Proper Distinctions are Good
This “call to action” from the Center for Reclaiming America recently came to my attention via an email list. Now, while at first glance such a petition sounds quite noble — after all, who wouldn’t want to REPEAL THE “GAG ORDER” THAT HAS BEEN SILENCING OUR CHURCHES FOR DECADES!
(all caps shouting by them, not me… ;-))?
Upon further consideration & cogitation, however, I’ve found this to be sadly indicative of the oft confused & muddled thinking that’s found in “Mainline” Protestantism and American Evangelicalism. The following comments by a pastor who I hold in the highest esteem (the Right Rev’d Mark Schlamann) helped me put some needed structure on/around my thoughts…
The proposal to allow politics to be preached from the pulpit is really troubling. Granted, there have been a number of churches that have done this, but the IRS should have yanked their non-profit status. It is not safe to allow politicians to come in and scream from the pulpit for two reasons: 1) Politicians do not have the divine call to preach, and 2) To allow pols to speak to a captive audience is to run the risk of hearing said pols advocating positions contrary to God’s Word.
Another danger to be found here is the mixing of the God’s two kingdoms: His left-hand kingdom (earthly, secular governmental authorities) and His right-hand kingdom (the Church and her affairs), such as was done in the days of the Holy Roman Empire. The Augsburg Confession, found in the Book of Concord, and serves as the charter of the Lutheran Church, if you will, states thus regarding the mingling of the kingdoms. (See AC XXVIII 1-2, 12-18)
Pr. Schlamman, quite frankly, states it better than I could, but that won’t stop me from adding my $.02 worth!
I find this “call-to-action” to be fundamentally misguided. It’s indicative of two errors that are careened between these days: 1) Making laws binding what can/cannot be preached (e.g., Swedish & Canadian “hate speech” laws), and 2) Politicizing the pulpit. I find both extremes hugely troubling, as they show a complete (and oftentimes willful) muddling of both the proper Law/Gospel distinction, and they horrifically mix the Kingdoms of the Right & Left. A potentially more interesting question (and one that I’ll leave hanging, largely unanswered, for the time being) is the role that Pietism, and the legalism that drives it, plays in the development & implementation of these grand and oh-so-”moral” political strategies.
[Addition @ 11:45am - 05.05.25] And just to lob out another grenade, I find the whole “tax-exempt” argument to be rather specious. I’m not convinced at all that churches should be tax exempt. It sounds good on the surface & all, but what’s wrong with churches having to render unto the American Caesar that which is rightly due? If tax exemption means that the mere threat of IRS investigations & subsequent removal of such status can be used to silence and/or influence that which is preached from the pulpit, then the exemption is truly more hurtful than helpful.
-ghp
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