What made this experience so wonderfully odd was that on Camp, as we studied Romans 13, we had discussed the matter of Christian involvement in politics. While I was not present at the Bible study in which a missionary and a doctor had a heated debate on the rights and wrongs on attempting to change the world by political means, our Bible study was still fairly interesting. What stood out most there was the differing attitiudes to political involvement. And the fact that active partisans of the two major UK parties were there, as well as people who do not vote, having given up on it all.
To start with, let me declare a few interests. I am a voter, as well as a former political candidate for the Conservative Party, having stood for the city council at the invitation of the party. Thus I cannot believe that to abstain from politics is a Christian duty.
Nor, however, do I believe that the kingdom of God will come as a result of political action. If there was a Conservative government tomorrow, it would be flawed and would do a great many foolish things, just as the present Government does. Why? Because we are fallen creatures. So, a few observations.
1. The position of total abstention from political life for all Christians is untenable. If a Christian can't take political action to change things because of the nature of the system, then St. Paul's words about submission should guide them. But in a democracy, part of paying tribute to Caesar is voting for him. If you have a say, use it.
2. Christians must not have unrealistic ideas about what they can achieve. The law cannot make people good. It can, if properly enforced and widely accepted, restrain evildoers. The example of Prohibition in the USA should be enough to convince us of that. If we had a Cabinet of Christians, they would still be fettered by the limits of the popular will. God's kingdom, in terms of his physical rule over all the world will not come about as a result of political action by Christians.
3. Ministers as ministers should not take an active part in politics, and especially not party politics. That is not their calling. If a minister feels his true calling is to be a social activist or a politician, then he ought to resign from the ministry. I have the greatest of respect for the Rev. Dr. Ian Paisley, but I believe that his combining the roles of preacher and politician was wrong, and has hurt the cause of Christ in Northern Ireland. Church of England Clergymen used to be barred from standing for election to the House of Commons. I believe the principle, although not the method, was correct. And this should go for elders and deacons as well. A pastor who makes party political prnouncements from the pulpit should be disciplined, and one who does so on a regular basis should be asked whether he has not, in fact, mistakne his calling.
4. Most political issues are secondary matters. While there are many issues on which consistent Christians would be agreed, policies such as whether there should be a minimum wage, or public/private partnerships are not issues on which the Bible makes dogmatic pronouncemts, therefore neither should we.
5. Christians are not obligated to vote for a particular candidate simply because he or she is a Christian. If a person normally votes Labour because they are in agreement with the economic or social policies of the Labour Party, I would not expect them to vote for a Tory simply because they happen to be a Church Member and a Christian. Of course, in a crisis, or an atmosphere where penal laws were likely to pe passed against Christians, then the situation would change. Equally, to vote for a Christian from another party, one would have to know that on issues such as homosexuality and abortion, this Christan would have the strength not to follow the lead of the party whip.
6. Political views should never be made a test of fellowship. The church should be a microcosm of society, and that means that it should contain members who hold to a wide spectrum of political views. Within reason, of course.
this list of thoughts is not by any means exhaustive, but a guide to what I think should be the attitude of the individual Christian should be to political involvement. I shall be writing more on the matter in due course.
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