Do Christianity and politics mix?

Posted in Culture

With the July 2016 Federal Election approaching, Transforming Justice Coordinator Adrian Nippress shares his thoughts on why and how Christians are called to engage with justice issues and politics.

There is a strongly held view that religion and politics do not mix. This view has been proffered to me on occasion during my time as Transforming Justice Coordinator for the Uniting Church SA, as I seek to progress different social justice issues.

With this in mind, speaking out about justice issues through a religious lens in the period leading up to the Federal Election on Saturday 2 July may well be a high risk strategy – for myself and for you, as Uniting Church members. We are bound to have people telling us that the political sphere is no place to bring up our Christian values. If our discussions are not based in theological principles, we may also find other church members and Christians accusing us of supporting one political party over another.

In Australia and overseas, Christian groups are often active in speaking out about political issues – some create lobby groups (which are often highly partisan) while others even form their own political parties. (Rev Fred Nile in the Upper House of NSW and Family First are two Australian examples of this.) While this may be one way for some Christian voices to be heard in the political environment, I would suggest there are other ways forward that engage the community beyond party political conversations.

When you view the policies of each party in the lead up to the Federal Election, I encourage you to ask questions about what the Bible says that relates to the issue in question, or what Jesus might have to say about it. By viewing policy issues through this Christian lens, our discussions and decisions may better align with what we believe God’s vision is for our country.

I believe this advice is particularly applicable to areas of social justice. In the Bible, there are over 300 instances where we are called to speak selflessly about justice and human rights issues. We are also called to hold governments (and in this case, candidates) to account when they fail to protect the vulnerable or act contrary to the teachings of Christ.

But what justice issues are we being called upon to prioritise during this election period?

Prioritising justice issues can be difficult – it’s a challenge I regularly face in my role as Transforming Justice Coordinator. But as you think on this over the election period, I advise you to look at issues through the lens of the two commandments particularly emphasised by Jesus – to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength” and to “love your neighbour as yourself”.

It is with this in mind that I raise the following justice issues for your consideration as you consider policies, candidates and budget proposals in the lead up to the July election.

 

Australian aid

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. – 1 John 3:17

We are called as Christians to act compassionately and lovingly towards others – both those within our immediate surrounds and those far outside them. Australian aid is one of the ways our nation helps to support vulnerable communities internationally.

Over the past 20 years, Australian aid has helped provide access to safe water and sanitation, education and vaccination for children, life-saving assistance to many vulnerable individuals, and much more. It has built the capacity of millions of people.

Drastic cuts have been made to Australia’s aid budget in recent years, affecting the number of people and type of help provided to those living in poverty. Australia’s major political parties all have different plans for the aid budget if they are elected. This is something to research, think about, and discuss with others as the election approaches.

Providing support to communities who are struggling in impoverished areas is one of the ways we are able to embody God’s love in the world. The Uniting Church SA has expressed the value they place on aid through active participation in the Campaign for Australian Aid.

 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:28

The relationship between the Uniting Church and Australia’s First Peoples is a very important one, and since its establishment in 1985, the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) has been a significant presence in the life of the Uniting Church.

A Covenant was made between the UAICC and the Uniting Church in 1994, emphasising the Church’s commitment to act in solidarity with the UAICC and Indigenous peoples. The Covenanting process is about being disciples and understanding that First Peoples can teach the Church about being faithful Christians in Australia.

But our recent history in this wealthy country has not reflected a respectful relationship, and despite some extraordinary efforts by those in mission, as a Church we have often failed our Indigenous brothers and sisters in Christ.

Remote and urban Indigenous communities in Australia continue to experience heightened levels of disadvantage across a range of socioeconomic indicators. Higher levels of incarceration, illness and unemployment all have huge impacts on the lives of many Aboriginal people. Reduced access to adequate education and basic services also disadvantage these communities. Issues of intergenerational poverty, racism and earlier ages of death continue to impact people’s daily lives. The 2014 Federal Budget saw a cut of $500 million of expenditure to Indigenous programs aimed at closing the gap between Australia’s First and Second Peoples.

Despite the prevalence of these issues and the impact of this budget cut, this has not yet been a focus for the Federal Government or major political parties in the lead up to the July election.

As members of the Uniting Church, we need to promote a positive conversation in the wider community about the challenges facing First Peoples. We must also reinforce the importance of including Aboriginal Elders in any discussion affecting the environment and land use in Australia.

 

Refugees and asylum seekers

Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. – Isaiah 58:7

This passage reminds us that we are called to love and care for our neighbours, and is one oft-quoted in reference to acceptance of asylum seekers and refugees.

As outlined in past New Times articles, the Uniting Church in Australia has been vocal in standing against the offshore detention of children seeking refuge and asylum. The church’s responsibility to asylum seekers and refugees was particularly affirmed in “Shelter from the storm”, a policy adopted by the Uniting Church Assembly in 2015.

When thinking about the issues facing refugees and asylum seekers attempting to come to Australia, it can be easy to view the situation in relation to numbers – the cost of detention or resettling, the number of people we take, the huge volume of people displaced around the world. But it is important to see the human stories behind the numbers, and there are many church congregations who have welcomed asylum seekers and refugees to their communities.

In the lead up to the election, take some time to consider these human stories (read more here), the different party policies, and the Uniting Church’s position. You can read more on this issue in UnitingJustice’s election resource, “A Flourishing Society”.

 

Environmental issues

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. – Genesis 2:15

As Christians, we are called to care for God’s creation. In 2014, the Uniting Church SA Presbytery and Synod formed the Environmental Action Group (EAG) as an active expression of this responsibility.

Over the past two years, the EAG has worked with the Transforming Justice Coordinator and congregations to ask environmental questions, invite theological reflection, and assist in making value judgements grounded on sound environmental principles. The EAG seeks to engage the church community with the environmental challenges confronting the world today, particularly in the areas of renewable energy and climate change.

As you consider party policies and budget issues over the election period, please also consider their impact on the environment and whether this aligns with your own calling to care for creation. You may want to revisit articles published by the EAG in New Times in 2015 and the points made by UnitingJustice in their election resource, “A Flourishing Society”.

 

Poverty in regional communities

Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don’t have enough to eat. What good is there in your saying to them, “God bless you! Keep warm and eat well!” – if you don’t give them the necessities of life? James 2:15-16

The Uniting Church SA includes many rural and regional communities. Over the past 20 years, drastic changes have made life in these communities more difficult – cuts to support services and lack of employment opportunities have hit these communities particularly hard. Most recently we’ve witnessed the effects of the closure of the Leigh Creek mine, the Port Augusta power plant, and the uncertainty about the continuation of the steel industry in Whyalla.

In the lead up to the July election, please consider the impact of party policies on education, health care, employment and other services within our regional communities.

 

This article was originally published in the June/July print edition of New Times. After reading the article, the Adelaide Advertiser spoke to Adrian Nippress on these issues for an “Articles of Faith” piece published in the print edition on Monday 27 June.


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