All Things and All Authority in Times of Political Turbulence
Political chaos can challenge our faith.
Photo by Joe Yates on Unsplash
This is a short piece I wrote immediately prior to the 2016 election. It was published in Fall 2016 edition of NOW The Magazine of LeTourneau University and discusses the need for faith during chaotic political times.
Let me know what you think!
Click here to read the article in NOW Magazine.
I was attending a Sunday school class one morning in Taipei Taiwan when an unfamiliar man joined us. The class leader began the lesson but was soon interrupted with somewhat vague and unrelated theological questions from the newcomer. Frustrated, the leader tried to quickly address the questions on press on only to be interrupted again and again. Finally, the class ended without resolution. A few of us lingered behind to hear the continued questioning. It finally became apparent that the man was having a crisis of faith over the recent Taiwanese elections. “How could God allow such a result?”
On November 8th this year America elected a new President. The preceding campaign not only divided Americans but also evangelicals along social and class lines. Emotions and opinions were strong on all sides. We don’t usually associate political struggles with crises of faith but history teaches us that they can and have challenged the faith and unity of American believers. In the 1800s, politics geographically divided northern and southern Christians to the extent that denominations split decades before the Civil War. No less than Abraham Lincoln noted in his 2nd Inaugural Address how, “The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully.” The ecclesiastical rift would take decades to heal.
During World War I, politics divided the Church along generational lines with older Christians staunchly supporting the war but younger Christian questioning not just the war effort but the veracity of a religion that would support it. This lead to what historian Robert Handy dubbed an American Religious Depression during the 1920s and 1930s and sharp declines in church attendance and contributions.
Will the political divisions within the church today ultimately have similar repercussions? I sincerely hope not. Yet, we should recognize the challenges of trusting God with the future of our country during times of political turbulence. When the government is to our liking, it is relatively easy to affirm that the authority over us is, as Romans 13 says, “from God.” When we feel threatened by our government, however, acknowledging that God is somehow at work is considerably harder. In some respects, trusting God with the future of our country is as challenging as trusting God with the future of our life, family, or finances. When times are good, we easily affirm that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him,” but when times are bad, it is nearly impossible to see how the challenges in our midst are somehow working to our benefit. What the Bible describes as life feels like death.
For those disappointed with the outcome of the election, it may be a challenge to trust that our new government is somehow, “from God” and working for our good. Conversely, for those pleased with the outcome of the election, it may be a challenge to gracefully respond to those who are struggling with fears. Yet history gives us both perspective on our current political challenges as well as the costs of letting differences within the church turn into divisions.