Politics and Religion

I studied international politics in college and now I'm a pastor, which means that if the old advice about not discussing politics or religion in polite company is to be heeded, I'm bound to have trouble in social gatherings. Luckily for me, politics is on everyone's mind these days and pretty often on the tips of our tongues. So, I thought a few words on the issues of the day might be appropriate.

Before going on, I should add that it would not, however, be appropriate for me, as a Christian pastor, to advocate for or against any particular political position or figure. So, I will try to avoid the language and landscape of politics, and rather focus on moral issues, about which I do feel free, and often compelled, to comment.

The issue of the day, of course, is health care. How much involvement should the federal government have in providing health care for the people of our nation?

Socrates often taught by leading his students through a series of questions, the answers to which directed the students' minds to the ultimate conclusion or truth he desired them to grasp. I like that method of teaching, so here are a few questions:

Should everyone in our nation be entitled to high-quality health care?

If so, is it the government's responsibility to provide that health care or the funding to pay for it?

Jesus called His followers to care for those in need (parable of the good Samaritan, Matt. 25:31-46, etc.). Is that the same as saying the government should care for those in need?

If so, what role should the church play? What role should other responsible citizens and businesses play?

Which is the more Biblical and moral approach: (1) to take resources from the wealthy to provide for the poor or (2) to provide equal opportunities for everyone to provide for their own needs? (This question is at the heart of the political divide in our nation, and we all have to acknowledge that good, honest people may differ on how they answer.)

If you do not support some sort of government-sponsored health care solution, what do you suggest to meet the needs of those who are under-served by our current system?

These are tough questions. Usually, politically divisive issues have to be solved through compromise, not bullying. My sense is that Congress will eventually settle on a plan that falls short of the President's wishes but does in some way provide health care coverage for those who have little ability to provide it for themselves (expanding Medicaid, for instance). Let's hope that along the way, we don't divide ourselves too severely or forget how to speak truth in love.