This Blog and What it is

Growing up a Christian in the very Republican State of Texas I always equated Christianity with being a republican.  After all how can you be a Christian and support social issues as an abortion, at least that is what I was taught.  However, when I moved up to New York in 2001 I began to look at the world from a different perspective.  It wasn't so much that my individual views were changing but more that I met very liberal Bible believing Christians who loved Jesus just as much as I did.  Oddly enough I began to hear something very similar but very different than how I was raised, being a Christian meant being a democrat. 

My time at Nyack College then became one of not only theological studies but political ones as well.  Discussions on abortion, the Iraq war, responses to 9/11 not only determine one's political leaning but seemed at times one's salvation as well.  Even my own interactions with family members since coming to Nyack have demonstrated this same ideology that political leanings determine one's standing with Christ.  I say all of this to preface the fact I know and understand this blog is going to be controversial, but controversy and thought out debate is something that I believe is necessary for the church in today's America.

So why then the title Politics 4 Christ, its because we need to transition from a two party perspective on political ideology and instead begin to focus on how it is political decisions and positions that we as a church make can help further the Biblical teachings and Gospel of Christ that we find in our Bibles.  While I will go in further detail on what hermenutical framework and method we should use to reach this decision let me briefly say that I believe these positions must be first and foremost based in love of neighbor.  However, even using love as a foundation is ultimately a complicated mess.  After all it was love that said turn the other cheek, but it was also justice based in love that punished the Egyptians.

Finally, while this blog is entitled Politics 4 Christ not every article is going to necessarily be political and theological in nature, though most will probably be so.  So I invite you to join in the discussion, to bring your own experiences and perspectives, and be part of a transition from the time when our political party determined our status with God, but instead focus on how it is we can use our political leanings to further the Gospel Message.