Musing… today, November 5th… politics and religion…
Guy Fawkes: It’s the anniversary of Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators trying to blow up the Houses of Parliament. As Catholics they felt it was their duty to assassinate the Protestant King James.
By 1605 politics was already mixed up with Catholic and Anglican religion; in the coming years non-conformist faith would increase the complexity and conflict between politics and religion…
American Elections: We await the results of the U.S. elections. Much has been written about President Trump’s relationship with evangelical Christianity. Yesterday I read of the deal struck between Mr Trump and Christian leaders in 2016; 81% of white evangelical Christians then voted for him.
This is certainly about politics; it may be about issues such as abortion; it doesn’t seem to be about faith…
English Lockdown: We start a four week Covid lockdown. A political decision affects those with Christian – or any – faith. It affects what corporate prayer or worship looks like – whether services can or should take place; it affects the activities of local churches and their involvement with their local community….
Musing… four attitudes I see in friends:
- Indifference – Some don’t care. Either through weariness or disinterest, politics and/or religion are of little importance or relevance.
- Intolerance – Some have clear views that they express with conviction; their views are the only ones worth considering.
- Injured – Some have been injured by politics or religion, suffering betrayal, disappointment, mental breakdown…
- Integrity – Some approach politics and faith with consideration and compassion, thinking carefully and respecting others.
John Wesley said: ‘Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.’
Perhaps this is where politics and religion start to come together.
malcolmsmusings.org 