religion & politics

A common stereotype perceives a politician as a person with low moral standards, inclined to political bargaining to keep their election seat. We often hear remarks on politics as depraved, dishonest, and corrupt. However, some honest people keep their promises and hold on to their moral values. Unfortunately, they are not part of the majority, which is why the "art of the possible" has earned a bad reputation. Another common remark is that Christians should not engage in politics, as our Kingdom is from above, and religion and politics should be strictly divided. These are common misconceptions that I plan to elaborate on.

Governments may change, but more often the establishments remain the same, corrupted, selfish, and greedy. The problem is deeper and goes into the core of the character of a particular nation (ethos) and therefore reflects on the political domain. That is why collective metanoia is the "conditio sine qua non" - "[a condition] without which it could not be" for changing particular state policies. Taking true spirituality instead of political religion, embracing ethics instead of nepotism, and taking accountability instead of selectivity and demagogy. Choosing skills, education, and moral standards instead of mediocracy is the golden rule we have to follow in our venture of taking our country back.

Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle outlines his views on the nature of the state, the role of the individual within society, and the principles of good governance. He believed that the state is a natural entity, designed to serve the needs of its citizens, and that its purpose is to promote the common good. He also believed that the state should be organized in such a way as to allow individuals to achieve their full potential and that the best form of government is one in which the people have a say in the decisions that affect their lives. The citizens have to participate in the political process.

Saint Augustin, in his work "De civitate Dei," illustrates the contrast between two realities or states depicted in two cities ("civitas Dei" and "civitas terrena"). First, the godly city is the place where all the angels and Christians abide. The residents of the second one are inclined to their sins, greed, and selfishness. The human inclination toward sin (libido dominandi) is placed in the very heart of the second city, while the unselfish need to serve one another is placed in the center of the godly city. This dualism depicts the ongoing tension between the career politicians who exercise politics for the sake of politics, instead of exercising it for the sake of the people who entrusted their votes to them.In that respect, Christians are called to be socially and politically responsible and to exercise their faith and moral standings in the political domain. Like in Augustin's parable, our political reality needs to shift from one city to another. From selfish and corrupt officials to virtue-inclined servants of the people who will make society a better place and serve its residents regardless of their religious, political, or other beliefs or inclinations. That is the part we are responsible for.

Congregations are places of social interaction and exchange where people expect to learn how to strengthen and endure their faith in the current circumstances. The meaning of the word ecclesia (gr.) in ancient Greek is "gathering of those summoned" - assembly of citizens, therefore the church is a public square where people discuss faith and learn how to exercise it in the public domain and daily life. The church must be vocal in addressing important social issues by providing a way to educate its members. As Christians, we are not only obliged to be good witnesses but to provide a moral high ground in this fallen society and to embrace the officials who will represent those values in the political domain. Every congregation has to decide whether it is “progressive” or a faithful church that is also socially and politically responsible. Congregations should indirectly support, not necessarily endorse, political candidates, to preserve their tax-exempt status, but pray for the candidates who will represent and preserve traditional family and constitutional values and provide a safe upbringing of our children.

Political passivity is no longer an option, not in the current political constellation where traditional, family, and Judeo-Christian values are under unprecedented attack. Public altercation is simply a must, just like in times when Bonhoeffer wrote these words:“ Here and there, people free from public altercation into the sanctuary of private virtuosness. But anyone who does this must shut his mouth and his eyes to the injustice around him. Only at the cost of self-deception can he keep himself pure from the contamination arising from responsible action. Despite all that he does, what he leaves undone will rob him of his peace of mind. He will either go to pieces because of this diquiet, or become the most hypocritical of Pharisees.” (Dietrich, Bonhoeffer, “Letters and Papers from Prison”, A Touchstone Book, New York, 1997: 5)Christians residing in liberal states often face different challenges with the public education system. Schools and universities are places where our children will be faced with ideas often diametrically different from their Christian upbringing. Therefore, family and congregation play a major role in preparing them spiritually and intellectually to endure those obstacles while preserving their faith.

In the current predicament, amid cultural wars and perfidious attacks of Cultural Marxism, Christians and their congregations cannot stay politically unbiased and neutral. That is a luxury we cannot afford. We are supposed to stand firmly by the principles of faith and exercise them in the political domain. We can't remain political bystanders: “Mere waiting and looking on is not a Christian behavior. The Christian is called to sympathy and action.” If we come from the premise that politics is the deprived realm that Christians should avoid at all costs, we inherently fail in part of our social outreach, which has a political dimension as well. If we are out of the game, the political playfield is left solely to people who might not have our best interests at heart and certainly lack a moral compass, a divine guidance that could be found only in the Judeo-Christian religion. The outcome of such passivity comes at a great price, so it has to be ultimately ruled out.

What happens if we don't do that? We are allowing corrupted and career politicians to create agendas and bills that will fit their questionable morals and conform our lives, our cities, and our neighborhoods to their selfish and greedy goals. Look at San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and countless other cities that are ruined by socialist, selfish, and deprived policies and plans that serve solely to increase bureaucracy, increase taxes, and indulge their unquenchable thirst for power. Those cities are systematically destroyed by officials who know exactly what they're doing, but they're not doing it for the benefit of the people, but for the sake of keeping their seats afloat.

To reinvigorate the words of William Parkins in pursuit of the meaning of "vocation": "A vocation or calling is a certain kind of life ordained and imposed upon man by God for the common good". By the same token, every Christian is called to be politically responsible, either by voting or engaging directly. Politics should become a common good, which echoes Aristotelian definition, but to what extent it will become the "common good", only depends on the virtues of the people who will practice it.