What do we do now?
In the wake of the July 13 attack on former…
Thinking about politics
Augustine and David Lipscomb provide valuable guidance for Christians.
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Recent political events show that the 2024 election season will be anything but boring. Social media is flooded with political opinions, and church conversations often steer toward favorite candidates. As Christians, how can we navigate this? Let’s turn to church history.
Insights from two influential theologians, Augustine and David Lipscomb, provide valuable guidance for Christian engagement in the political process. Augustine, in his book “The City of God,” introduced the concept of dual citizenship: the “City of God” and the “City of Man.”
Related: What do we do now?
While Christians live in the earthly city, their ultimate allegiance is to the heavenly city. This dual citizenship requires engaging in worldly affairs, including politics, with a mindset oriented toward Christian principles.
Under Augustine’s guidance, we are encouraged to participate in politics to promote justice, peace and the common good. Augustine acknowledged human government’s imperfections but believed Christians should work within these systems to reflect God’s justice and priorities.
Related: On Episode 78 of The Christian Chronicle Podcast, two Christians — Shay Cathey, a Democrat from Texas; and Michele Woodhouse, a Republican from North Carolina — discuss their approaches to politics.
His approach recognized that no earthly government will ever be perfect, yet Christians have a duty to advocate for policies that align with their values, such as protecting the vulnerable and promoting ethical governance. This active political engagement seeks the common good in a fallen world while holding firm to your ultimate place in God’s Kingdom.
In contrast, David Lipscomb, a prominent figure in Churches of Christ, advocated for a more separatist approach in his book “Civil Government.” Lipscomb argued that human governments are inherently corrupt and that Christians should refrain from participating in political processes, including voting.
David Lipscomb, right, co-founded Lipscomb University with James A. Harding, left, as the Nashville Bible School in 1891.
He believed that Christians should focus on the Kingdom of God and live out their faith apart from worldly political systems. His views have powerfully shaped our churches and our consciences since the late 1800s.
Lipscomb’s view was that Christians should avoid entanglement with governmental affairs, seeing such involvement as compromising their spiritual integrity. He suggested that true allegiance to God’s Kingdom requires complete separation from the political machinations of the world.
In Oklahoma, a line of voters three-hours long stretches around the Edmond Church of Christ building during early balloting in 2016.
This perspective emphasizes the importance of living out Christian values through personal conduct and communal life rather than through political means. His approach calls for Christians to demonstrate their faith through acts of love, charity and peaceful living, rejecting the use of political power to achieve their goals.
Often, one of these two views — Augustine’s or Lipscomb’s — are present in the people we meet in our churches. It can be helpful while listening to someone think politically to ask which approach they are taking.
But what about your own thinking? Both Augustine and Lipscomb help us think about politics. While Lipscomb’s emphasis on nonparticipation highlights the dangers of political idolatry and corruption, Augustine’s approach offers a practical framework for engaging in politics without losing sight of one’s ultimate allegiance to God.
In the end, Christians should engage in prayerful discernment, seeking God’s guidance in their political choices. Following Lipscomb, we might affirm that government, though instituted by God, is imperfect at best and harmful at worst, a point which calls for measured participation and taking care not to idolize the political choices we make.
Related: Christians pray for Trump — and the divided nation — after assassination attempt
Following Augustine, we should evaluate candidates and policies critically, considering how they align with our Christian values and principles.
Informed by both thinkers, we should participate in the political process where it can promote the common good and reflect Christian ethics, while maintaining a critical distance from political idolatry. Both thinkers would encourage us to see that our ultimate allegiance is to the Kingdom of God.
MATTHEW DOWLING is preaching minister for the Plymouth Church of Christ in Michigan and a hospital chaplain working in the surgical ICU and oncology floors at Trinity Health Ann Arbor hospital.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn money from qualifying purchases made through the links on this page.
