Democracy

I believe that the democratic process is truly an enlightened form of government.  It is a process that was unknown in the time of Paul and Augustine - not to say that their wisdom does not apply - but that we can look at some of their admonitions about mixing the godly and temporal through that lens. 

I also believe that democracy is impacted by the eternal in the same way that kings and rulers of the Bible were impacted.  Therefore, our democratic form of governing is subject to the redemption of Christ.  It is not inherently evil or sinful. 

Some Christians believe that engaging in the political process is somehow not compatible with Christianity.  They believe that some line exists that Christian must not cross - that it makes us who are spiritual sullied in the things of this world. 

Where is this line that followers of Jesus must abide?  Why can't a Christian run candidates, engage in political discourse and even lobby fully in the Spirit and without sin?  What is it about the political process that puts limits on a spirit filled Christian? 

I was having a conversation with a friend and asked them if their church had a citizenship or salt and light ministry. "Oh, no,"  they said, "Our pastor makes sure to keep politics our of everything.  He believes it is devisive." 

I replied, "I wonder what he thinks of me: a spririt filled Christian making politics his vocation and ministry?  Maybe I don't really exist." 

Now I can understand how some would criticize the models of political involvment that currently exist for Christians.  I can also understand that its hard to deal with things that, done poorly, can be divisive.  But I reject the notion that politics- particularly in our democratic system - is somehow inherently unredeemable and therefore, it is unfit for the Christian community or part of our corporate life. 

With respect to redeeming politics, it specifically takes those who carry the Gospel within them to redeem this system that is often far from the ideal.  It takes those who are committed to Christ to build relationships with those with their hands on the wheels of politics to introduce them to the one who created freedom and equality.  It takes us, in all our broken-ness and forgiven sin to  wade into the gray and let the Spirit shine its light.  For only then will we really see and operate politically in all the fulness of what the democratic system was designed to be.