*What follows is a letter, drafted in response to a note from a friend who offered some concerns about the tone and content of some of my more "political" commentary on social media this past year. As it captures something of the state and tension of my heart during this current cultural moment, I offer it here.*
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Hey M,
Thanks again for the note, and apologies again for the delay in reply. As it is, I will most likely not manage the degree of thoroughness and care that I should like, here. But I didn't want to neglect you any longer. So, these thoughts will be essentially incomplete, but I am certainly more happy to continue the conversation, rather than presume to bring it to a close.
First, do let me say that any "trend" or stance of genuinely, visible, anti-Trump sentiment among the leadership of The Commons is really more a matter of perception (and Facebook's algorithms), than it is a reflection of reality in person. As a body, both generally as well as in leadership, there is nothing approaching a shared set of political convictions. We are all persons in process, and I honestly have no idea where most folks "land" politically/personally, if they land at all, as followers of Jesus in a democratic society. As I think about the folks in our community as a whole, I can really only think of just a few (particularly vocal though some of them may be) who use social media in such a way that their political "leanings" would be clear at all. So, while we may have opinions on whether those few folks (myself included) should consider using greater care while using that medium, there is at the least nothing approaching a policy or conspiracy to lead the community in a particular direction, politically speaking.
Speaking for myself, as both private citizen and (to an extent) public leader, I am almost entirely disinterested in "politics" (or partisanship, at the very least); my concern and passion is for the Church, and with something approaching Anabaptist convictions I am loath to witness the ways in which the church has succumbed over the years to the temptation of courting political influence. My sense is that as citizens of a democratic nation, it is ours to steward the influence of national self-leadership to the extent that we possess it, but there is nothing approaching a coherent political philosophy in me. Generally speaking, I am a committed moderate (if such a thing is even possible, in these polarized days); over the years I have submitted votes all over the political map, and never has a candidate or party line inspired much by way of passion or substantive hope in me. Politics just isn't my bag; it's not my calling.
All that to say, you will never hear me (or anyone in leadership of this community) tell anyone how to vote, or even presume to ask how they might have voted. There are plenty of folks who voted for the current president in our midst, including leadership, and every one of those people had their particular value matrix in play when coming to that decision. We're as politically diverse a crew as you'll find anywhere in our region, though the social media "footprint" of a small handful of individuals may loom larger on your news feed for one reason or another.
And then, there's the nature of social media itself, which is thoroughly fraught with pitfalls. On a medium such as Facebook, the public and private spaces of life converge in fascinating ways. Posting a picture of apple picking with your family is easily understood as an act of personal sharing, but veering into anything of social substance, commentary or critique becomes a matter of public policy, reflecting on one's professional and organizational capacities, as well. There's something of a double-standard operating here, which would be fascinating to explore in greater depth. However, suffice it to say that I'm aware of the pitfalls and temptations of the medium, and don't mind at all being reminded of them. I'm aware that, to a meaningful extent, that which I choose to communicate in those "personal" spaces cannot be clearly separated from my leadership and pastoral work, and that is always worth bearing in mind.
But, more specifically, let me attempt to weigh in on the issue at hand: I do appreciate the heart of your concerns. I do. As followers of Jesus, we are called to transcend the fractious, violent ungraciousness of our world; by the empowering of the Holy Spirit, putting the love and grace of Christ, and every spiritual fruit, on tangible display in our world. In Christ, we are citizens of a different manner of Kingdom, and so are held to a different standard. You are right, there. Thank you for that reminder.
But that being said, I am not sure that I can apologize with honesty for a measure of "impoliteness" (or even, the risk of outright disrespect) when it comes to the current state of affairs in this nation of ours. To offer an analogy: if a house is burning down around your loved ones while they sleep, that is no longer the moment for quiet, polite invitation or discourse. That is a moment when it is absolutely appropriate to scream your blessed head off. And M - I honestly don't know how else to say this - it is my heartfelt personal conviction that our current president may very well be the most dangerous person on the planet; capriciously tearing at the fragile social fabric of our nation, and thoughtlessly threatening literally *millions* of lives across the globe by toying with military escalation between global nuclear powers. And beyond THAT (if one can venture to think beyond such a statement), I don't think there is any greater risk to the honor and witness of Christ in the world today than the direct association we have allowed to be made between Donald Trump and the American church. And, whether you can believe it or not, I don't intend any of that as a particularly political statement. It's not my politics (to the extent that I have them) but my Gospel heart that weeps, and I might not be getting it right but I honestly struggle to know how and where to give voice to any of this.
I appreciate you drawing upon Timothy and Romans 13. Many folks are leaning into those passages these days to try and find a way forward. However, it seems to me that those passages and sentiments are being stretched too far in order to placate dissent and preserve the status quo today. Some of the same folks who would be quick to drop Romans 13 as an argument to call for "respect of the office" today were happy enough to call our former president a "maggot" in conversation a couple of years ago. We tend to find ways to justify what we want to: if "our guy" is in office, then it's Romans 13. If it's "their guy", then we're justified in holding forth in our "patriotic resistance" or "prophetic discontent" however we see fit. Of course, it goes without saying that very few of us are ever speaking in a genuinely prophetic manner; we're just being ugly, spiteful and loud. And, in the case of former president Obama, a fair amount of that "patriotic resistance" on behalf of conservatives amounted to little more than bald-faced racism ("birthers", and the like). And this, too often from self-professing followers of Christ.
But, to circle back to Donald Trump and God's sovereign ordaining of "rulers and authorities": it's true, if God is sovereign, then the election of Donald Trump falls within the scope of his will, broadly speaking. However, we must not forget that on myriad occasions throughout scripture those persons "ordained" by God to lead a nation were placed there, not because they embodied the character of God, or even because they would be a particularly GOOD leader, but because they were the person that the nations DESERVED to have lead them. And more often than not, they were ordained to lead the people into destruction and exile as an expression of God's judgment upon them. And if we read the prophets, we find - fascinatingly - that even those leaders/conquerors brought to bear BY God as an instrument of judgment do not escape the condemnation and judgment OF God, themselves, for the role they were given to play in history! It really is an amazing thing to consider, the ways in which God moves and speaks within history. And this is perhaps the most terrifying thing to consider: that the 'leadership' that we have witnessed from the president thus far is not what our nation needs, at all, but what we - in the estimation of the Lord - DESERVE.
But, all that to say; just because a "ruler" or authority figure has been put in place within the sovereign will of God does NOT mean that they are exempt from receiving hard, even damning truth at the hands of the prophets and people of God. As followers of Jesus, it is more often than not our place to "stand in the gap" between the powerful and the oppressed, speaking and sacrificing for the sake of Holy Love and Truth. And while not many of us may presume to be bona-fide modern-day prophets, one thing we do observe in the prophetic vocation is that there seems to be little if any concern on the part of God for being "polite" when there is a word that needs to be conveyed. (I'm sure there'd be a heck of a lot of well-meaning church folk who'd be up in arms if the Prophet Isaiah walked into a Sunday service naked just to make a point...)
And this is, in fact, a Kingdom and justice issue, as it weighs upon my heart. Because to be totally honest, apart from the prospect of being Tweeted into nuclear war, I could pretty much ignore all this if I wanted to. Because I'm not a woman, an immigrant, a minority, a reporter, an NFL player, a member of the president's cabinet, a citizen of North Korea or Puerto Rico... I'm a white dude in New Hampshire. On a purely selfish/personal level, none of the president's shenanigans take much of a toll on me. So, I certainly could (and perhaps should) be more measured and polite as I weigh in to online discourse. But as I listen to the voices of those I love and care for who are NOT like me, and for whom the things which this president says and does are not merely an embarrassment, but a wound and terror, I hear that woundedness and fear in their voices. And as I hear that, I know that my simple silence - or even measured politeness - is not what they need right now. They need to know that there are people like me who are willing to take this moment seriously, and to bear the burden of their fear and pain alongside them. They need to know that there are people like me who don't particularly NEED to speak, or become emotionally invested, but who out of love and concern for THEM is willing to risk shouting that all is not right with this house of ours. And I'm aware that all this shouting may make some folks uncomfortable, particularly if they happen to disagree with my assessment of the present moment. But as a follower of Jesus - at this moment, and for me - neither silence nor measuredness seems fit for the season and world we find ourselves in, today. And if my voice is to be joined in a chorus alongside others, I am convinced that it is alongside those who find themselves on the underside of this administration and its ardent supporters where I will be nearest the heart of Christ.
And I will say it again, this is all the more the burden upon my heart because, according to the perception of the watching world it is WE - Evangelical Christians - who have placed this man in power. It is we, together, who put him there. And so, if we now are unwilling to speak the plain truth that so much of who this man is and what he represents is simply antithetical to the heart of Christ - if we are unwilling to embody and proclaim the Gospel to power, whether out of embarrassment, a sense of social propriety or political expedience - then we allow on our watch the name of Christ to suffer dishonor. And I just can't abide that.
In short, it is my conviction that these are genuinely extraordinary days; in the history of our nation, and that of the American church. I don't aspire to be a political person, and I have little interest in critiquing anyone else's politics. But this moment is about so much more than politics, it seems clear to me. And though I may struggle to find the right venue and the right words to express it, neither silence nor simple politeness seem fit for the task at hand. I do apologize if anything I have said or written has struck you as alienating or being contrary to the character of Christ. That is certainly not my intent or desire. I am, as much as anyone, trying to find my way forward, in wisdom, grace and truth, day by day, and I am certain to miss the mark at times.