Politikin' Pastors

A group of pastors supporting the Alliance Defense Fund's (a conservative legal group) "pulpit initiative" defied IRS regulations Sunday and endorsed presidential candidates from the pulpit. According to the Associated Press story, 33 pastors in 22 states made specific endorsements of presidential candidates from the pulpit Sunday in an effort to force an IRS investigation in hopes of challenging the ruling in the courts.
The group says this is a First Amendment issue and not an endorsement issue. Pastor Jody Hice of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Bethlehem, Ga., was quoted in the AP story as saying, "To say the church can't deal with moral and societal issues if it enters into the political arena is just wrong, it's unconstitutional." The AP story continues:

At the independent Fairview Baptist Church in Edmond, Okla., pastor Paul Blair said he told his congregation, "As a Christian and as an American citizen, I will be voting for John McCain."

"It's absolutely vital to proclaim the truth and not be afraid to proclaim the truth from our pulpits," Blair said in an interview.

Because the pastors were speaking in their official capacity as clergy, the sermons are clear violations of IRS rules, said Robert Tuttle, a professor of law and religion at George Washington University. But even if the IRS rises to the bait and a legal fight ensues, Tuttle said there's "virtually no chance" courts will strike down the prohibition.

This is dangerous territory. I couldn't disagree more with these pastors. To stand behind the First Amendment reduces the church to the limitations of a human created document of one nation (the U.S. Constitution). I would argue that the Gospel and Christ's church transcends nations and national documents. The guiding and framing document for Christian clergy in any country should be the Bible. And the Bible is not a political document. Yes, it speaks to politics, morals, and life issues, but at its core it is a book of salvation. It is a book of faith. It's the story of God passionately pursuing humanity through a number of means (Law, judges, prophets, kings, etc.) and ultimately through His Son, Jesus Christ who came to save us from that which we cannot save ourselves, sin.

As far as national and historic documents go, the U.S. Constitution is a dandy. While it's not perfect, it works. But to surrender the defense of our faith (apologetics) to the Constitution is not very wise. I can hear the "endorsement preacher crowd" calling me a heretic, or liberal about now, but they would do wise to spend more time living out and preaching the gospel than making sure everyone in their respective church pews votes for the candidate they like. This is a poor theology of preaching, and at its worse, flat out spiritual manipulation. I'd rather teach and preach the Gospel as best I can, and let the Christ-followers in my church attempt to submit their lives and decisions to the authority of God through Scripture, prayer and the leadership of the Holy Spirit than to rely on me to tell them how to vote, or think. After all, they are ultimately accountable to God, not their pastor!

Undoubtedly a few of these politically charged pastors will compare their pulpit candidate endorsement to the Old Testament prophet's warnings to the people of Israel about certain disobedient kings or national leaders. That's a huge leap considering the Old Testament examples are in regard to "spiritual" Israel not a secular/civil republic that was not even on the radar during the time of the biblical narrative. Let's be honest, we are not a spiritual state or country. In other words, our government is secular, not religious. Remember, our forefathers set it up that way on purpose to prevent the church, or her clergy from telling them what they could or could not do as a country. See any parallels?

This is not to say that I'm not in agreement, or sympathetic with some of their recommendations in regard to political candidates. However, I am not called to tell people how to vote, but I am called to share and live out the Gospel. Hopefully, through the way I teach and help them experience and learn God's word, they will make prayerful, informed and Christ-led decisions in the voting booth. They will engage their heart, soul and mind with an informed faith. I guess it really comes down to trusting your preaching-teaching, the people in the pew, and ultimately God!

P.S. It's high time American conservative Christians quit casting fellow Christ-followers who happen to be members of an opposing earthly political party as not being Christian! That is very dangerous ground upon which to tread because it means that you have the ability to know someones heart, motive and will. In other words, it means they have put themselves in position or place the Bible says is exclusively reserved for God.