Here are 5 ways you can engage in politics taken from “The Nations Belong to God: A Christian Guide to Political Engagement“.
First, individuals should know their country’s governing documents. You would be shocked to learn how many citizens do not even know what their country’s governing documents say. Civic literacy is an absolute essential.
Second, individuals need to know who their governing officials are at every level. Most individuals cannot even name their local city officials, their state representative, or their state senator. It’s far more likely that individuals know who their federal officials are before they’re aware of their local officials.
Third, think globally, act locally. Before you think you can change the world, focus on cultivating a love and awareness of what is local to you. Instead of thinking, “The United States needs to change,” ask, “How can I help bring attention to an issue in my city or my county?”
Fourth, stay informed. In my experience, most people can tell you who their favorite athlete is or when the latest blockbuster movie is going to come out, but they cannot tell you what’s going on politically. Individuals need to be informed by reading a wide array of news sources and avoiding the tendency in our age to only read one particular news source. Additionally, Christians should get their news from a wide array of sources rather than from social media feeds alone, which tend to incentivize partisanship and extremism
Fifth, be immune to political hype. If individuals do not have a grasp of history, they can easily believe that our moment is unlike any other period in history and fall prey to over-zealous commentators who prey on fear and outrage. When someone says, “This is the most important election of our lifetime,” you should quickly realize that individuals say this about every election. That is not to relativize the importance of some elections over others (some elections do matter more!), but only to encourage you from getting caught in the moment’s frenzy.
A famous quote attributed to the theologian Karl Barth is good advice on how to begin your day: “Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.”
What might Christian political engagement look like, especially in a presidential election year? Download “The Nations Belong to God: A Christian Guide to Political Engagement” to find help and hope as you seek to bring the gospel to your community.
