May Church Ministers Be Politicians

Abstract:

American Christians, weary of decades of entrenched partisan feuding, are increasingly distancing themselves from politics. Some, however, continue to turn toward the state and public policy to find solutions to the world's problems. The problem is that both responses allow a narrow vision of politics to determine the church's mission and ministries, which often ends up separating its commitment to personal faith from the pursuit of social justice--the King from the kingdom. Christians too easily forget that the church is inherently political, a community defined by its allegiance to a King, its citizenship in a new world, and its call to work alongside others in pursuit of a new way of life. The church needs a political vision that is more than blind acceptance or mere rejection of past models. It needs a positive vision that takes its cues about politics not from the nation-state but from another political reality: the kingdom of God. This book tells the stories of the visits of two researchers to five diverse congregations across the United States. From the megachurch energy of Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in California, to a young Emergent community in Minneapolis, to the politically active home of Martin Luther King in Atlanta, these stories illuminate the vastly different ways congregations understand and approach politics--and offer a glimpse of a new political imagination for today's church. ""Whether they know it or not, churches perform their message in their way of life as an expression of the gospel, and this all means--as this exceptional study by two young, sophisticated observers contends--that every church is a political way of life. . . . This book may be used as an introduction to the politics of the kingdom or as a refresher for those who have already been thinking along this line, but what it is even more is a collection of keen insights into the realities of America's diverse church-as-politics life."" --Scot McKnight, Professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary ""The relationship between faith and politics is notoriously difficult. Yet Norris and Speers provide an accessible resource for congregations that want to learn how other churches navigate this dynamic. . . . At the same time, the book is not afraid to critique, as it offers a vision of political engagement faithful to the biblical mission of the church. This is a must-read for every congregation that desires to grow in ministry."" --Jennifer M. McBride, Regents Chair of Ethics, Wartburg College ""Norris and Speers offer an insightful and multi-storied account of religion and politics on the North American Protestant scene--one that moves us beyond church-state discussions and the various strategic debates on 'direct politicking' that preoccupy both liberal and conservative Christians."" --From the Foreword by Charles Marsh ""Kingdom Politics offers a critically important, next-generation look at the issue of how some U.S. Christians and congregations are breaking out of destructive paradigms for engaging (or fleeing) public life and finding more constructive models for a new era. Highly recommended!"" --David P. Gushee, Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics, Mercer University Kristopher Norris is a Baptist minister and PhD candidate in Theology and Ethics at the University of Virginia. He holds degrees from UNC, Duke, and Emory, and once won an eighth-grade geography bee. Kris lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. Sam Speers studied Religious Studies at the University of Virginia, where he was also involved in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. He is a music lover and a former swim coach, and he knows every line from The Princess Bride. Sam also lives in Charlottesville.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution forbids the creation of an official state church, and we hear the phrase "separation of church and state" so frequently that it may surprise us to note that no such barrier exists between religion and politics. Religion is, and always has been, woven into the fabric of American political life. In the last two decades, however, the role of religion in politics has become more direct—almost a blunt, self-conscious force in the political process. The national consequences of this "diminishing divide" between religion and politics have brought new groups into politics, altered party coalitions, and influenced campaigns and election results. Churches and other religious institutions have become more actively engaged in the political process, and religious people have increased the level and broadened the range of their political participation. While the public is more accepting of the role of religion in shaping today's political landscape, the issue of how much political power certain religious groups enjoy continues to provoke concern.Drawing on extensive survey data from the Pew Research Center, the National Election Studies, and other sources, The Diminishing Divide illuminates the historical relationship between religion and politics in the United States and explores the ways in which religion will continue to alter the political landscape in the century before us. A historical overview of religion in U.S. politics sets the tone as the book examines the patchwork quilt of American religion and the changing role of religious institutions in American political life since the 1960s. The book explores the complex relations between religion and political attitudes, as well as that of religion and political behavior—particularly with respect to party affiliation and voting habits. Finally, The Diminishing Divide offers a look at the future. As candidates and elected officials increasingly air their personal faith in pub

Drawing on two decades of survey research involving thousands of ministers nationwide, five social scientists explore the political lives of clergy in eight evangelical and mainline Protestant denominations, including the Assemblies of God, Southern Baptist Convention, United Methodist Church, and Presbyterian Church. They find that the competing theological perspectives of orthodoxy and modernism are increasingly tied to ideological and partisan divisions in American politics, and help illuminate the current relationship between church and state in America. Paper edition (unseen), $19.95. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR