“I am in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” -- John 17:23
In my lifetime, the evangelical church has often attempted to assert its influence in America through political means; endorsing candidates, vying for platforms within the Republican party, boycotting Disney, etc.
When we feel our country start to lean in the wrong moral direction we simply apply political or economic pressure in order to right the ship and “reclaim our nation for God.” But is legislating morality the best way to influence our nation and our world?
Whenever Christians think that we can support our ethic by simply pressuring Congress to pass laws or to spend tax money, we fail to do justice to the radically communal quality of Christian ethics. In fact, much of what passes for Christian social concern today, of the left or of the right, is the social concern of a church that seems to have despaired of being the church. Unable through our preaching, baptism, and witness to form a visible community of faith, we content ourselves with ersatz Christian ethical activity - lobbying Congress to support progressive strategies, asking the culture at large to be a little less racist, a little less promiscuous, a little less violent.”
[The church’s] most credible form of witness is the actual creation of a living, breathing, visible community of faith”… “a place, clearly visible to the world, in which people are faithful to their promises, love their enemies, tell the truth, honor the poor, suffer for righteousness, and thereby testify to the amazing community-creating power of God. -- Stanley Hauerwas and William H. Willimon from Resident Aliens
Do you agree or disagree with this assessment? If so, how can we as a church live this out with issues such as abortion, war, or poverty?
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