A Statement from the Reconciliation Ministry to the Hope Church Congregation
re Christian Faith and Voting:
Commending the “Reclaiming Jesus” Statement from Sojourners
The 2018 mid-term elections for the House of Representatives, several Senate seats, as well as state and local government positions will take place on Tuesday, November 6. As these elections draw near we do well to be reminded that as Christians living in the United States we have a rare privilege and opportunity; historically most Christians have lived under autocratic rule without any real voice in shaping the direction of their government.
Scripture delineates separate roles for the church and for the government, roles acknowledged by the founders of our country in allowing religious freedom and not establishing a state church. The authors of the recent ‘Reclaiming Jesus’ confession make this distinction: “The church’s role is to change the world through the life and love of Jesus Christ. The government’s role is to serve the common good by protecting justice and peace, rewarding good behavior while restraining bad behavior (Romans 13) …. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state.” (from Reclaiming Jesus: A Confession of Faith in a Time of Crisis)
In this often fractious, confusing and yet critical political moment, the Reconciliation Ministry believes that the Reclaiming Jesus statement is an important and empowering statement. It is a biblical, ecumenical, prophetic word from and to the Christian community, and the Reconciliation Ministry commends it to you: www.reclaimingJesus.org
The 2018 elections (and every election!) offer an opportunity to express our personal viewpoint on how our government exercises its role in society. As Christians we do so based on our primary allegiance, following the very first Christians in their brief but powerful declaration of faith: ‘Jesus is Lord’. The Reconciliation Ministry urges you to vote this November with a prayerful attitude of thankfulness, hope in God, and confidence that Jesus is indeed Lord.