Faith in the Political Process
Tomorrow, Londoners get to choose between Boris and Ken (do the words, 'rock' and 'hard place' come to mind, I wonder?). Elsewhere too, local elections are taking place, providing another opportunity to reflect on what matters, for ourselves and for the society in which we live.
Certainly, the manifestos of candidates provide an index of local and national concerns, perceived and real: health, transport, housing, salaries, tax, crime, the environment, race... Not for the first time can we see how many of these play to our fears as well as our hopes.
Politics is an unavoidable feature of life for the 'whole-life' disciple. But, in politics as in everything else for the Christian, it is the Bible that brings things into focus. Scripture encourages us to recognize the importance of politics without conceding its all-importance. Scripture allows us to be neither overly cynical nor overly confident about the potential of politics to make a difference.
More generally, as Romans 13:1-7 reminds us, we acknowledge that 'governing authorities... have been established by God for... our good'. In situations like the UK, where we have a voice in deciding who the 'governing authorities' will be, we should accept the responsibility that comes with the privilege, and vote wisely.
More specifically, a worldview nursed by Scripture will see through consumer-driven campaigns, where slogans and spin trump issues and ideas, and will allow the gospel to shape how and why we vote. So we should not vote simply for what will benefit ourselves, but for what will benefit others, for that which serves the wider community, particularly the vulnerable and marginalized. What do the manifestos of your local candidates say about the poor, the elderly, the disabled, and the asylum seeker? Since the gospel reframes aspirations, we are freed to vote less for what might bring material gain and more for what might bring moral gain. What will be the effect of proposed policies on marriage, family life, or poverty? Given the centrality of relationship at the heart of the gospel, shouldn't we vote tomorrow for what will nurture relationships - personally, nationally, and internationally? On issues related to religion, not least the freedom to talk about the Christian faith in the public square, shouldn't we be voting tomorrow for that which is most likely to promote the way of the gospel?
Who we vote for and why arguably says as much about us as it does about the candidate.
Will you vote tomorrow? What will you be voting for?
Antony Billington
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