In my article responding to Joel Knight about his EN article on Donald Trump, I observed that he had raised the issue of Political Theology. I suggested that this was something worth enlarging on. My concern was that there were a number of potential ways to take the statement, some more helpful than others.
Political Theology is about attempting to apply theological thinking to political life. I guess that it is a form of Public Theology which is to do with how Christians and the church engage with the wider culture. So, you can immediately see the risks with this kind of language. It may give the impression that there is one political position that is acceptable to, and in line with Christian/Biblical thinking. That’s where we end up with pastors and churches endorsing specific parties and politicians. This can lead to polarisation and falling out between Christians as party manifestos start to take on the importance of Gospel issues.
If you live in the United States, especially if you are a white evangelical, you are more likely to associate such political assumptions with the political right and Republicanism. Though Black Christians may be more left/Democrat leaning. In the UK, in recent years there has been an association of Christian thinking with more left wing ideas although there is an uneasy relationship with the left due to stances on moral issues. In fact, in my life time, there were in my younger days those who would argue confidentially that Christians should vote Conservative due to moral issues. The modern Conservative Party’s move towards a socially liberal agenda (as recently as Daivd Cameron’s leadership) means that this is no longer an argument. The crucial difference between UK evangelicalism and North American Evangelicalism is that here issues such as free market economics, small government and low taxes are less likely to be seen as big ticket Christian/moral issues.
We tend to stay clear of that kind of political theology because we recognise that it is possible to hold to the same values but have different views on how best to implement them. For example, it is possible to be compassionate towards the poor and either see this as justifying large welfare state responses or believe that the best way to help people out of poverty is to cut taxes, encourage economic growth and take away the threat of inflation. A Christian can believe we should welcome and care for asylum seekers as the sojourners in our midst and either think that this is compatible with strict border controls as a number of Christians do or take the same position as me in positively encouraging freedom of movement.
However, I think that a political theology that does something different to that is potentially helpful and even necessary. First of all, we can talk in terms of a political theology which helps us to shape those values without controlling the detailed implementation of policies. Secondly, it is possible to see how it is possible, once party political positions are chosen to look at ways in which their implementation can be more or less in line with Christian/Biblical thinking. In that sense, a Christian Conservative or a Christian Socialist isn’t claiming that their conservatism or socialism is the only Christian political choice. Rather, they are recognising that it is possible to be either a socialist or conservative and either be a Christian or not. Indeed, I may prefer a Christian socialism to a non Christian Conservatism and vice versa”
I think that this kind of theological thinking is helpful and write about it from time to time. There are two ways in which it can serve the church. First, there are Christians who might consider a vocational calling to public service in politics. We want to encourage and support them in that. Incidentally, I think we can also encourage them to see political office achievable has been demonstrated by a number of Christians who have become MPS and even served in Government or opposition at high levels. Realistically I don’t think that Evangelical Christians are going to find a door open to serving at the highest level as Prime Minister or as a party leader UK wide or I n the devolved assemblies. The experience of Kate Forbes and Tim Farron pushes against that.
There is another way, I think where political theology is important. It’s that if we help our church families to think biblical about big issues from immigration through to bin strikes then it helps us to pastor because there is a context in which we can have challenging conversations and pray fruitfully with church members.
So, I think that political theology, properly understood and generously applied has its place in church life.
Faithroots 