Political Corrections

I received more comments than usual on my last post, and several of them seemed to miss the point I was trying to make. That’s on me. I wasn’t clear, and using the MAGA slogan made it read more partisan than I intended.

My last article was not a veiled attempt to argue against voting for Donald Trump. To be clear, I’ve previously made my case for why I will not be voting for either candidate later this year. But voting is a conscience issue. In making my case, I am not supplying my position with the weight of Christian conviction. Followers of Christ will inevitably make different political choices, and there should be room for that within local churches even.

My last post was also not a denial of American greatness. I believe America is uniquely exceptional. The American story is unprecedented in that never before has a nation been founded on a set of political ideals. Our constitutional republic is worth fighting to preserve. Every Christian citizen of any nation should be committed, in the name of Christ, to working toward the flourishing of their state. If the slogan wasn’t so identified with a particular candidate, I would line up enthusiastically behind the sentiment to make America great again.

My last post was about the question of ultimacy. Throughout history, the name of Christ has been subjected to national interests, and the rise of the Nazis in pre-WW2 Germany supplies one terrifying example. If we belong to Christ, we cannot allow any priority to rise higher than the cause of his Kingdom. We, after all, are not ultimately citizens on earth, but citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20). We live in a highly political moment, and I’ve personally witnessed the fire of many Christians grow cold as they get sucked into the partisan vortex. I wrote to remind readers that, as much as we all want to see our nation achieve greatness, that goal must never rise above our enthusiasm for Christ and the mission of the church. Christ doesn’t serve national interests.

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