philosophy? (You
must also ask if they are merely relying on some simplistic image or
are they truly offering concrete policy proposals!)

Answering this question is not impossible. Candidates gladly sup-

ply detailed position papers if you call their local campaign office.
Project Vote Smart offers excellent nonpartisan information on can-
didates’ platforms (go to www.votesmart.org or call 1-888-868-
3762).

Small discussion groups at church can evaluate the platforms us-

ing a Christian political philosophy. Evaluating the candidates’ plat-
forms—as long as you have reason to believe they mean it!—is
probably the most basic way to choose among them.

2. Evaluate their Character

Unfortunately, politicians do not always keep their word. So we also
have to assess their character to see if we think they will do what
they say and be wise, humble leaders.

Ask these questions about their character: [list]

Integrity and honesty. Have they kept their most basic promise to
their spouse? Have their dealings with others respected not just the
letter but the spirit of the law? Have they been honest?
Servant leaders. Do they seek to serve others or themselves? Are
they a voice only for themselves and for powerful interests? Or do
they speak especially for the poor and weak?
Attitude toward opponents. Are they fair to opponents? Do they use
half-truths and questionable attack ads? Do they twist the truth if
their election is at risk?

3. Follow the Money

14
Lesson 7:
church as church rightly takes a specific political stand. But only
very occasionally—after much prayer, biblical study, mutual dis-
cernment and study of the world.

How Political Should the

3. Normally, Specific Political Stands Should Be Left to Others.
Individual members of churches in their role as citizens rightly take
specific political stands. So do political clubs, organizations, and

Church Be? parties organized to deal with politics.

Groups of Christians should join in larger organizations to think to-

gether about politics. Such Christian organizations are necessary to
develop careful, concrete proposals for the complex world of poli-

S
hould the pastor endorse political candidates? Or regularly
promote specific legislation? Should the local congregation
or the denomination take specific political stands? Three prin-
ciples will help us with these questions.
tics that they base in both a normative biblical framework and care-
ful, extensive social analysis. Such organizations, however, must be
careful not to claim that their specific political conclusions are the
Christian position. (See the Appendix for some such organizations.)

1. Normally the Church as Official Church Should Not Take For Discussion:
Sides Politically.
Normally, the pastor in the pulpit, or the church board or national c Do you agree with these criteria?
denominational assembly in its official pronouncements should not
endorse candidates or specific legislation. Why not? There are at c Can you add others reasons to support or dispute these
least four reasons: criteria?

) The Church is not the state. Society has many different in- c Can you think of other instances where the church should
stitutions. These include the family, schools, churches, media, have taken a clear political stand?
businesses, and government. Earlier, we saw that Christian faith
leads to religious freedom that requires some basic separation c Are there current examples?
of church and state. In a good society, no one institution seeks
to dominate or rule over the others. To be sure, all the differ- c When should your pastor make political pronouncements?
ent institutions affect each other. The official structures of the Your congregation? Your denomination?
church, however, should not seek to dominate government.
Further Reading : Sider, Just Politics, Chapter 13
) The leaders of the church are not equipped to make complex
political decisions. Church leaders are trained to nurture faithful
Christian disciples, not to substitute as leaders of schools or
businesses or governments.

) Political decisions are complex. Therefore we should never

claim our specific political conclusions possess direct author-
ity from God or the church. Earlier, we saw that it is easy to
make mistakes in our political thinking at many levels: When we
develop our basic norms; when we study the world; when we de-
velop a political philosophy. We know that our concrete political
judgments inevitably include error. Therefore, we should avoid
claiming too much certainty for our conclusions. Regular, fre-
quent political pronouncements by pastors, congregations and
denominations run the great risk of forgetting this complexity
and neglecting this humility.

) A politicized church cannot fulfill central parts of its mis-

sion. Every church should be a winsome evangelistic witness to
all its neighbors. Every church should disciple and nurture all
its members. Every pastor should minister to people of every
political persuasion in the congregation. A pastor or congrega-
tion that regularly adopts partisan political positions will find it
difficult to perform these tasks in a way that people who differ
sharply over politics can accept easily.

2. Exceptions to the Rule

It would have been good for the German church to oppose Hitler. I
wish the white Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa had publicly
opposed apartheid.

Occasionally, the issues are so clear and so momentous that the

15
 What Should
Further Study:
+ Read Ephesians 4:15 and Philippians 4:8. Take a concor-

Churches Do? dance and discover how many other biblical texts call Christians
to truthfulness.

+ Re-read Galatians 2:11-14.

I
f the church does not normally make explicit political pronounce- L What is the difference between vigorous disagreement and
ments, does that mean the church has little to do with politics? By destructive verbal conflict?
no means. Every local congregation should do four crucial things:
L Can one run a successful political campaign using a bibli-
1. Articulate the Importance and Limitations of Politics cal standard of honest civil debate?
Church leaders should help their members see how political deci-
sions affect everyone. They should also help their people avoid the L Do the Christians you know in politics improve the charac-
political illusion that politics is the most important way to solve all ter of political debate?
our problems.
L What could your church do to improve the level of political
2. Teach a Biblical Framework for Political Engagement debate in your community?
Local pastors and other church leaders should preach and teach
about the biblical framework and ethical principles that we need L Is pointed disagreement always wrong?
to think and act so that Christ is Lord of our politics. In a faithful
church, the leaders will equip every member to approach politics
from a biblical perspective.

3. Organize Small Groups to Study Issues

Would not the church be an ideal setting for small study groups to
meet to discuss complex political questions? That kind of group
would be a great place to evaluate candidates and legislation using
a normative biblical framework and careful study of the world. Such
groups, however, rightly leave each member free to reach her own
conclusions.

4. Model How to Disagree Politically in a Way That is Civil, Re-

spectful and Honest
Honest Christian disagree. So do citizens in larger society. Demo-
cratic life would be much better if the disagreements were fair and
respectful. Would not the church be an ideal place to model more
respectful civil disagreement over politics?

Four commitments could help Christians offer a new model of civility

and respect:

) To avoid name calling: Let’s covenant to observe the differ-

ence between honest categorizing and distorted stereotyping.

) To avoid misrepresenting someone else: Let’s covenant to

state an opponent’s views so accurately that they will say, “Yes,
that is what I mean; we do disagree there.” (When in doubt, ask
them!)

) To avoid judging motives: Let’s stick to what we can know

rather than attribute bad motives.

) To promote honest submission to truth: Let’s invite those

who disagree with us to join us in examining disputed data.

Should Christians take the lead in making political debate more civil,
respectful and truthful? Paul calls Christians to “speak the truth in
love” (Eph. 4:15). We are to focus on what is true, honorable and
gracious (Phil. 4:8). Think of the impact if Christian citizens mod-
eled that spirit in politics.

16
Appendix
3. For Further Reading
) Ronald J. Sider, Just Politics: A Guide to Christian Action (Bak-
er, 2012).

) David P. Gushee, The Future of Faith in American Politics:

Christian Organizations Working on Politics The Public Witness of the Evangelical Center (Baylor, 2008).
) Evangelicals for Social Action has a regular Washington Up- ) Michael J. Gerson, Heroic Conservatism: Why Republicans
date in its magazine, PRISM; careful studies on specific issues Need to Embrace America’s Ideals (Harper, 2007).
of public policy; and a weekly ePistle.
Visit EvangelicalsforSocialAction.org for more information. ) Stephen Monsma, Healing For a Broken World: Christian Per-
spectives on Public Policy (Crossway, 2008).
) Bread for the World focuses on issues of hunger.
Visit www.bread.org ) Charles Colson, God and Government: An Insider’s View of
the Boundaries Between Faith and Politics (Zondervan, 2007).
Center for Public Justice is engaged in foundational reflection on
politics. www.cpjustice.org ) Jim Wallis, God’s Politics (Harper, 2005), and Rediscovering
Values: On Wall Street, Main Street and Your Street (Harvard,
) National Association of Evangelicals. Their “For the Health of 2010).
the Nation: An Evangelical Call to Civic Responsibility” is a widely
referenced, important evangelical consensus document. Visit
www.nae.net [for the document, http://www.nae.net/images/
content/For_The_Health_Of_The_Nation.pdf]

) Faith in Public Life sends a daily faith news with relevant

articles about the intersection of faith and politics.
Visit www.faithinpubliclife.org

Resources for Assessing Candidates

) Project Vote Smart is a comprehensive resource for citizens

seeking reliable and nonpartisan information about candidates.
Their nonprofit voters’ information center can give you: profiles
of candidates and elected officials; voting records and promises
on key issues; campaign finance data; evaluations of candidates
by every competing conservative and liberal interest group that
does them; issue briefs from interest groups and the media; and
key contacts to put you in touch with whatever information they
do not have themselves. www.votesmart.org

) The Candidates themselves usually have detailed position

papers on the major issues of the election. These are usually
available as a free resource for voters. Search online, write or
call their campaign offices—and read critically!

) Political debates for national and regional offices are usu-

ally televised. Seeing the candidates in action will also give you
insight into their character.

) Follow the money. Campaign finance disclosure laws make it

easy to get this information. Project Vote Smart has this infor-
mation available for all candidates for national office. You can
also get it directly from the Federal Election Commission for fed-
eral candidates. Go to www.efc.gov to search by candidate, po-
litical action committee, or political party or call 800-424-9530.

) Campaign disclosure laws vary from state to state, but by

calling the state, county, or city government offices, you can
probably find the agency that keeps comparable records. Anoth-
er valuable resource is the campaign finance watchdog group:
www.commoncause.org

17