The Theology of Power

I’ve seen an unfortunate pattern in politics: one side does something that is, at best, unhealthy for our country, at worst, against (at least the spirit of) our constitution. The other side reacts dramatically, denouncing them, but then swiftly moves into some form of doing the same exact thing with the defense of these unprecedented times. The exhausted majority looks at both sides and sees no moral stand on principles that would be healthy for our country, and is depressed. It is overreaction to overreaction, each time swinging farther into extremism. “This is the only way to fix the horrible things they did!”

In a recent example of this, our president asked Texas to “find 5 more seats” through gerrymandering. Democrats have strongly denounced this, to the cries of Republicans saying “But what about Illinois! You already gerrymandered there!” (the pot said to the kettle) But it was a bit disheartening to see Governor Newsom then say that they’d put it to the people to vote for them to be allowed to also gerrymander California. Because the answer to corruption is more corruption. As Ghandi said, “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.”

I understand the feeling of “But if we don’t, they will win.” But instead of standing up to Donald Trump, Galvin Newsom just became Donald Trump. I’ve grown up in the church, and they’ve spent my whole life teaching me that there is another way. That different way is stepping away from power: stepping down from power. If there is a ladder to success you are trying to climb? God’s upside-down kingdom has opened up ways for us to step down that ladder, and it is breathtakingly beautiful and creative.

Our government and country have become more and more entrenched in partisan politics. The win at all costs idea, and “If I can’t win, at least I can make THEM lose.” It is hard to remember that the point of government is for the flourishing of our country and our communities. When I see the Republican party purge “Woke,” I watch their overreaction create embittered and hardened Democrats who are ready to bide their time until it is their turn to purge. (I watched as the Republicans waited through Biden’s presidency as well) When the pendulum swings, and the Democrats win a majority (and history shows they eventually will as long as our democracy continues), do we dare to hope for anything better than a Democrat version/overreaction of Donald Trump?

I was listening to a podcast that said we need another George Washingon in this area. Someone with character who will choose to step away from power for the good of our country. Someone who says “I know I can win, I can make things happen MY way: and yet…I will choose to do what is healthy for the future of our government and our country: not my own party, not my own agenda.” Someone who sounds remarkably…Christian. Who will work with congress, the courts, and across party lines to put appropriate guidelines on the presidential power, after the presidents of the past many years have been consolidating an overreach of power. Can we hope this kind of principled person will exist in 2028?

The other problem, this podcast pointed out, is that the group of people put on earth to show there is another way, a way of stepping away from power, is pushing and supporting the current presidential power grab and partisan driver. 72% of white evangelicals support Donald Trump. And many of them do it, because they see Trump as someone who will finally fight for them, and help them win. They are seeking power, instead of stepping away from it. They are seeking a savior from somewhere that is not our Lord and Savior.

In studying history, I was confronted with this hard question: “How did the white evangelical American church abandon/misuse the Theology of the image of God in man so much that slavery was allowed to flourish in America?” If we, as the white evangelical American church, had correctly preached that all people are made in God’s image and worthy of certain inalienable rights, and acted on it: would slavery have been able to flourish? I don’t believe it would have. We dropped the ball, and that is something every one of us white evangelical Christians need to reckon with. That is something that we as a CHURCH need to purposefully correct and properly teach, so that can never happen again.

I wonder if we’ve really learned our lesson. When many of us white evangelical Christians are now saying there is a people group that does not have inalienable rights: the undocumented. Maybe in 100 years from now, white evangelical American Christians will look at our time and shake their head, saying “72%? How did they get there? How did we get the theology of power so wrong?” Maybe that reckoning will be much sooner.

**

“But what can we DO NOW about this?” Is a great question to add to any discussion. Personally, I like to read, so finding books that speak about a healthy theology of power has been important to me. My favorite is “Overturning Tables” by Scott Bessenecker. I’ve been enjoying (but not agreeing with everything in) the graphic novel series “World Citizen Comics.” I have greatly appreciated the And Campaign, and their biblical and strong call to action and against partisanism (follow on social media!). Here was the podcast episode I was listening to (I thought it got to some good points around 50 minutes in). If you’d like to talk more about this subject with me, I’d love that!