Jesus for President: Declaring Independence from Partisan Politics (by Becky Garrison)
Soccer moms, NASCAR dads, and now holy hipsters have been touted by political pundits and the mainstream media as the group du jour that political candidates must court in order to win the coveted presidential prize. Using select books and blogs, they conclude that these missional millennials have abandoned the political party of their parents and will be casting their ballots for Obama come November. However, as Jim Wallis wrote earlier this year, "This doesn't mean young evangelicals are automatically becoming Democrats (and I don't think they should). It does mean that their agenda is broader and deeper, no longer beholden to a single partisan ideology."
Once again, the Holy Spirit has a way of transcending conventional wisdom, thus shining forth the power of the risen Christ. For example, when CNN covered the Jesus for President tour, the reporter tried to draw the conclusion that this Christian crowd blesses Barack Obama. When I caught Shane Claiborne, Chris Haw, and friends in New York City, yes, some religious progressives present chose to dance to the beat of a Democratic drummer. But Shane & Co. preached and sang to a different tune, proclaiming, "No more donkeys. Long live the lamb." Claiborne notes, "This is not about going left or right, this is about going deeper and trying to understand together. Rather than endorse candidates, we ask them to endorse what is at the heart of Jesus, and that is the poor or the peacemakers. When we see that, then we'll get behind them."
Citing examples where both Democrats and Republicans used Jesus as a political pawn to advance their own agendas, Shane & Co. remind us that we are electing politicos, not prophets. My observations covering American Christianity echo these concerns. Whenever religious leaders choose to walk into any party's campaign headquarters, they risk ending up bowlegged with a bad case of the spiritual rickets.
The Jesus for President tour reminded us all that transformative change will be contingent not on who we vote for Nov. 4, but how we live our lives on Nov. 3 and 5.
This sentiment for a change that transcends partisan politics continues to be echoed by activists such as Tim Kumfer, who stated in a previous God's Politics blog post that, "Widespread social change will not come merely from the election of a 'change candidate,' but from the movements of nonconforming minorities, faith communities, and others, whose lives take the shape of servanthood and whose voices are joined with those on the opposite side of the power equation. This is our real work, to which we must be committed for more than one day in November."
When Diana Butler Bass spoke at the American Academy of Religion's 2007 annual meeting, she reflected that she finds "vitality in those churches who are tapping into a global spirit that infuses religion, politics, and the culture at large, transcending organizations and individuals" [emphasis added]. In The Great Emergence, Phyllis Tickle compares this period of massive upheaval to other reformations, such as the Great Reformation, the Great Schism, and the Great Transformation.
During this time of transformation, how do we avoid being seduced by media attention and power into serving an earthly king instead of our king in heaven? I cover Christian carnage for a living and it pains me when people who I know have good intentions end up advancing their own activist agenda instead of proclaiming the good news. In our quest to practice the radically inclusive politics of Jesus, Tickle keenly observes the need to navigate through these rocky religious waters, "prayerfully and carefully. As is true with any major social or political or religious upheaval, how we can or should navigate it all is not always clear on a day-to-day basis."
One small change that's become evident to me is the need for Christian gatherings to more accurately reflect the body of Christ. For example, I've lost track of the social justice events I've attended these past few years that bore a closer resemblance to Ivy League college reunions or a local Democratic party pow-wow than the kingdom of God.
What keeps us from including the person we see sleeping on the church steps or whom we serve at the soup kitchen? Why can't we create space for those who differ with our political beliefs? Jesus brought together tax collectors, zealots, prostitutes, and the occasional Jewish religious leader. Heck, he even converted the centurion who stood guard during his crucifixion. Now that's a Christian conference I'd like to cover. If we claim Jesus as our Lord, shouldn't our gatherings accurately reflect the ministry espoused by the radical rule-breaking, love-making Jesus? After all, he is our king and we are his kingdom here on earth.
Becky Garrison will be featured in the documentary The Ordinary Radicals. Also, her interview with Phyllis Tickle, which focuses on Tickle's forthcoming book The Great Emergence,
Add to:
Category: Elections, Faith and Politics
Add to Del.icio.us
Add to Technorati
Add to Digg
Add to Newsvine
Comments
Beautiful! Thank you Becky.
Posted by: Jarrod Saul McKenna | July 3, 2008 1:26 PM
This is truly a prophetic word. The transforming of our country and world cannot just come from one single leader, but from the people themselves, especially in a country such as ours. As people of faith with a call to social justice, it is necessary that we be a part of that people that are working for change. Becky, God bless you and your inspiring words,
Posted by: Jesi | July 3, 2008 1:37 PM
So what do you make of high profile emergents (notably Tony Jones and Brian McLaren) endorsing and advising Barack Obama? How does that differ from what the religious right has done with Republican candidates?
Amy Sullivan, a former Sojo herself, stated that the Christian left is growing. Isn't that a more honest observation of the trend we are witnessing?
Posted by: kevin s. | July 3, 2008 3:09 PM
Amy Sullivan, a former Sojo herself, stated that the Christian left is growing. Isn't that a more honest observation of the trend we are witnessing?
Not necessarily -- the trend, really, is toward civility, commonality and reconciliation, all of which were almost by definition anathema to the right (which is being basically almost shut out for that reason). That's why it looks as though things are trending left.
Posted by: Rick | July 3, 2008 3:34 PM
Oh, Rick, why must you be so cynical? That attitude doesn't promote civility, commonality, or reconciliation. There are good people across the political spectrum.
Posted by: judithod | July 3, 2008 3:48 PM
Oh, Rick, why must you be so cynical?
That's reality, not cynicism, on my part, especially considering my nearly 30 years in dealing with the political right. Even now I know few conservatives who are willing to accept valid viewpoints other than their own. Just last week the owner of one conservative Christian blog I visit from time to time insulted Barack Obama for basically not subscribing to his ideology (and he also regularly slams Brian McLaren and Rick Warren, among others, for not "toeing the line"). Based on other responses on that thread, that kind basically wants its limited agenda to be recognized exclusively as God's Word, not realizing that those days are over.
Posted by: Rick | July 3, 2008 4:13 PM
"So what do you make of high profile emergents (notably Tony Jones and Brian McLaren) endorsing and advising Barack Obama? How does that differ from what the religious right has done with Republican candidates?"
I don't think there's any problem with offering advice when asked. As far as endorsement, I think it is disheartening. But only a little bit. It's disheartening because endorsement of a candidate seems like an admission that jesus' way isn't actually realistic so we should instead look to some second-best option. Or it suggests that some candidate is "pretty much/close enough." But it's disheartening only a little bit, because what Tony Jones or Brian McLaren does is not that important for you and me. Whatever their reasons, they are welcome to them and ought to act on them. November 4th will come and go and have no influence on the loyalty of those who follow the one king and him alone.
Posted by: jon felton | July 3, 2008 4:28 PM
"Whatever their reasons, they are welcome to them and ought to act on them. "
They are indeed welcome them. It's the self-righteous handwringing over partisanship that irks me.
Posted by: kevin s. | July 3, 2008 6:00 PM
As a post-liberal centrist, a Democrat, a 53-year old seminary student and Obama supporter, I agree with author Phillip Yancey that aligning one's Christian faith with a political party is incompatible with grace. I think Dr. Bass' book about the 50 liberal churches she highlighted is not representative of the direction of Christianity in the United States. I suppose it was a hopeful message for the liberal churches that are following the new gnostic trend of the "historical Jesus" and universalism. It seems the leadership of the mainline Protestant churches (I am a United Methodist) are determined to force a liberal theological agenda, while "orthodox" Christianity is growing dramatically in the global south. Meanwhile, American journalists remain ignorant about Christianity and faith and seem only to report on faith and Christianty in terms of the American political system. I can remember when the newspapers and tv news were very inadequate in reporting business, and science news. They figure it out and do much better. Now it's time for the news media to become aware of religion and especially Christianity. I recommend that the Pew Foundation (one of the very few reliable and knowledgable souces of religion news and insight) team with a couple of independent seminaries (Asbury of Fuller, for example)to create a religious journalism program.
Peace and grace,
Mike
Posted by: Mike M. in Colorado | July 3, 2008 7:09 PM
For those of us who aren't leftists or even liberals, and yet find know-nothing reactionary politics anathema too, our definition of conservatism is experiential and practical rather than ideological.
Like all reasonable people, we welcome the challenge of ideas that might conflict with our own understanding or misunderstanding, in order to develop that practical experiential approach we seek for the good of all, upholding transcendant values and even through polite reason to offer our ideas to others.
Posted by: Sojourner Truth | July 3, 2008 8:57 PM
Becky,
Nice commentary. I attended the Jesus for President session in Grand Rapids in the last couple weeks. Shane and others are right about moving away from a partisan focus, however I was very disappointed in their lack of engaging the current issues and engaging the audience in their presentation. You are right about the need to have true wide-ranging diversity like Jesus had among his disciples and followers ... it's just so difficult to accomplish in today's polarized and partisan church denominations and political parties.
The younger generations (Gen X and younger) are moving more left and surveys indicate this, but the overall numbers are only moving slightly which doesn't make for very exciting news in the media. Moving left doesn't mean becoming Democrats, just leaving a conservative Republican philosophy. It will take decades for this shift to take place as many in the older generations will need to pass away before the numbers shift in a big way.
Posted by: Marc Andreas | July 3, 2008 10:06 PM
As a born-again social liberal like Jim Wallis, I write again to warn you you're on the edge of the proverbial slippery slope. into church/religious-state confusion.
Tony Campolo famously says confounding church and state is like putting together ice cream and horse manure. It doesn't hurt the manure but it ruins the ice cream.' I agree about the ice cream, but Thomas Jefferson and I old it's deleterious for the horse manure as well.
I have derived from the grand old Deist and his Baptist allies in the struggle to undo the devil's second best trick, the Constantinian Establishment, two arguments, either one sufficient, for the strictest construction of the Constitutional Separation of Church/religion and state.
1 As a Citizen I object that the establishment of any church or other form of religion as an official cultus invariably leads to the corruption of the state, in that the state becomes an instrument for the suppression of all other churches and forms of religion, and therefore the unequal treatment, usually the persecution, of some of its citizens.
2 As a Christian I object that such an establishment leads to the corruption of the established church or religion, in that ambitious men, sincere believers in that cultus or professing hypocrites, will flock to that cultus to advance their own personal agendas, to the destruction of any spirituality.
Witness the Cheney/Bush administration, with its utter contempt for hard facts derived by scientific endeavor in favor of a ill-substantiated minority scientific view.
Witness their cynical exploitation, through an informal establishment of a few ill-advised– let us hope merely 'ill-advised'– 'evangelical' leaders, of a large portion of the Church in the US in support of war, death, famine, and pestilence, at home and abroad.
Posted by: Ted Voth Jr | July 4, 2008 2:01 PM
I support the idea of liberating the gospel from the clutches of partisan politics. Many of us outside the USA are troubled when Americans wrap their flag around the cross. So it is heartening to see evangelicals especially young ones attempting to raise the public awareness to the issues of the Kingdom.
But, in order to be president of the USA, doesn't the person have to be a USA born citizen? If Jesus is to be a viable candidate, he must be an American citizen and not citizen of any other nation right? And more importantly, what makes you think he would even want to be president of your country? Isn't this a rather big assumption on your part? Jesus for President title strikes those beyond your borders as being exclusive, insular, cheeky and elitist. It may make you feel good but it cheapens Jesus. Thought you might like to know.
Posted by: Mark in Canada | July 4, 2008 2:37 PM
I dunno… 'Cheeky'? I'm not entirely happy with Jesus for president, it offends my separationist persuasions, but I think it's tongue-in-cheek.
But the One who came as the 'Prophet like Moses', and who sits at the right hand of the Father as the Great High Priest, will rule over all of us when He returns as King of Kings. The USA will be obsolete then.I can't wait till He gets back, though!
Posted by: Ted Voth Jr | July 4, 2008 2:56 PM
Ted, read it if you get the chance.
The title, I think, is intended not so much to propose a candidate to Christians, but to propose a problem.
Posted by: jon felton | July 28, 2008 2:01 PM
Post a Comment
Are you aware of our Rules of Conduct?