Several years ago Ron Sider (fairly famous Mennonite thinker) came to Central Christian school. Now honestly folks, I wasn’t 100% sure of who he was, so I didn’t widely promote him. This was a HUGE MISTAKE. I found him to be a very balanced, Biblical and blessed man who could thoughtfully wade into the political process and not get washed away into controversy. There was a small but diverse group of SMC’ers that did attend and we all felt blessed for being there.
Of the three sessions I took in, the one called “Is there a way to think Biblically about politics? Was the most helpful. I will try to give you the sweetened condensed version of a part of that lecture where he told us how to vote. Note: not who to vote for, but how to vote. Let me lay out his four-step process as I recall it. (Disclaimer: this is Ron Sider through the Todd Martin lens, so there could be some distortion.)
1. Develop a “normative frame-work.” This was the term he used, but I would call it your moral or ethical code, or maybe even your world view. Discern with God’s help how the Bible says you should live—and what scripture says is to be most important to you in light of what’s most important to God.
If you're like me, you’d rather have someone else tell you what to believe since that is easier, but ultimately (and this is very Mennonite) you need to get with God and decide where you stand on basic life issues.
2. Do a broad study of the world—no one is an island. We live in a world that is more connected socially, economically and SPIRITUALLY than ever. You’ll never know everything—but everyone can know something of the world situation. This also must include history, and what we can learn from it, both success and failure. The U.S. is the richest most powerful nation in the history of the world, and so we have a great responsibility as we steward our resources.
Let me just say the first parts of this process can be exhausting. But DO NOT skip them or the last two will be meaningless.
3. Produce a Political Philosophy Combining steps 1 and 2 will create a roadmap or framework of what is most important to you based on God’s Word and what His will is for your life, in light of the world in which you live. I believe firmly that God will give you conviction and direction if you ask for it, as you design your philosophy.
4. Make application to situations. It really makes no difference how much you know—how passionate you are— even how Godly you’ve become, IF YOU DO NOTHING! I know it’s easy to say, “look, I don’t like or agree with either one completely,” and that inspired Mary Naumoff and me to pose the question to Ron, “Do you vote the ‘lesser of two evils’, or just not vote at all?
Without blinking and eye, Ron said, “Of course you ALWAYS vote the lesser * -Jesus isn’t running-you’ll never agree 100% with ANYONE”. I hope that in November everyone who is able to vote will do so. I hope regardless of what you hear from others, you will carefully and prayerfully consider for whom God is asking you to vote, and then do it. In the voting booth it’s just you and God. He will give you the wisdom and the courage to do what He wants you to do.
For those who have read to this point and are saying “wait a minute, Todd didn’t tell me who to vote for,” you’re right—and he won’t. In fact, this article will probably be the only article on politics I’ll write for another 4 years. Ron was very clear that while politics is important, it’s not the MOST important thing.
He (and I) believe that too often politics is a means of division in the church and not a mode of discernment. No presidential election supersedes your Christ election, and that is what makes us first and foremost brothers and sisters in the Kingdom before and above citizens of the U.S.A.
Even during election season, Christ’s command still applies—LOVE EACH OTHER.
* I was challenged this election by this quote:
“Don’t vote the lesser evil when you can vote the greater good.”
I believe this is possible in this election. I’m glad to talk to anyone personally about this option.
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