Pastoral Reflection for October 29, 2024 by Pastor Hector Garfias-Toledo
In early 2016, when I was still serving in the Chicago area, a professor of political science at a college made a statement that has made me think and reassess my understanding of the interface between faith and politics. She said, “if Christianity is not political, it is not Christianity.” For a few days I was trying to understand what she meant in the context in which she made such a statement.
On the one hand, I understand the depth of her anger and frustration with the leaders of the college who had removed her from her position for expressing solidarity with the victims of the massacre (December 2, 2015) in San Bernardino, CA, by wearing a hijab and making statements that challenged the policies and theological positions of the college.
On the other hand, I will argue that her statement may amplify the tension that already exists between faith and politics, especially at this time when we face a serious challenge: trying to live faithfully in a highly charged political environment and a time of deep spiritual need.
Regretfully, the political machine and the mainstream media are taking advantage of such a difficult dilemma in which many people, including the Christian community, are immersed. You and I are bombarded with propagandistic headline statements, breaking news, and on top of it mailing and robocalls to entice us to go one way or the other, and to instill fear and mistrust.
If Christianity is political or politics, then we wouldn't need Jesus and a political party. Jesus could be just a subversive or revolutionary political militant with good ideas and a noble cause, which is not bad or wrong. There are many politicians who have done impactful things for the good of the society. However, we would still be part of a humanist values system that relies only on our effort and human achievement. To say that Christianity can not be Christianity if it is not political, in my view, leads me to believe that the Christian faith is just another human ideology based on an Western mindset of individualism and messianic syndrome.
So, what does all of the above have to do with today’s circumstance? What does it mean to be a participant in the reign of God, right here, right now? How do we respond to the tsunami of political propaganda in a faithful way that reflects who and whose we are?
I wish that there was a simple set of answers to all the questions above, and many more questions that may be crossing your hearts and minds as you read this reflection.
Perhaps my life journey has shaped me in a way that I see things from a different perspective. That is why you have heard me saying that I believe that “faith is not politics or political per se, but faith has strong political implications in our lives as individuals and as a community.”
You may be wondering what I mean by that. Faith is not political because faith is not a human achievement or virtue. As Christians, we believe that faith is a gift from God, which, as Miroslav Volf says in his book Free of Charge, “Faith is an expression of the fact that we exist so that the infinite God can dwell in us and work through us for the well-being of the whole creation.” Therefore, faith has to do with the very source of existence and purpose in life which transcends politics and politicians.
But, faith has political implications because it moves us to seek the well-being of the whole creation. Think for a moment of the implications of practicing our earthly political life guided by light and divine wisdom of the Spirit. Would I support a politician whose policies benefit me and my social class at the expense of destroying the environment, starting wars that displace people, starving people with sanctions, and neglecting our neighborhoods for the sake of the powerful, etc.? Would that align with God’s intent of shalom for the whole creation?
Faith is trust in our God. Jesus' way of life was a clear example of how by living faithfully he could shake the political systems of his times. He refused to despise his opponents, rejected positions of political power, and confronted the representative of the empire by saying “my kingdom does not belong to this world.” Jn 18:36 (MSG)
It has been disheartening for me to hear stories of families, congregations, and communities that have been torn apart due to politics even when they are people of faith. As the elections approach and the attacks and propaganda intensifies, the question is, what is the posture that the message of freedom and wholeness of the gospel invites us to take?
St. Paul says that we are to pray for the authorities (1 Tim 2:1-4 NRSVUE). Jesus said that we are to pray and love even those who we see as enemies (Matt 5:43-48 NRSVUE), and he showed it by walking a journey that led him to death.
In light of those words, I invite you to find time during the next few days to pray and to intentionally seek the guidance of the Spirit to speak truth in love, offer words of encouragement, seek healing and comfort, walk away from shame and condemnation, vore your consciousness, to see in others the God-given dignity that all people have received.
Here are a few resources that I hope you find helpful:
Kim Iversen Show: interview with John Woods of Braver Angels
Braver Angels (cross-partisan, volunteer-led movement to bridge the partisan divide for the good of our democratic republic)
Faith & Leadership: What do you pray for before an election?
In addition, I invite you to pray together for the next few days in the unity of the Spirit with a prayer written by Rev. Kimberly Deckel, an Anglican priest in Austin, TX.
God of humility, you humbled yourself to the point of death on the cross. You show us the way of the servant. Rather than being motivated by pride and self-righteousness, may we, as your people, clothe ourselves with kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Manifest in us the ability to hold in tension the disagreement of others and our own convictions with grace. Enlighten us, guide us, and strengthen us so that we may submit to your will through Jesus Christ, our Lord, our sibling, our friend.
May we all find the guidance, comfort, and courage to remain grounded in healing and transforming the grace of God in Jesus.
Your sibling and servant in Christ,
Pr. Hector Garfias-Toledo
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