| by Jonathan Kuttab President Trump, followed later by some of his supporters, criticized the Pope for speaking out against the war in Iran and Lebanon. They urged the Pope to “stay in his lane,” arguing that politics and religion do not mix and that he should stick to “religious” issues. Of course, much of this criticism is deeply hypocritical. These same people do not object to mixing politics and religion when it serves their interests but they object only to the Pope’s brand of politics. Christian nationalists, including the President (who is hardly a man of faith himself), have not hesitated in the past to use religion to justify and sanctify their own politics. The Secretary of Defense (sorry, “Secretary of War”) routinely uses religious language and decontextualized “scripture” to sanctify his warmongering, and does not hesitate to do so in the Pentagon itself. The question, however, remains as to how “political” the Pope, or for that matter any religious person, can or should be. We often hear churches and church leaders refusing to address the ongoing genocide in Palestine by claiming “they do not wish to be political.” I myself grew up in a Christian evangelical home where politics was seen as dirty and worldly, that we should avoid politics altogether and concentrate instead on saving souls and living pious lives. There is no question that the teachings and example of Jesus always carried political consequences, and he repeatedly riled the authorities precisely because of this. At the same time, Jesus was clear that his “Kingdom is not of this world,” and he disappointed his followers by refusing to assume political power as the descendant of King David and leading a revolt against the Romans to restore sovereignty to Jews. He clearly was not seeking political power for himself, his followers, or those who believed in his message. The answer to this paradox is the very essence of liberation theology. Christ’s message and teachings about the Kingdom of God are truly political, yet totally and radically different from the political logic of this world. While the politics of the world often rely on power and domination, Jesus centers love, reconciliation, peace and care for the powerless and the marginalized. It is at its core a repudiation of the logic of power and control sought by politicians. While some still seek a monastic withdrawal from the world, the challenge for each of us is not to avoid politics, but to seek out ways to reflect Jesus’ message and ensure that our political involvement advances the principles and values of the Kingdom of God, rather than our own aggrandizement and power. Instead of claiming that God is on our side, we should humbly seek to be on His side and serve the interests of the poor and marginalized. Since the time of the Emperor Constantine, who after converting to Christianity sought religious justification for his actions, and Theodosius, who made Christianity the official religion of the Empire, we have witnessed a struggle between contradictory visions of Christian faith and politics. Those following the Constantinian model sought to sanctify the state and justify its wars and policies as divinely ordained or inspired.Those committed to the Reign of God, on the other hand, have sought to maintain a steadfast witness through tangible “political” actions and programs that advance a Kingdom vision. This includes the building of schools, orphanages, hospitals, and charitable institutions and involves serving the sick, the weak, and the poor as though each of them was Christ himself in need. We find historical examples of political figures actively working, as an act of faith, to end slavery, child labor, and inhuman working conditions; for the emancipation of women and the protection of minorities; agitating toward peace, nonviolence, for human rights and dignity, and the protection of the environment; against war and military spending and cruelty to animals; and other values. Of course, the temptation to obtain power always exists, even in an effort to accomplish such lofty goals, and that is indeed a danger we must always resist. In a democracy, where Christians have the vote and, in theory, a necessary part of the political process and therefore responsible to some degree for the behavior of the government, the issue becomes more complex. Christians need to exercise their vote responsibly, but they also must doubly resist the temptations and compromises often inherent to the political process. As it relates to the war on Iran and the need to resist Israeli oppression of Palestinians, however, the issues are not that controversial, in my opinion. The evil being resisted is so clear and the need to take a principled ethical, moral and spiritual stand is so evident, that even those reluctant to join the rough-and-tumble reality of the political system can still say with clarity that they stand with the Pope’s message of Peace and his rejection of those who justify and sanctify an illegal and immoral wars. |
