If you’re reading this blog to find out my political views,
you may as well close it now. I have
political views, but I think they’re best expressed over a cup of coffee, not
the internet. Sorry!
No, this blog is to express my reflections and observations on
the election itself, specifically the way that people have been responding to
its issues.
This election has become a platform for a vast spectrum of
controversial topics- how best to manage the economy, how to respond to the
crisis of missing and murdered Aboriginal women, and who should be welcomed
into this country as a Canadian. But how are we doing when it comes to
discussing these topics respectfully and fruitfully? How can we be doing
better?
A Note to Christians
I am a Christian, as are many of the people in my life.
Still, I know that many of my friends who ascribe to other religions or
worldviews have observed or been part of the controversial election debates too.
If that’s you, feel free to read on!
Christians, here’s the reality. It’s ok for us to disagree with each other. On every relevant
election issue, there are a variety of viewpoints that a Christian can hold.
Most of these issues are not critical or central to our faith. In case you are
not certain of that, let’s review the Apostle’s Creed, widely accepted as a
comprehensive statement of what Christians believe:
I believe in God, the
Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
I’m not saying this is
all-encompassing. There are a lot of issues that are important to Christians
that are not covered by the creed.
At the same time, I would say
that NONE of those issues have a universally accepted “Christian” perspective
on them. We disagree on Biblical interpretations, severity or urgency of the
issue, and the most effective response. And that’s ok! Diversity is a good
thing, not something to be feared. It is through the exploration of diverse
opinions, understandings, and viewpoints that we can challenge ourselves and
grow.
By creating the hostile,
arrogant environment that I have seen countless times since the election was
called, we are driving a wedge between ourselves and others. I have to ask: to
what end? Are we that certain that our current opinions are (capital T) The
definitive, flawless, righteous viewpoints that Christ commands us to take? I
know I personally have altered and in some cases reversed my views as I have continued to study the Bible and
experience the world. God and His word don’t change, but our understanding of
both should as we continue to seek a
mature faith.
Even for views that are a
little more cut-and-dry, do we really need to fight tooth and nail, even to the
point of alienating our own family and friends? In my observation, that has
proven to be more unproductive and divisive than thought-provoking and
edifying.
A Lesson in Grace
I think the lesson to be
learned this election is grace. We
need to have grace for each other, grace for ourselves, and almost especially grace
for the politicians. Is there any other way that we can be transformed into a
productive, loving, unified nation?
I am reminded of Paul’s words
to the Galatians, a standard to which I genuinely desire (and consistently
fail) to adhere:
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things
there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
When reflecting on your own
personal views, I encourage you to challenge them with the grace check I have
set up for myself:
- Why do I believe this? What combination of Biblical teaching, fact, and lived experience contribute to my perspective?
- Do I need to express my perspective? Why or why not? If I do, what is the most edifying and effective way to do so?
- How can I be contributing to the Kingdom of God in this circumstance? How can I make the world a better place?
God help us all!
