Is it right to bring God into the political fray?
Dear Editor,
The role that Christendom has had in politics has not gone without notice. Name any major political event and the presence of the clergy is noticeable, imploring God’s favour and blessing on the occasion.
Although being optimistic is a natural part of our human disposition and having God’s favour on our undertakings is probably the best boost and encouragement that anyone could hope to have, it’s still essential to know if our hope is counterfeit or if it actually rests on solid foundation. For example, beseeching God’s blessing on a political party as it takes charge of office is to assume that the members of that party are in sync with God’s will as set forth in the scriptures. Is that the case? For, if not, how will a request for help or divine intervention receive God’s approval if He’s advising one thing while world leaders are demanding something else?
The Bible speaks of peace as one of God’s clear objectives (Isaiah 2:4), yet across the globe war and individuality couldn’t be more accentuated. Is God to surrender his own purposes to acquiesce to ours, however mismatched? And what does that say of the Church that is bent on conflating the will of God with the conceits and independence of man?
Further, it seems that beseeching God’s favour on a given side that governs is to displace the Opposition and its supporters into the shadows of insignificance. Is God, therefore, as partial as clergymen are making Him out to be in those long prayers? It seems that one of the greatest indictments on Christendom is its insistence on elevating political parties to the status of divine approval while compromising its own separate and special mission in doing so.
Maybe Luke 6:44, “For every tree is known by its own fruit…”, has found fulfilment.
Homer Sylvester
h2sylvester@gmail.com