There is a post from the blog Catholic and Enjoying It! that I just read today, and it impressed me with its analysis. It leads me to ask the obvious question, “when is a good Orthodox (or Roman Catholic) not a good Orthodox in the realm of politics? I think that Mark Shea, the author of the blog, hit upon a good answer, and–for all you C.S. Lewis fans–it comes from the book The Screwtape Letters. As you all know, they are letters from a senior devil to a young tempter instructing him on how to keep Christians from being effective in their faith. Speaking specifically of politics, Screwtape at one point says:
About the general connection between Christianity and politics, our position is more delicate. Certainly we do not want men to allow their Christianity to flow over into their political life, for the establishment of anything like a really just society would be a major disaster. On the other hand we do want, and want very much, to make men treat Christianity as a means; preferably, of course, as a means to their own advancement, but, failing that, as a means to anything—even to social justice. The thing to do is to get a man at first to value social justice as a thing which the Enemy demands, and then work him on to the stage at which he values Christianity because it may produce social justice.
In other words, demons want people to become involved in politics in the name of Christianity. Hmm, provided that they do it in the name of Christianity but do not really bring their Christianity into play. It is even better if those who are involved in politics see calling themselves “Christian” as a way to win votes and thus they pin the label on with no actual plan to struggle with the relationship of Christianity to the political system in which they find themselves. But, the maximum delight for a demon is when the person is involved in politics in the name of a “cause” to which he or she appends the name of “Christian,” particularly if at least part of that cause is something that God actually wants.
But, wait, is this not contradictory? Should we not always do what God wants us to do? Well, uhm, yes, but with a caveat. Do you remember the story of the rich young ruler? He asked Our Lord Jesus Christ what he should do to get eternal life. Well, when Jesus asked him what he has done, the rich young ruler gave all the right answers. Even so, Our Lord Jesus Christ said that there was a problem. And, He put the rich young ruler to the test. Was he willing to give everything up for the sake of the Kingdom? It turned out that he was not. And, that is the problem with politics. Screwtape well pointed out that once one gets into politics, the seduction of the power of politics can make it easy to convince yourself that you are backing God’s agenda while, in fact, taking stands in order to maintain oneself in power.
More than that, there is an additional and much worse danger. Mark Shea points this danger out, but, you will either have to read his blog or tune in tomorrow. I will hint to you that it has to do with confusing secular agendas with God’s guidance.
===MORE TO COME===
Indeed, we have seen how true this is for several decades now. In my tradition, many have hung the label "Christian" on various political agendas, and so promoted the agendas that they've cast aspersions on any who do not completely agree with them, to the point of doubting their Christian commitment. They've completely identified the Christian message with the acquisition of worldly political power, and presented the Kingdom of God as something that could be established through secular means.But enough about liberation theology.
The first cracks in my relationship with the fusion conservative action groups is that they had largely switched the bulk of their operations from their agenda to getting power to implement their agenda.
Of course, I have other problems with them now, but it was clear near the end of the 1990s that fundraising was taking up more time than preaching on the radio “Ol’Tyme Gospel Hour” if you get my metaphor.
It’s not just about money, of course, it’s about regaining through political means the social power lost because of bad bedfellows and evil hearts. (being on the wrong side of the civil rights movement or being “pro war” etc and damaging the moral high ground they stood on)
Eisenhower was right to warn us of the military industrial complex’s corrupting effect on American politics (particularly conservative politics) since WWII.
Have you looked at Friends of the Unrighteous Mammon? An interesting book about some early concerns over Capitalism’s effect on the Christian faith. I’m no anti-Capitalist, but the moral concerns are verboten in some circles these days, and that’s killing healthy introspection.
Both perspectives in these posts are very refreshing and uplifting and proof that the Holy Spirit works in “mysterious” and subtle ways. I had given up hope that any Americans were actually listening to the unspoken message of our self-made political apparatus. I hope and pray that more of our Christian brothers and sisters will come to realize that any one party or ideology cannot contain all that God seeks for us, individually and communally. It will require a willing sacrifice of our own comfort, the relinquishment of our group and individual agendas, the true seeking one-to-another of Christ in each of us for HIM as our “common ground” before we can truly share the message of Christianity across this country and as a country and a nation with the rest of the world. As long as each of us and we – collectively – are MOST concerned with our own comfort, our own position, our own prestige – the “riches” of the rich young man – we are not able to follow Christ on that most difficult path to the glory of the Cross, it will always be a path to shame.