Baltimore Riots and Christian Civic Duties

A friend of mine suggested that I talk about the Baltimore Riots that occurred earlier last month, but before I talk about that, I have to talk about a Christian’s civic responsibilities.

Politics, like religion, is a very touchy subject that will eventually offend someone, somehow.  My personal belief when it comes to Christianity and politics is that a Christian should act according to what their conscience and convictions dictates.  What my conscience and conviction says about civic duties within the Christian worldview, however, is that it is best to abstain from the political process as much as reasonably possible.  Here’s why I believe these two things:

First, I think Paul made it very clear that people can have different convictions about things, and that’s okay.  In Romans 14:1-9, and in verse 5 in particular, Paul tells the Christians in Rome that it doesn’t matter if one person believes certain days, rituals, and prohibitions are holy or sacred; the main point is that they should do as their conscience dictates and that we shouldn’t judge people for keeping or disregarding certain beliefs, but to do all things for God.

So some contemporary Christians feel that they should run for political offices, and others believe that we should focus on building up God’s spiritual kingdom.  Some people believe that Christians can or should join the military to act as God’s sword on earth, and others believe that we should not repay violence for violence, and let God manage the world’s militaries without our participation (CS Lewis believed the former).  Some think that we should prevent non-heterosexual unions, and others that a piece of paper does not make a spiritual union by God, so it doesn’t matter because God will judge in the end.

Second, while I have a stance on each of these issues, because these are not (in my opinion) salvation issues (things that will prevent someone from being or persisting as a Christian), I think you can believe what you want and you’re still okay.  As I said before, religion and politics rile people up, and Paul thought that living in harmony with each other in the Christian community and in the world’s community was more important than arguing over the trivial political minutae of the day.

That being said, I think the arguments stating that Christians should stay out of politics and focus on building God’s kingdom is much more convincing than acting in God’s stead as stewards to the world. 

That’s not to say that I don’t think the opposing arguments aren’t strong; they make some good points.  I think the best is that God initially wanted Adam and Eve to rule and subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28), that the early tribe of Israel was to purge anyone who sacrificed children to fertility gods (Leviticus 20:1-5), and that Peter was told to sell his cloak and buy a sword (Luke 22:36).  There are other examples I can bring up, but I hope you see my point.

Despite all of this, we are under a new covenent, and many of things that happened in the OT were symbolic echoes to help establish the new promises God has given us (Hebrews 8, and 10:1).  All the times Israel set out to destroy a wicked nation?  Echo of our spiritual battle to destroy the evil within us.  Adam and Eve given authority of the earth?  Jesus now has “all authority in heaven and on earth”, and now we are commanded to make “disiciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-20).  Peter told to sell his cloak and buy a sword?  This one is bit tricky, because we know that later on Peter maimed someone about to arrest Jesus, then Jesus turned around and healed the person Peter harmed.  I’m not sure if Jesus wanted Peter to attack the dude so he could heal him later on, or if he wanted Peter to be armed or if Jesus…

… Nevermind, I’m getting off topic.  Let’s just say that I don’t think we get a clear “yes” or “no” answer from that isolated instance.

I will say that many of the early christian writers felt that we should keep out of politics, live our lives in peace with others, and “to give back what is Ceasar’s to Ceasar, and to God what is God’s.” (Matthew 22:18-21).

So in light of the Baltimore Riots, what is a Christian supposed to do?

Pray.  Just pray.  Be thankful that it is over, but ask God to make the racial tensions and discriminations in America (yes they still exist, and there are statistics that confirm it) ease.

Keeping with the topic of Christianity and politics, next week I’ll be talking about Christians in the military.  See you there.