As we get closer to the November election, we become more focused on politics. Just how important are politics you might wonder. Does having the right politics affect our salvation. I would say that it could. Politics & religion are linked together, closer than many of us admit. They were linked during Jesus’ day too.
What do I mean by this? Let me back up. Aristotle in his book Nicomachean ethics ponders how important politics are for the individual as well as society. Aristotle said that one of the highest & most important vocations one could have would be to be a politician. We might find this odd since today politicians are assumed to be crooks or less than noble. For example, we might encourage a child to say I would one day like to be president. I don’t think that I ever heard a child say that I would like to be a politician. Aristotle rightly reasoned that it is a politician’s job to order society. The politician seeks to create a more just society. He or she makes it so the defenseless are protected, the hungry are fed, & the vulnerable people are treated with justice. The politician’s work affects all people in the society, so s/he must have great integrity, vision, courage, & strength. According to Aristotle & our church we believe that it is the duty of Christians & all of humanity to create more just societies, so that all may get what they need to develop their God given gifts. Good politicians do God’s work.
Bad politicians do the devil’s work. Politicians’ failures have negative effects upon religious belief & believers. Besides causing instability, pain, & evil for the society, some people refuse to believe in God because of political problems or evil in the world. Wars, genocide, neglect, &poverty cause innocent people to die. People see evil in the world & they declare it is God’s fault that the vulnerable & powerless suffer. In many cases if not all, politics is the problem. The failure of politicians to govern well causes some to lose their faith in God & in humanity. Rulers are unjust, power hungry, cruel, greedy, & evil. They either cause or allow evil things to happen. This evil in the world causes some to doubt God’s existence, thereby threatening their immortal souls. Bad politicians affect their ability to understand & comprehend God.
Was there a great separation in Jesus’ time between religion & politics? Not at all, the religious leaders were the state leaders. It is no surprise that Roman emperors declared themselves to be gods & to be descended from the gods. Power in the religious sphere as well as the political sphere was the same power.
Jesus separates faithfulness to his Father over allegiance to Jewish state or Roman state. Jesus through his wits & understanding of his relationship with his Father is able to avoid the trap placed before him. If he tells them not to pay taxes, then those who run the government for the Romans, the Herodians will go after Jesus, because he is encouraging his followers to not pay taxes, which is one of the few requirements placed upon the Jews by the Romans. If he tells them to pay their taxes, then the zealots might kill him, because he is supporting the Herodians & the Romans. Jesus reveals that we should give to God what belongs to God & to our governments what they require. Jesus makes the separation between his Father’s power & the power of
As we choose to elect our leaders we make our choices based upon our religious faith, our personal values, & a number of other factors. Our religious faith is more important than our political identification, yet our faith informs & directs our political choices. Our decision between McCain & Obama will most likely be based upon the religious & spiritual values that we have formed & continue to develop. Our relationship with God & with people in our church & society will affect our vote. We vote solemnly, deliberately & filled with hope. Our Christian values & political values both reside in our heart. We wish to create a more just society more responsive to God & to the needs of humanity.