Can Politicians be Followers of Jesus?

[Ken]

"Politician" is an incredibly broad category that encompasses everyone holding elected office from the local school board up to and including the president. The vast majority of politicians in this country are local officials: mayors, city council, school boards, county commissioners, planning boards, utility commissioners, etc.

It is a very very tiny percentage of politicians who ever have power over questions of war and peace and that sort of thing.

During Jesus' time and before, towns and villages were run by village elders who were a combination of religious leaders and older patriarch types (local wise men or "elders"). I see no teachings in the Old or New Testament that suggests Christians should not be active in the affairs of their own local communities. To the contrary.

National politics is somewhat different. During the time of Jesus, the Biblical lands were a backwater province of the vast Roman Empire governed by Emperor Augustus with a neutered Senate that was more or less hereditary Roman aristocracy. The notion that a Christian or Jew would have been engaged in governance of the Roman Empire would have been very far-fetched. It was not a democracy.

So to even begin to answer the subject question, one would need to ask exactly what type of politician we are talking about. For example, an elected school board member would be a politician whereas a school principal or superintendent would be a hired administrator. Both are engaged in the operations and management of schools. The only thing that makes one a politician and the other not is how they got the job (elected or hired). I'm not sure that is a very meaningful distinction. And I don't think there is anything about running public schools that is inconsistent with Christianity.

[JohnH]

Ken,

Roman Christianity was established in the first century and questions of its involvement with politics were raised very quickly.

[Ken]

Ken,

Roman Christianity was established in the first century and questions of its involvement with politics were raised very quickly.

Feel free to show us any writings from the 1st century which suggest that it is inconsistent with Christianity to serve as a village elder in your own local community.

[JohnH]

Ken,

Roman Christianity was established in the first century and questions of its involvement with politics were raised very quickly.

Feel free to show us any writings from the 1st century which suggest that it is inconsistent with Christianity to serve as a village elder in your own local community.

Considering Christians were running the Roman Empire a short term later, it’s not as far fetched as you claim.

[Bootstrap]

I'm not enough of a historian to make too many generalizations but I do recall reading a petition for freedom written an Anabaptist to the magistrate under whose authority he was being imprisoned that began "Dear beloved brother in Christ..." and went on to encourage him to consider the scripture.

Or perhaps you are too much of a historian to make too many generalizations?

Good example, I think.

[Ken]

Ken,

Roman Christianity was established in the first century and questions of its involvement with politics were raised very quickly.

Feel free to show us any writings from the 1st century which suggest that it is inconsistent with Christianity to serve as a village elder in your own local community.

Considering Christians were running the Roman Empire a short term later, it’s not as far fetched as you claim.

Constantine was from the 4th Century, not the 1st Century. He was also not a politician. He was never elected to anything. He was a Roman General who claimed the title of Emperor by force and engaged in near constant civil wars and wars of conquest.

That is completely different from a local village elder selected by his community who is engaged in making sure the streets are clean and the village market is operating efficiently.

[JohnH]

Constantine was from the 4th Century, not the 1st Century. He was also not a politician. He was never elected to anything. He was a Roman General who claimed the title of Emperor by force and engaged in near constant civil wars and wars of conquest.

Emperor Constantine wasn't a politician. Okay.

[Ernie]

I definitely see the issue you see in the Grok list of politicians. In these verses Jesus addresses the foundations of those who call themselves Christians but don't do what he taught as well as those who call themselves Christian and do what he taught. I believe followers of Jesus should focus their attention on alerting those who don't do what He taught that their foundation is faulty. Doing so is possible without appearing to be political.

Don't take the following as a personal affront. I'm just wanting a good discussion...

Why is it undesirable to appear political if one is indeed not political? Jesus made lots of statements about the civil and political leaders of his day who claimed to be following God and defenders of the scriptures. He warned people about their character, their hypocrisy, etc. He told people to follow their laws but not be like them. Do you see this as being something Jesus could do because he was the son of God, but not something his followers should do?

I look at driving the money changers out of the temple in this light. But I do not apply this to publicly calling out the sins and bad character of civil leaders.

[Ken]

Constantine was from the 4th Century, not the 1st Century. He was also not a politician. He was never elected to anything. He was a Roman General who claimed the title of Emperor by force and engaged in near constant civil wars and wars of conquest.

Emperor Constantine wasn't a politician. Okay.

Neither was Moses or Genghis Kahn.

[GaryK]

I definitely see the issue you see in the Grok list of politicians. In these verses Jesus addresses the foundations of those who call themselves Christians but don't do what he taught as well as those who call themselves Christian and do what he taught. I believe followers of Jesus should focus their attention on alerting those who don't do what He taught that their foundation is faulty. Doing so is possible without appearing to be political.

Don't take the following as a personal affront. I'm just wanting a good discussion...

Why is it undesirable to appear political if one is indeed not political? Jesus made lots of statements about the civil and political leaders of his day who claimed to be following God and defenders of the scriptures. He warned people about their character, their hypocrisy, etc. He told people to follow their laws but not be like them. Do you see this as being something Jesus could do because he was the son of God, but not something his followers should do?

I look at driving the money changers out of the temple in this light. But I do not apply this to publicly calling out the sins and bad character of civil leaders.

Don't worry about it being a personal affront to me. I know you well enough to know that we can have an honest and respectful conversation without either of us taking it personally.

I realize I've said this a number of times in previous discussions like this but I believe the statements by Jesus you are referring to were, for the most part, made about and to the religious Jewish leaders such as the Scribes and Pharisees. If this is true, I believe we have an example to follow as it relates to calling out religious leaders today who do not practice the things Jesus taught and who lead others to build their lives on faulty foundations.

I am very open to looking at NT examples of Jesus or the Apostles addressing (calling out) worldly governmental leaders of their day or giving teaching on what good/bad worldly leaders looked like.

I believe the reason we have politicians today who claim they can be followers of Jesus while supporting, promoting and doing things that are directly counter to Jesus' teachings is because religious leaders, starting way back with Augustine, paved the way for this watered down view of what it means to be a Christian. I believe our witness will be much more effective if we do not appear political as we attempt to draw Christianity back to a clear distinction between Jesus' Kingdom and earthly kingdoms.