It seems to be a never-ending conversation – when is it appropriate for people of faith to speak out on issues that some would define as political? Much of the criticism I have gotten over the years has been from people who believe that their loud, often vitriolic opposition to abortion is appropriate because it is against murder. I, like most people I know, would also like to see a world where abortion isn’t necessary, but I also recognize that the world isn’t that simple, and abortion isn’t in the Bible, so opposition, from that perspective, is minimal. Still, I support any person who peacefully – and lovingly – protests against something they believe to be wrong. When that protest moves into violence or control of another person, I oppose it.
How should Christians respond to Gaza or Ukraine or ICE or anything that blurs the line between morality and secularity? How should we respond if we think elected officials are behaving in ways that we believe to go against God and humanity? These questions have been dividing us for our all of human existence, and I see no end to this division. During the Revolutionary War, Christians argued both for separation and against it – the Divine right of the king, some argued, is to rule over his subjects, since God has placed the king in his position. Others argued – and fought – for the rights that became central to our Declaration of Independence and Constitution, believing that there are inalienable rights given to us (unless you were an enslaved person or a woman) by our Creator. And both the South and the North believed that God was on their side in the Civil War, and our original sin of slavery nearly destroyed this imperfect union.
I’m going to look at some issues from a biblical view and see what we should think about, as people of faith, when encountering social/secular issues. If you have a topic you would like for me to tackle, please let me know, and I will do my best. I will be clear that this is my interpretation, and I don’t expect anyone to agree with me completely. I just want to open up a dialogue that goes beyond siloing and immature taunting. Maybe – if we look at more than one side of a topic – we can figure out how to get along better. We don’t need to agree, but we do need to understand and respect each other. And – possibly – grow in our understanding. We will see…
Prayer – Holy God, life is complicated, and simplistic answers solve nothing. Help us to see the views of others so some sense of harmony might arise. Amen.
Today’s art is “Empathy” by Patricia Allingham Carlson.