Did you know there was an election coming up?

It's been on all of our minds. This Wednesday night, October 29th, I want to invite you to come hear an amazing man, Dr. David Gushee—one of our nation's leading thinkers on the relationship of Christian faith and politics—who will be giving a free lecture at Marble. The lecture begins at 7:15, right after Wednesday night worship. This is a great way to prepare your mind and heart for the week ahead.

Last Sunday Connection had a great discussion of the topic. We began by talking about the nastiness of this campaign—like how disorienting it was to hear both candidates profess a Christian faith, then engage in what appeared to her as mudslinging and poor treatment of the other. We talked about how Christians are expected to engage with others in the political process.

I learned a few things:

• Politics is combative. We fight in politics because we the issues are significant and the differences are real. Fighting is a form of testing the strength of the respective positions and the passionate loyalty of those who would support them. One person reminded us that politics NEEDS to be combative—a certain level of intensity is not only warranted but is essential—a kind of refiner's fire.
   
• One participant said that if he weren't as angry as he is, he wouldn't be involved. He's going to Pennsylvania every weekend to canvass because he's mad. When we're fearful or angry, we're both more likely to be involved and we're more likely to engage with passion and aggression. "Aggressive" politics that seems un-Christian is a reflection of the animating passions that spur political engagement.
   
• However, one participant noted that in Christianity, it is rare, if ever, that the ends are used to justify the means. Are we permitted to dismiss, disparage, misrepresent, slander, or otherwise demean someone in our pursuit of a "victory" for our cause? If Christ suffered and died for those he loved, even his enemies, isn't the Christlike way (in all places, but even in politics) to suffer in love, even risking "defeat" for the sake of glorifying the power of love? We might ask: hasn't a politician who won't follow this "love ethic" already sold his/her soul for worldly gain?
   
• And shouldn't we expect, at the very least, that all Christian politicians (and those of us who support them) show sincere humility? Shouldn't we be our own best critics? I remember George Bush in a 2004 debate being asked which decisions he made during his first term that he either regretted or would change in hindsight... and he didn't name one. It was, for me, the antithesis of Christian conduct. We must be eager to take the log out of our own eye, before we seek the speck in another's.

Our conversation left me believing that there IS a sea of people in this country who are neither ignorant of the brutal proclivities of politics nor satisfied with Christian politicians who won't strive for a still better way.

Bless you all in your discernment and in your voting. Please be praying for both candidates and their families. And pray for our nation—for those who will win and those who will lose, that we might remember in the end that we are first and foremost not Democrats or Republicans, but citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.