I realize that good Christians can be found both rejoicing and lamenting over the Court’s decision. We must be careful not to claim that our own personal opinion is God’s will. The brilliant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr wrote “The tendency to claim God as an ally for our partisan values and ends is the source of all religious fanaticism.” Though each of us can be passionate about our own beliefs and advocate for what we hold as truth, it is important to exercise humility and grace and to acknowledge the complexity of issues related to families, science, faith, and public life.
People often say that religion and politics don’t mix well. But surely God calls us to live out our faith in our whole lives, including our political viewpoints and civic engagement. Jesus’ first sermon in Luke ruffled so many feathers in his hometown that they ran him out of town. He challenged them not just on personal spiritual matters but on public responsibility saying that God had sent him to “release the captives and let the oppressed go free.” Luke said the people in the synagogue were filled with rage. Jesus was engaged in the real issues of his time and I think we are called as Christians to examine our faith by reading the scripture, talking with other Christians, reflecting deeply on personal experience, and listening to the rational sciences in order to discern wisely.
Reinhold Neibuhr wrote “Goodness, armed with power, is corrupted; and pure love without power is destroyed.” So we will continue to walk through this life as Christians seeking an integration of power and love that is life giving to all of God’s children.
Grace and Peace,