Byrnesys Blabberings

Out of Ur have featured The God Strategy a new book which speaks about the use of religious imagery and rhetoric for political capital. The subject has crossed my mind over the last few weeks as the US party nominations have dominated the news headlines so I am glad for Out of Ur to articulate some of the central points on the subject which I have used to stimulate my own thoughts on the subject. My only disclaimer to this, a post on the two most divise issues on earth, is that I am writing my thought process and not my conclusions regarding this and am very open to thoughtful, peaceful dialogue on the issues.

Part one of this post from the start of the month is here Republican vs. Democrats - The issues in Christian Political alignment

Domke and Coe identify four strategies politicians use to win, or dupe, religious voters. These points are a basic summary of the God strategy:

1. Acting as political priests by speaking the language of the faithful

The first point here is immediately problematic for the politician themselves, how do they play personality politics and (giving them the benefit of the doubt) include their faith as a part of who they are? On the otherside of this, how can politician speak meaningfully about politics without breaking the enshrined church / state distinction? Am I mis-understanding this concept?

2. Fusing God and country by linking America with divine will

There are a plethora of theological problems from the offing here which touch on how believers view the kingdom of God and the distinction with the polis. There are also a number of cultural implications in allowing God’s people/divine will to be defined within american and/or western catergories the most immediate of these is the immediate demonisation of other cultures and civilisations. "Preachers fuse God and country by confusing gospel liberty with political liberty and by conflating the American narrative with the biblical one."

The effects of this sub-concious mindset can be seen even in the recently Sharia law mis-understanding in the UK. The long term results of this would be seen in a empircal victorian-esque approach to missions which sees to westernisation of non-western cultures as central to the conversion process and does not allow the gospel to be adopted by the culture and let that discipline cultural practises in light of the gospel. "Preachers fuse God and country by confusing gospel liberty with political liberty and by conflating the American narrative with the biblical one."

3. Embracing important religious symbols, practices, and rituals

This strategy is in some ways is not based in religion but a more general political strategy within representative democracies which attempts to win/dupe the electorate into think that the politican is ‘one of them’ and therefore will make the decisions they would make. In essence though this practise, as the other 3 strategies mentioned here, can cheapen and even subvert the observance of religious practises and rituals by using them as political capital instead of the rememberance and dying to ourselves that they call us to.

4. Engaging in morality politics by trumpeting bellwether issues

As I mentioned in the first post, I have trouble understanding the enthroning of Christian values within secular law because it implies some form of nation-based works righteousness when in fact living the rules and regulations of the word of God without having a circumcision-of-the-heart is exactly what Jesus condemned the Pharisee’s for doing. There is more to say here but I think this is one of the main issues in my mind in relation to morality politics. "Ministers encourage their congregations to view politicians as priests when they imply that having the right president or the right party in control of Congress will result in legislation that will deliver our nation from its sin."