Dear Friends in Christ,
Election Day is less than two weeks away. And, many of us will be exercising our right to vote.
But, it’s more than a right. It’s a responsibility, maybe even an obligation.
Whichever it is, many commentators are saying this year’s voting is more important than ever, partly because of the high degree of divisiveness in our society – divisiveness being cultivated by some of our political leaders – and partly because of the threat that such divisiveness poses to a democracy that depends upon the free exchange of ideas in a civil, non-coercive manner.
Political commentators aren’t the only ones saying it’s important to vote this year. Religious leaders are raising concerns too. Georgia Senator and Baptist Pastor, Raphael Warnock, says that “a vote is a kind of prayer for the world you want to see.”
Warnock’s view suggests that secular voting is an aspect of our stewardship of taking care of God’s creation. You may beg to differ. But, if you do, perhaps it’s because you say you believe in “the separation of religion and politics?”
If so, I wonder: Do you really mean “the separation of church and state?”
Our U.S. Constitution alludes to the latter, but not the former. It essentially reads that “Congress shall establish no one national religion or prohibit the free exercise of any particular religion.” This implies nothing about how we individually blend religion and politics in our personal lives. And, voting, even with its public consequences, is still a private matter.
Personally, I think we’re called to consider our religious faith when we vote. (Afterall, I believe our God and our faith are with us in the polling both!) And, when we do vote, the ultimate question is: “Which do we put first – our religious beliefs and values or our ideology and politics?
We’ll reflect on all of this next Sunday when our sermon focus will be “The Stewardship of Voting.” I hope you can join us, especially if you’re heading to the polls this year.
Blessings of Faith and the Fullness of its Expression,
Pastor Ed