This fall, Minnesotans will go to the polls to vote on two
constitutional amendments. The first one would ban same-sex marriage
and the second one would require photo ids before a person could vote.
Now
I have my own opinions on the amendments and I'm not shy about sharing
them (I'm strongly against the first and somewhat in favor of the
second). However, when it comes to the context of church and in my role
as a pastor, I am less comfortable in telling people how they should
feel on this issue, let alone how they should pray.
Recently,
during a time when prayers were being offered, someone asked prayers on
both amendments and stated their viewpoint. It was a little bit
uncomfortable for me, mainly because the prayer focused on one side of
the issue and because I knew there might be folks that had differing
opinions on both issues.
Normally I would say something about how
we are the Body of Christ and that at the communion table we are a
diverse bunch but united together in Christ. I would say something
about how churches have people from all walks of life and we need to be
aware how to be church amidst the differences.
I would say all of
this...but in these polarizing times, I've come to believe that we don't
even see the church as a place where different people come together.
Churches are becoming like everything else in society: filled with
people who tend to agree with each other. So maybe it wasn't so odd to
see someone stating their views on a political issue as if there were no
other folks who might disagree; they might believe that church is just
"for us."
I'm not advocating that we never talk about politics in
the church. But is there a way to talk about these issues without
claiming that God is only on our side?
I don't know the answer to that.
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