Caesar’s Coin, by Peter Paul Rubens (1612-1614)
St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, Emmaus, PA
Reflections on The Season of Pentecost
The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, October 4, 2020
By Mo. Laura Thomas Howell
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Because this is an important time for our nation, I am going off the lectionary this week.
There’s an old saying that death and taxes are the only sure things in life. I’d like to add: and politics. From the earliest days of human existence, politics have been omnipresent. Read ancient, pre-Christian texts: politics always crop up. Read the Hebrew Bible: politics. Read the New Testament: politics. Even among Jesus’ disciples: there was politicking about who would be most important in the Kingdom of Heaven.
I feel very strongly that the church as an organization should not be involved in politics. It offends and angers me when I hear of clergy preaching for or against a particular candidate from the pulpit. A church is not a Political Action Committee. And, indeed, our tax-exempt status requires that we are non-partisan as an organization. However, that does not mean that individual Christians should refrain from being involved in civil politics. On the contrary!
“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.”
I mentioned in passing last week that in Matthew 22 Jesus ordered, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” He did not tell us to refuse to have anything to do with the world. Indeed, we are commanded to be IN the world, just not OF the world. St. Paul asks us to be subject to governing authorities (Romans 13). Several times he requests prayers, intercessions, supplications, and thanksgivings (1 Tim 2) for civil leadership. As American citizens, involvement in our democratic process is one of the things that we are commanded to “render to Caesar.”
As people of faith, we have certain values. Our Anglican tradition has always been strongly rooted in concern for the community. Indeed, an individual parish had a certain responsibility for the whole area in which it was located, not just registered members of the church. Members of the church often held political positions exactly for that reason. The Archbishop of Canterbury wrote in The Huffington Post :
“[Jesus] was never party-political. No wing of politics – left or right – can claim God as being on its side. But Jesus was highly political. He told the rich that, unlike the poor who were blessed, they would face woes. He criticized the King as a fox. He spoke harsh words to leaders of the nations when they were uncaring of the needy. He did this because God cares for those in need and expects those who claim to act in his name to do the same. That means action – and words.” (March 16, 2018)
As Christians, we must be concerned for those around us. The Savior we worship has asked us to feed the poor, clothe the naked, care for the sick and imprisoned. He didn’t say that we had the option of focusing on one group or another. His commands are about ALL those in need. This forms part of our core values as Anglicans.
Personally, I am not able to make much impact on the vast needs in our region, our nation, and the world. But all of us together can. And one of the ways of changing things is to influence our political system: to elect men and women who share the core values of caring for those in need. Find out who supports your faith values and vote for them. We have been given the privilege of living in this democracy and it is our duty to be involved. As the ABC said, “Following Jesus means getting involved in politics to help serve the common good.” It is our duty. Do it!
Blessings,
Mo. Laura