Faith and Politics

Many churches recite the Apostles' Creed and even the Nicene Creed, very ancient statements of Christian faith. My denomination, the Presbyterian Church USA, has a Book of Confessions as part of our constitution. A variety of creeds and confessions, ancient, from the time of the Reformation, and more modern statements, are included. These statements help us see how aspects of our faith were significant in different times. Today, my congregation read aloud a portion of "A Declaration of Faith," adopted in 1985 that has seems very significant today. This is a small piece.

"Throughout its history the church has struggled

to be faithful to God in political situations:

under persecution,

or as an established arm of the state,

or in separation from it.

God rules over both political and religious institutions.

We must confuse neither with the kingdom of God.

We must not equate the Christian faith

with any nation's way of life

or with opposition to the ideologies of other nations.

We hold Christians are to be law-abiding citizens

unless the state commands them to disobey God,

or claims authority that belongs only to God.

We must not allow governments

to impose Christian faith by legislation,

nor should we demand undue advantages for the church.

The church must be free to speak to civil authorities,

neither claiming expert knowledge it does not have,

nor remaining silent when God's Word is clear."

May we be instructed by these words in our own time.