The Church Divided: Questions for Progressive Christian Liberals

By Marty Smith

For as many years as I can remember, it was easy to separate and avoid politics from Christian ministry. The presence of politically driven issues has always been present to some degree, but they always seemed to be a distraction from the true mission of the church—making disciples who in turn make disciples. And any commingling of political and spiritual discussion easily could devolve into cultural disagreements not helpful to making disciples.

That all changed with the George Floyd murder, BLM, COVID and a host of changes in the political landscape that have never happened before in this country. Before anyone realized it was happening, many evangelical churches were drawn into the social justice arena like never before. Systemic racism was the evil, and the Church had been weak in its stand against injustices suffered by the African American community, or worse, a silent or even active participant in this racism. At the same time, an upcoming election was on the horizon that would be Donald Trump’s re-election bid. Christians began dividing between those who thought President Trump was almost messianic and those who thought he was an evil man on the path to destruction and had to be removed. He was a racist, an adulterer, a liar—and so on.

Many Christian leaders and churches became party to the belief that systemic racism was widespread. They didn’t really know much about the BLM organization, but they concurred with the phrase "black lives matter." Donald Trump was a supposed narcissist who struggled with the truth, and although they previously had avoided political discourse, they were now willing to criticize the president and push political solutions.

Then, the 2020 election happened. It is at this critical juncture that I came to a pivot point. It seemed to me that when it comes to spiritual things, both Trump and Biden were personally on a path to destruction, as John Piper wrote in his opinion prior to the election—but with very different convictions and policies. And while past differences between the Democratic and Republican Parties seemed relatively small, this made them seismic, and deserving of a much a closer look by the Church. 

The tension between many Christians grew enormously. For those considered mature in their faith, I thought it would be obvious that the policies of conservatives would be viewed as more aligned with biblical teaching. The personal beliefs and behaviors of the candidates should become a secondary consideration since the long-term effects after he or she is out of office must be considered, like possible Supreme Court Justice appointments.

Strangely, many believers I considered spiritually mature did not think this way. Many were supportive of the liberal candidate with little thought of the consequences of his policies. From my discussions with several of these folks, their decision had more to do with a disdain for the behavior and rhetoric of Donald Trump rather than support for Joe Biden. In truth, I completely understand some of these sentiments. President Trump’s comments and self-adulation were oftentimes over the top for me as well.  But what should guide me in my decision? Since both candidates were deeply flawed, who should I choose? From there it became clear to me that the policies and convictions of the individual and his Party platform in relation to Scripture was the appropriate determinant. Thus the answer quickly became obvious.

However, what seemed so clear to me was not clear to some of my spiritually mature friends. As a result, a fracture of sorts occurred. The Gospel is still primary in our beliefs, love and unity among the brethren still essential, but there is an uneasiness with those who have supported what I consider to be the most radical governance in history. It is understandable to me that young and immature believers might come from a background of leftist thinking, and may continue to hold those beliefs, but I cannot get my head wrapped around believers who know the truth and yet do not hold to biblical positions on things like the status of the unborn, gender design, parental responsibility, sexual purity, and racial inequality. How does anyone professing a devotion to Christ glaringly ignore parts of Scripture they just don’t like or want to follow?

So, rather than making a case for the policies on the right that are more biblically aligned that I could discuss ad nauseam, I thought it better to provide a list of questions for my left-leaning Christian brothers and sisters for the purpose of seeking to understand. Maybe it is I who needs to see things differently. That is perfectly ok—and is, by the way, my frequent prayer.

• What is your biblical support for teaching racism and the elimination of meritocracy to children in our schools through Critical Race Theory (CRT)?
• What is your biblical support for sexualizing children as young as three years old?
• What is your biblical support for leading children to believe they can be a different gender than the one God created them to be?
• What is your biblical support for allowing young children to have medical procedures to become a different gender without their parent’s knowledge or consent?
• What is your biblical support for teachers who believe that our children are theirs while in the classroom, and not their parents?
• What is your biblical support for the Equality Act that increases the rights of LGBTQ+ persons to the point that it reduces religious freedoms?
• What is your biblical support for endorsing the killing of over 60 million unborn children up to and even beyond the day of birth?
• What is your biblical support for same sex marriage?
• What is your biblical support for not following the laws of the nation when it comes to legal immigration?
• What beliefs or policies of conservatives do you think contradict biblical commands?

So, there it is—the sad divisions between Christians that feels like an abyss. Unfortunately, some believe that government is the solution to the problems of mankind, but this is a most destructive lie. Christ alone is the answer in every scenario of life and government. 

At the end of the day, though, I am still greatly encouraged because God alone is in control. All of the chaos and evil in this world will come to an end in His timing and for His glory. What a glorious thing it is to be in Christ, no matter what happens on earth.

Christianity and Politics

photo by Paragon

Citizens of the United States enjoy the right to freedom of speech, but a moral person would still exercise caution in its use. Unfortunately, the Internet is filled with vitriolic posts against various political figures, some written by individuals who claim to be Christians. One pastor in particular, Steven Anderson of Tempe, Arizona, stated in a sermon to his people he hated Barack Obama and prayed for him to die from something horrible, like brain cancer. Anderson is entitled to his opinion, but his example and others like him in American culture indicate something sorely amiss. The fruits of their spirits are not love, joy and peace, but hate, discord and fear.

To be fair, Christians are usually the victims of incendiary language rather than the non-believers, especially when they stick their necks out and state their views on hot button issues. Dan Quayle was brutally pummeled over his remark about a television show that "mocked the importance of fathers." He was bringing up a problem that assuredly needed sunlight, but watching the treatment he received afterward would give pause to any Christian considering a political career.

Religious Right in America

So what does the Bible say about the subject? When it comes to government, it says "the powers that be are ordained of God "(Romans 13:1, KJV). Rulers have been given authority, and they have a heavy responsibility they must answer for one day about their handling of that power. Those living under the umbrella of their authority owe them proper respect. "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation" (Romans 13:1-2).

The Apostle Peter also weighs in on the matter when he ascribes a couple of interesting attributes to false prophets. He says they "despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities (II Peter 2:10)," which would include disrespect to elected officials. In Romans again, Paul admonishes Christians to "render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor (13:7)."

A company called Fun Slurp offers merchandise that degrades the President of the United States by selling Obama Toilet Paper. "Make your opinion known by wiping your behind with the face of the 44th president of the United States," their mocking ads say. People may laugh, but what does this do to the honor of the great office this man occupies?

The Christian and Politics

An elderly couple in California, both active members of an evangelical Christian church, spend most of their days watching political commentaries on a television news station. Their daughter laments the unhealthy effect on her parents, as they give in to fear and develop a hatred for certain elected officials. Their attitudes don't reflect true Christian virtues and she feels it cannot be of God. A better way for a believer to respond to the day's events would be to stay informed, fulfill one's civic duty by voting or even running for elective office, and especially by praying for the country's leaders, as one day those politicians must give an account for how they wielded their scepters.

Generally, most believers do know the importance of showing forth Christ to the world and their duty to "honor the king." Others who express hatred in the political arena are in the minority, but they still give a bad name to their more disciplined brethren.