For all of you politically lost Christians out there who don’t want to be a Democrat nor a Republican, there is a place for you. I would like to choose a side here and put all of my support behind a party, but when the parties values seem to be diametrically opposed to Christians values, what is a person to do?
If you believe that all life, even unborn life is sacred, then its difficult to be a Democrat. It’s also hard to be a Democrat when they support the LGBTQ+ agenda despite Romans 1. But who can turn to Republicans when they “ignore the cries of the poor”, and don’t really believe in the notion that all people are created in God’s image. How could I support a party that has become so blatantly racist in recent years? This is even made more difficult when it seems all the Christians around you are now supporting MAGA.
The good news it that you are not alone. Be like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor and theologian who became the lone anti-Nazi dissenter among a church that had compromised it’s values in favor of nationalism. As Christians, we are not trying to be popular or fit into any neat political categories especially when doing so compromises our biblical convictions.
So, how do we move forward? We move forward by engaging in our communities, serving the ‘least of these,’ and advocating for justice without needing a party’s permission. We don’t have to fit into a neat category to make a difference. By standing in the gap—much like Bonhoeffer did—we offer the world a heart uncorrupted by the search for worldly power.
And the lust for worldly power can be blinding. It blinded many potential followers of Jesus who were looking for a powerful worldly Messiah that would bring Rome to it’s knees. The same can be said of our modern culture, we are looking for someone in Washington to save us–to save us from the other party, or those other Americans who would do us harm. First of all, it seems strange that anyone would need to be saved from their fellow Americans. The truth is both sides probably want what’s good for America, we just have different ideas about how to achieve that good (and yes, we often do disagree on what “good” is, but almost no one wants to hurt other Americans, right?). Secondly, if all your hopes are in Washington, you are somewhat of a statist meaning you worship the state. Christians on the other hand, believe that this is idolatry and worship is reserved for God alone.
Like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, we are called to be “politically lost” if that is what it takes to remain spiritually found. By standing in the gap, uncorrupted by the search for worldly power, we offer the world something far more valuable than a political vote: we offer a clear picture of Christ’s love and a reminder that our true citizenship is not of this world.