Curated topics for a disillusioned church
Pastor and theologian Tim Keller says that Jesus was simultaneously political and not political because Jesus's definition of power is different from the world's definition. Keller explains that true power, as interpreted by the world, consists of coercion and power over people while power, as defined by Jesus, lies in self-sacrifice that results in changing people internally.
Using the Sermon the Mount as the foundation pastor Mike Erre makes the case that Christianity is a political entity that is part of a kingdom that is now and not yet--Jesus has come, but evil has not been defeated. As a result, as witness bearers to the kingdom of God we are called to be dinstintcly Christian in our politcal involvement. Note that there are two swear words in the podcast.
Despite the decline in American church attendance quoting the Bible in the public square still holds cultural sway. Each year presidential hopefuls reference Matthew 5 and the city on a hill while those whose political party is in power appeal to Romans 13. One of the most recent egregious examples happened in June of 2020 when President Donald Trump posed in front of St. John's Church in Washington D.C. with a Bible in hand for an awkward photo-op. When asked if the Bible was his he replied, "It's a Bible." These examples show people using the Bible, and it's cherry-picked verses, as political props--and it's been happening since the beginning of the United States. In The Ballot and the Bible Kaitlyn Schiess asks us to peer through the lens of traditional and contemporary American history to examine how Americans have used the Bible for both good and bad in the public sphere while asking the reader to examine their own tendencies to manipulate the Bible for their own political beliefs.
Using a football game with two teams (the warring ideologies of culture), officials (Christians), a rule book (the Bible), and a crowd (the people of the world) as analogies for how Christians should engage in politics Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship (Dallas, TX) pastor Tony Evans preaches from Joshua 5:13-15 as he details a distinct perspective God has on voting. Go 24 minutes in to start the sermon.
Center for Christianity and Public Life founder Michael Wear makes a powerful, impassioned plea built on Jeremiah 29 for Christians to be involved in politics by advocating for human flourishing not to fulfill an emotional or spiritual need.
Because the Bible touches on all areas of life, including politics, ERLC director David Closson says Christians should engage because the Christian worldview addresses all areas of life, politics are unavoidable, politics are a way to love our neighbor, and government restrains evil and promotes good.
Have you ever wondered how a local church can affect local legislation? The Ordinance tells the story of faith leaders from several denominations uniting to change the predatory lending of payday loan companies in Texas.
If you asked a random person who identified as a Christian what a Christian ethic of life is or what the basic tenants of a consistent ethic of life are they would likely focus on abortion for the first question and not be able to answer the second question. Author Rob Arner, in Consistently Pro-Life: The Ethics of Bloodshed in Ancient Christianity, hypothesizes that, in general, modern Christians' approach towards the ethic of life has been "sloppy, ad hoc, and piecemeal at best" and that the ancient church has a blueprint for how to approach the ethic of life in modern times.
The certainty that some Christians have that one political party is right and one political party is wrong has led to name-calling, condescending remarks, and, at extreme times, canceling family and friends. Oftentimes there is negligible distinction between how Christians a
In the introduction to Reclaiming Hope Michael Wear provides a fitting definition of reclaim which includes recovering a wasteland. Most Americans, no matter where they stand on the political spectrum, would agree that our current political climate is a wasteland. The means always justify the ends--especially if it humiliates and defeats the opponent. Compromise is blasphemy. Partisanship is king. Simply put elected officials and the voting public have lost hope.
Sunday to Saturday 
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