The Religious-Political Dilemma

I am often pulled by two competing forces. Sometimes these exertions seem to run on parallel tracks, and sometimes they are dramatically separate. My first loyalty is to the church, its history, its place in society and the Christ whose vision it serves. But I am also up to my neck in the political process, and particularly what I believe are the ethics which form its base. So, as a Christian, I work for a flat-out Christian organization, Progressive Christians Uniting, and I helped found another one, Disciples Justice Action Network. But, as an individual and a citizen, I am also deeply involved in the local Democratic party, and am passionate about the implications of the current political campaign.

Clearly my party affiliation is not simply an extension of the ethic implicit in the gospel. I have been a municipal politician and know from experience that there is enough stench in any partisan organization to temper one's loyalty. What is more, the wall of separation between church and state is both tall and solid.

Recently a spate of books has focused on the dilemma many of us confront as we try to reconcile these two powerful forces. By far the most incisive is Souled Out, by E. J. Dionne, Jr, a theologically conservative Catholic layman and a political columnist for The Washington Post. Dionne sketches what he believes to be the ethical imperatives of authentic religion including citations from Augustine to Barth and the Niebuhrs. He suggests that inherent in Jesus' teachings are ethical imperatives concerning justice, peace, non-violence, equity, and humility. Dionne insists that the religious right, captured by a political cabal, has seriously distorted both authentic faith and the American vision by reducing the Christian witness to sexual issues, abortion, homosexuality and stem-cell research.

Here is where I need help--dear readers. For the life of me I cannot understand how anyone dealing seriously with what Jesus had to say, could politically support preemptive war, torture as a national policy, an economic system in which the rich grow fabulously richer at the expense of the economic under-classes, a national policy based on our capacity to destroy anyone in our way----on and on and on. If one political party seems to affirm these things, and an alternate party is clear in opposing them, how can I maintain political neutrality and still affirm my commitment to the way of Jesus? On the other hand, how can I fully commit myself to the victory of a particular political party because of my Christian faith without implicitly baptizing it as "the Christian party"?

There are obviously areas in which each party has a positive contribution to make, and areas where each may flat out be wrong. Nevertheless as both a Christian and a citizen when I find religion and politics with parallel goals I realize that I must have a foot clearly planted in each camp.

Politics is very seductive, but so is religion. As a citizen and a churchman I need help in keeping these two loyalties in touch with each other but not hopelessly intertwined. Any advice?

Charles Bayer