Despite the American constitution's desire to separate Church and State, religion and politics occupy a lot of common ground. Jesus' reply to the Pharisees that they should "give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" is not a command to steer clear of politics! Nor is keeping our eyes fixed on heavenly things an excuse to ignore earthly things completely!
We are citizens of two kingdoms, not just one. We give our whole heart to loving God, but at the same time we have to love ourselves and our neighbours. And loving our neighbours means taking an interest in the elimination of war, injustice, corruption, ignorance, poverty, exploitation - the very things that are the stuff of politics.
Politicians who offer themselves for election, though, also tend to offer something to gratify our own selfishness - or they would not get elected. To be honest, we are more interested in security for our own house than in security in Chechnya. We are happier to hear of tax cuts, better health care and education if they concern our own taxes, our own hospitals, our own children's schooling.
In Jesus' time, and particularly in Roman Judaea, there was no way in which normal individuals could decide government policy. There were no elections, and even when the apostles set about finding a successor to Judas Iscariot, they chose Matthias by lot, not by vote (Acts 1:26). Because of this, the Bible gives us no clear guidance as to how we should vote, or whether we should vote at all. (The only election the Bible is interested in is God's election of us, God's gracious call to those who hear, to serve as a holy people!)
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities," says Paul at the end of his letter to the Romans, "for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." (Rom 13:1-2) He was talking of the government of his time, and not necessarily of a modern democracy or of a Fascist dictatorship. But behind his statement lies the belief that governments are God's agents, and should be doing God's work. Behind all earthly powers, Paul saw heavenly powers guiding and controlling.
So when we vote, we need to remember that we are doing God's work in God's world. Bishop Stephen Langton, who divided the books of the bible in the thirteenth century into chunk-sized sections, and the printers of the Geneva Bible in the sixteenth century who numbered them have concealed the fact that these verses form part of a larger argument. To see how God wants society to be run, we need to look back a few verses.
At the beginning in chapter 12, Paul tells his readers "not to be conformed to this world" and "not to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think". Equality indeed! We are one body in Christ, called to live peaceably with all, and to overcome evil with good. This is the context in which our involvement with politics is to be set. And so Paul concludes with the words "Love is the fulfilling of the law." (13:10) Let us give Paul the last word:
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good, love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited. Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.
Yes, indeed!
HD