WWJV: What Would Jesus Vote? (Guest: Jeff Motter, PhD)

One of The Table’s own, Jeff Motter (PhD), teaches Political Rhetoric at the University of Colorado Boulder, is the Curator for TEDxCU, and has worked for both Democrat and Republican political campaigns. He has also written for numerous academic journals on the topics of democracy, politics, and culture, and is anxiously awaiting the publication of his first book, Rooted Resistance: Agrarian Myth in Modern American Culture. You might say he knows a thing or two about politics, so we are especially excited to have him offer some perspective ahead of this year’s midterm elections…

Just after my parents were engaged in 1968, they visited their families in Colorado and South Dakota. It was the summer of a presidential election year between Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. My mom’s family are almost all Democrats and my dad’s family all Republicans. Visiting my mom’s family, the subject of politics came up and someone said, ‘Well, if the Republicans would just become Christians, they would see that they can’t vote for Nixon.” When visiting my dad’s family a relative said, “If the Democrats would just come to Jesus, they would understand that they can never vote for Democrats.” That happened fifty years ago. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I’ve had hundreds, if not thousands, of conversations with Christians who assume I’ll confirm what they already think. But I can’t do that. Most often, I run into three kinds of Christian voters: the Warrior, the Self-Righteous, and the Conflicted. The Warrior is in a perpetual state of war. The Warrior is always on the lookout for the wolves trying to deceive and destroy, vigilant to the evils in this world. They are fighting for America’s Christian soul, and politics is their battlefield. The Self-righteous voter is woke. They wear their political label with pride and believe anyone who disagrees just doesn’t understand and needs to be educated. They speak more than they listen, invoking their vast knowledge of history and current events to show how history and reality are on their side. They are disgusted by people who don’t agree with them and are constantly shaking their head at the idiots who vote differently. The Conflicted person sees that there are issues with both parties. They constantly feel like choices in political candidates are only between bad and worse. There are no good options but they believe it’s their civic duty to vote. They aren’t single-issue voters but, most often, they cast their vote based on one or two issues. 

“Reconciliation is not passive, but actively pursues the physical and spiritual flourishing of all human society.”

There is no easy way out of this dilemma. All three types of voters have their virtues and limitations, and we’ll likely find ourselves in each of these categories at different points in our lives. Yet, so many Christians believe they have the obvious, clear answer to the question we all seek: WWJV? (“What Would Jesus Vote?”) I can’t tell you that and won’t try. What I can do is offer a framework that might be helpful. This framework doesn’t lead us to vote for a particular party or set of candidates. It’s much deeper than that: it’s a deeper way to think about how our beliefs and values might inform the choices in front of us. 

Do we seek a Reckoning or Reconciliation? Do we want a Reckoning where American culture and politics are forcibly brought into compliance with the “laws” of God? This framework sees society as moving away from God more each day, and it’s the Christian’s job to fight against the forces accelerating that shift. This is the posture of both the Warrior and the Self-Righteous, doing God’s work as we (conservatively or progressively) define it. More often than not, this work is interested only in forcing society into compliance. A reckoning is coming and we want to make sure we are on the correct side of history.

A framework of Reconciliation is quite different. This framework sees society as fundamentally broken, and Christians as God’s instruments in reconciling a broken world to Christ. The biblical concept of shalom is deeply embedded in the DNA of this perspective, and calls Christians to a vocation of creating wholeness and harmony in a world characterized by brokenness and division. It is not about any single issue, but all issues because every one of them are part of the complex ecosystem of God’s Creation. Reconciliation is not passive, but actively pursues the physical and spiritual flourishing of all human society. It prioritizes the comprehensive well-being of others, and rejects the radical individualism that places our interests and needs above our Neighbors’. To pursue Reconciliation requires us to leverage our vote to the policies, positions, and persons we think will most holistically flourish human society. 

In Jeremiah 29, God called His people, while exiled and enslaved by a hostile nation, to “seek the shalom (wholeness and harmony) of the city where I have placed you.” We are far from being an enslaved people, we live in a democracy where we get a voice and a vote, and yet our calling is certainly not less than this. Let us use both our voice and our vote for the shalom of whatever place (local, national, and global) that God has put us.

See also, Faith and Politics: The Case for Civility

A Pastoral Reflection on the Election

I'll be frank... I'm "feeling all the feels" today, less than 24 hours after Donald Trump became the President Elect. Just a few days ago, I wrote about civility and how the way leaders conduct themselves is as important as the substantive content/policy differences (which I will not even begin to engage with). One part of me is disturbed and concerned about the cultural/social implications of someone who unapologetically bragged about sexually assaulting women (among many other equally alarming issues) being voted into the highest office of the land. Another part of me is grateful for the reminder that no political outcome will ever satisfy our deepest longings. Still another part of me is radically humbled by the (now quantifiable) reality that millions of people across this nation feel voiceless and left behind by what others consider "progress." There is much to discuss there, but there are many who are far more qualified than I to speak into it.

As a pastor, I cannot tell you how agonizingly difficult it is to avoid (even accidentally) binding consciences, while also speaking Truth with Love in the midst of a public discourse so desperately lacking nuance, clarity or civility. How do I serve our people and equip them with the Truth of God's discomforting Love, all the while checking my own unseen assumptions or finite perspectives at the door? Where is the line between truth-telling and complicit, silent agreement? I honestly don't know how to answer these questions, and anyone that says they have a simple one is either foolish or lying.

If this is the situation in which we live, what do we do with it? Not coincidentally, the topic of this Sunday's sermon is the core value which informs all of our other core values: Gospel. "Gospel" literally means "good news." As such, I've been asking myself "where is the good news in the midst of this election season?" (Note: Don't hear what I'm not saying... I'd be asking that question no matter who was elected last night). It is always wise to ask what God may be doing, so long as our answer is held lightly. Thus, here are a few observations, lessons and opportunities for "good news" that I've been ruminating on (and holding lightly) over the last 24 hours...

1. The Word "Evangelical" Means Nothing Anymore (Especially to our Neighbors)
The church has paid (and will continue paying) the price of hypocrisy in the gap between Pulpit and Poll. For entirely too long, the Evangelical Church has taken politics seriously and Jesus lightly, rather than Jesus seriously and ourselves lightly. Too many have attached their voice, vote and hope to one political party rather than a Kingdom not of this world, resulting with a definition of "evangelical" that is on it's best day, inconsistent. If, in the same breath, we condemn the character disqualifications of one leader, yet sanctify even greater deficiencies in one who promises to represent us, why in the world should anyone take us seriously?  As a label and as a brand (which it should never have been in the first place) it is dead... thank God. Instead, the church has an opportunity to accept and criticize policies with the nuance they deserve, to actually develop a distinctly Christian politic that is as diverse, civil, collaborative and committed to the common good.

It's time for some serious soul-searching and public repentance. We neglect it at our peril, yet are freed to do so for the same reason we shouldn't have found ourselves here in the first place: we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom and our King both represents and cares for us more than any politician. 

2. The Supernatural Power of Hospitality
Last week, I had a brain-melting conversation with John Bryson (Founding Pastor of the incredible multi-ethnic church, Fellowship Memphis) where he offhandedly observed that, "A place's quality of food is proportional to the suffering their culture has endured." Why do you think that is? I asked. "Because for many people, the only safe place they experience on a regular basis is around the dinner table."  The division and polarization brought out by this election will never be solved by getting the right person in office, but by the other-serving love expressed through communities of radical hospitality. As Mark Dunkelman described in his TED Talk about why our politics are so broken, "There's a big chasm between thinking that the person who is sitting across the table from you (is wrong) and thinking that they are totally whackadoodle... If they're just wrong, maybe there's a chance of working out a deal. If they're whackadoodle, there's no chance. Can't do it." 

If we lack civility, understanding and/or compassion, it is because we are acutely disconnected from our neighbors and (especially) those who think/feel/believe/behave differently than us. I am increasingly blown away by how needed our last Vision Night was (watch the video if you have any doubts), and increasingly amazed/humbled by how much our fledgling community is already having an impact through exactly this passion.

3. The Church is God's "Plan A," and There is No "Plan B"
In the midst of seeing both discouragement and elation, both despair and celebration, I am only more certain that Jesus - through His broken-but-beloved family - is the Hope of the World. We long to be a "community where you don't have to believe/agree/conform in order to belong," and that better include our vote for president... no matter who he or she may be. I am ecstatic, not dismayed, for the opportunity to practice what we preach. I am convicted of the need to know and be known by each and every one of my neighbors, to understand what makes them tick, to love them as Jesus loves me. Can you imagine the impact of a whole community fueled by the love of our Divine Host?

4. The Gospel is at Stake... and How We Grow.
Genocide survivor, pastor and theologian Miroslav Volf says it more fully and eloquently than I ever could: "Forgiveness flounders because I exclude the enemy from the community of humans even as I exclude myself from the community of sinners." No matter what side of the vote you fall on, this is an opportunity to become more fully human, not an impediment to it. Where we exclude anyone (nevermind those who even remotely qualify as "enemy") from our community, is where we most need to be reminded that Jesus died for his enemies (Rom 5:6-11) - us. While that reminder may at first discourage, it will also be our reservoir for love and grace whether we receive it from others or not.

With this "good news" in mind, I pray we are neither puffed up nor despair over this election. Jesus does indeed still sit on His throne, but that is not a trite silver lining for shrugging shoulders and "moving on." It is the basis of hope that fuels a greater love and peace than we can ever reasonably expect from any government, any politician or any president.

Peace,
Brad

Faith & Politics: The Case for Civility

The following is not an endorsement for any political candidate, nor is it advocating for any political party or way of voting. Rather, it is both a plea and a proposal for how to recover the biblical principle and practice of civility in the midst of a culture currently (and acutely) lacking it.

You could hear the pressure of asking the last question at the 2nd Presidential Debate in the trembling of his voice. Karl Becker was no doubt aware that millions of viewers, who had endured the almost 90 minutes of schoolyard cut-downs and tit-for-tat, were already fed up with the circus. No matter their respective answers, his 26-word question was, by far, the strongest statement made that night:

“My question to both of you is, regardless of the current rhetoric, would either of you name one positive thing that you respect in one another?”

To say that this election cycle has been uncivil is an understatement. Resembling reality TV more than substantive (if conflicting) visions for our society, we’ve hit an all-new low in public rhetoric, to the degree that campaign-ending statements made in any other election cycle are now boring. Like an addict needing an ever-greater fix, the critical weaknesses of an entertainment-driven culture are on full display in candidates’ clamoring to out-shock one another. Though Clinton has significantly contributed to this rhetoric, one can barely keep up with Trump’s escalating dehumanization.

A Complicit Church

In the midst of this, major evangelical leaders have continued to support a candidate whose words and actions are utterly antithetical to the Gospel, citing his stance on key issues as the “trump card” (forgive the pun) that enables them to overlook the candidate’s glaring dishonesty and lack of character. The theological hoop-jumping we’ve seen would be impressive if it weren’t so disturbingly unbiblical. While I cannot know their hearts, a theological amnesia seems to grip many evangelical leaders who have implicitly and explicitly tied Gospel hope to a political agenda, excusing incredibly unchristian behavior for the sake of that agenda. 

The irony here is that politics are downstream of culture. Candidates win elections because they appeal to the wants and needs of voters. If voters want more jobs, candidates will promise (and hopefully follow through on) them. If voters want civility, campaigns will reflect that desire. So if 65% of polled self-identified white evangelicals intend to vote for the least civil candidate in modern U.S. history, what does this say about the spiritual state of that part of the church? 

To answer that question, it’s important to understand scripture’s powerful case for civility. 

Scripture and Civility

Civility does not mean “politically correct.” It is not rooted in whether one’s feelings are hurt, nor is it conditional to another person’s religious or moral beliefs or behavior. Jesus deeply offended contemporary religious leaders in an effort to reach their hearts. For Christians, civility is a moral obligation grounded in the intrinsic dignity present in every image-bearer (a.k.a. "human beings"). It is an honoring and respectful treatment of another because they were made “a little lower than the heavenly beings” (Ps 8:6), unique among all of God’s creation.  

To treat someone otherwise is to say, “God was wrong to create you or give you value.” This is the theological weight behind Jesus’ startlingly strong admonition in His Sermon on the Mount to not call someone a “fool” (Mt. 5:22): literally translated, “fool” means “worthless” and implies that someone is “more valuable dead than alive.” As Jesus sees it, dismissing or dehumanizing another image-bearer is akin to murdering them in their hearts.

A Way Forward

If politics are downstream of culture, civility is upstream of any/all engagement on key issues. As “middle spaces” disappear and our society becomes increasingly polarized (read The Fractured Republic for an outstanding analysis of that reality), the Church is uniquely positioned to anchor civil discourse: both politically for the good of our country and relationally in love for our neighbor. Indeed, the most powerful form of Christ-like love in a culture lacking civility, may be to offer unconditional grace, hospitality and respect to those who offer it least. If anything, this gives Christians a far more powerful opportunity to witness. We Christians are commanded to be civil, to promote peace and cultivate shalom wherever we may - whether we are a majority or minority presence in the world.

This does not mean we abdicate participation in the political process, but that we do so with the humble confidence that puts our hope in a kingdom that is “not of this earth.” It means that our vote is leveraged to incentivize a different way of engaging the same important issues and policies (whatever they are). It means that we hold candidates accountable to civil discourse, elevating the rhetoric and creating more space for all people to engage in the process. It means that we seek opportunities to sit across the table from people with whom we disagree, and affirm the truth wherever we find it. It means that, above all, we treat others with the value, dignity and respect owed to someone who bears the image of our Creator (whether they believe in Him or not).

No matter who you vote for, practice and encourage Christ-like civility.

Karl Becker’s question left both Trump and Clinton stunned (the photo above captured it beautifully). It was a bright, albeit brief reminder of civility that stood in stark contrast to the rest of the debate. What struck me most about it was not its eloquence or how much attention it drew, but by how simple and easy it was to make that significant of a statement.  Imagine the impact we can have - the difference we can make - with the Gospel fueling our civil discourse…?