We were taught it almost as a mantra growing up: Christianity and Politics don’t mix.
In fact, in my house, politics didn’t really have a place at all. Although to be fair, not many other ‘grown up conversations’ did either, my parents having come from a largely “Children should be seen and not heard” era. So we never really discussed anything. We were told what was what (“Because I said so” was another refrain we grew used to) and one day when I was, I think 18 years old (either that or 21) I returned home to find a “What every boy should know” book on my bed. So basically I learnt everything about sex from friends at school and the movies. #AndSomeOfThoseWereReallyBadLessons
But back to politics, while my parents lived lives that were contrary to the apartheid system of the time in South Africa, we never spoke about it as a family. So it was no surprise that I was pretty clueless when it came to what was going on in our country besides the obvious.
Again, when it came to politics, we don’t mix that with church because we are good christians. Or something like that.
FAST FORWARD TO MODERN DAY
This past Sunday, after a week of political turmoil in South Africa which included #BlackMonday (people wearing black to protest against the government), a memorial service for a struggle veteran being turned into a political road show (as we remembered Ahmed Kathrada but also spoke about the need for his spirit, integrity and example to be brought back to current leadership) and finally a march on Friday, I learned that my pastor, Ben the Priest as I call him, had not gotten the memo.
Ben preached on a passage from Luke 19 where Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey while people waved palm branches. Doesn’t seem to be much political about that and when we were children, this was one of the sought after colouring in pictures of the year with palm branches and donkeys and crowds throwing their cloaks on the street. Party central.
But then Ben the Priest reminded us that the symbols of power in Rome were a chariot and war horse. When Caesar entered a city, there would be much performance and honour heaped upon him.
“Jesus entering the city on a donkey is a prophetic defiance where He is parodying the powers of the day. “
Ben took the act of Jesus and linked it to the political protests many of the congregation had been at in the past week and linked them, by saying this:
“If we are calling into account others, we have to start by looking at ourselves. “
JESUS ALSO DIDN’T GET THE MEMO
So we watched Ben ‘get it wrong’ on Sunday by breaking the age old mantra rule.
But then if Christianity and Jesus were not supposed to mix, no one ever got around to letting Jesus know that. His teaching was fueled with the language of kingdom and at a time and place where Caesar was in charge, that was nothing short of treason, or with Jesus not being a Roman, revolution at best.
The thing about the time when Jesus lived is that politics and religion were inseparable. Caesar wasn’t seen only as a king, but in his own eyes he was a god. The people didn’t respect him, they worshipped him. Or in many cases they met their deaths.
A DIFFERENT TYPE OF KINGDOM
Many of the people who followed Jesus secretly thought that He was planning a political coup. His talk of the kingdom that was coming made them think He was going to try and overthrow the present oppressive regime and set up something new that was more favourable to them.
In fact, when they realised that was not going to be the case, many of them became disillusioned and left Him.
The plot twist in this story, in a sense, was that Jesus was talking about a different kingdom. Not one that ruled over people as much as one that ruled inside of people.
We see this expressed in the writing of Paul to the church in Rome where he says:
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12.2
And also to the church in Colossia where he says to them:
And whatever you do,whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. – Colossians 3.17
The kingdom that Jesus was talking about was something that was meant to take hold of you to such an extent that in some ways you would be unrecognisable to the world. It was also meant to work its way into every single aspect of your life. So in “whatever you do” make sure that you have invited God to be a part of that. Or taken the time to recognise that God is already a part of that.
WHERE IS THE DIVIDE?
If this is true, then it means that if we engage in any kind of politics, that God is going to be in that. And because we live in a political world, we cannot separate the two. The kingdom that God calls us to is, amoung other things:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? – Isaiah 58.6-7
When we start talking about systems and structures that keep people poor and oppressed, we see that God cares deeply about those things. We start to realise that there should not be a whole aspect of life where God is absent.
It is important to understand the reasons behind people trying to separate church and state – where abuses have happened, where churches have become political rather than doing what they do best, being representatives of Christ on earth.
So maybe Ben the Priest got it right this week. I’m pretty sure Jesus knew exactly what He was doing. It is comforting for me to know that the God I follow is interested in every aspect of life. Therefore, why would He not be involved in politics in some way.
Perhaps the best way we can move forwards on this, is by listening to what Ben said and acting on it.
“If we are calling into account others, we have to start by looking at ourselves. “