I have worked in and around politics for the last 15 years. I began working for a member of the Texas Senate straight out of law school and have since worked for many policy organizations before coming to World Relief. In fact, it was my work with the Baptist General Convention of Texas that inspired my desire to attend seminary and now work on a PhD to learn and think deeply about what faithful Christian political engagement looks like.
So this subject is very close to my heart and I understand my education and background might make me uniquely qualified to speak a word of encouragement to fellow believers and ministry leaders wearied by this presidential election season.
The current political discourse can feel exhausting, regular conversations with friends and family can unexpectedly turn into political debates and watching TV means being inundated with candidate ads and political news. We are overwhelmed and navigating the discourse and politics can be challenging. You do not want to offend but still want to speak the truth in love.
After 15 years in and around politics, I would love to share some of my best tips to keep in mind for navigating this election season.
1. People are more than just their votes.
Political discourse can be frustrating, but before responding from frustration or in anger, I try to remember that the person I am talking to is created in the image of God. They are more than their partisan voting choices and I hope they see me as more than mine.
One of my favorite thinkers, Bryan Stevenson, has this quote about his justice and civil rights work on behalf of those who have been incarcerated: “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” Someone choosing to vote a different way or seeing issues differently than us is not the worst thing, but even if you feel like the stakes of this election are inordinately high and voting or not voting for a particular candidate is the worst thing your friend or family member can do. Stevenson helps us remember that people are more than the wrong things they have done. In this case, they are more than their political choices. Kind, intelligent, generous people can look at the same issue and come to different conclusions on the best policy solutions and political candidates.
While the Bible clearly commands we have a responsibility to those experiencing poverty, persecution and vulnerable situations, there is not always a clear guide for what those responsibilities mean regarding political activities. Additionally, our voting habits are one way to demonstrate our love and care for our neighbors. Most of us vote in federal elections but are less likely to vote in state and local elections; even as it is significant, our voting life still only makes up a small percentage of our lives as believers. How do we treat our neighbors and those in vulnerable situations in our everyday lives? How we act and how we speak to and about those with political differences reflect our commitment to Christ.
When I am tempted to get frustrated because someone disagrees with my political beliefs, remembering the real things that bind us together – our love of Jesus and love for our neighbor – makes it easier to tune my heart away from anger.
2. Discourse and politics are a public good.
There is an old Southern adage that one should avoid talking about complex topics like politics and religion. But, as Christians, we are responsible for sharing our faith and how it informs every aspect of our lives, including how we vote. As citizens in a democracy where politics touches almost every aspect of our lives, from the roads we drive on to the ability of our neighbors to work and breathe clean air, talking about the policies with others helps us become more informed about the world around us.
Political discourse is a public good. For one, many things deemed political are about real issues facing our neighbors. In Luke 4, Jesus declares that the Spirit of the Lord anointed him to preach good news to the poor, proclaim freedom for the captives, and set free the oppressed. To an Israel that had suffered under Roman oppression and longed for a Savior, this was both a spiritual and political mission. Jesus’ public declaration of himself as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in the synagogue suddenly interjected the truth of the gospel into the political discourse of his day.
Engaging in conversations about politics and public policy should not be taboo. With that said, political discourse requires the same sort of judgment about place, time and capacity as any other difficult conversation. So, while it is a public good, it might not be best to debate on social media,, via text messages or at Thanksgiving dinner. Part of having good and challenging conversations is making sure you and your interlocutor are in the best place to understand one another. Social media is great for sound bites, but not for in-depth and nuanced conversation. Whenever I get questions about something policy related on social media, I usually try to move the conversation to another medium i.e. email, texts or even better, phone calls.
While setting the table for good conversations is important, it is inevitable when talking about these issues that there will sometimes be places of disagreement. Fear of pushback is not a reason to avoid challenging conversations about policy or political issues. Avoiding challenging discussions can create a false peace where true justice and kindness are absent. Learning how to talk about politics without vitriol is a skill, but it is one more of us need to develop for the good of our neighbors.
3. Humility is the key.
We should not shy away from healthy political discourse; it is a way to test ideas and learn new information. Practicing civil political discourse helps us become better citizens and better neighbors. But, civil political discourse requires humility. We must be willing to listen as much as we speak, realizing that we still have things to learn about the world, our neighbors and ourselves.
Humility allows us to see our interlocutors as valuable members of our community, created in the image of God. Humility allows us to treat their concerns as valid. It opens space for listening and true understanding rather than browbeating and shaming someone into submission with our list of corralled facts. Humility allows us to submit to the Holy Spirit, to recognize our place in a larger story where we are not ultimately responsible for the outcomes of our discourse. We are responsible for our faithful representation of Christ through our love of neighbor and the fruits of the Spirit in our lives.
4. Pray over your conversations and those with whom you speak.
Christians seeking to engage in political discourse often neglect the role of prayer. Talking to God may feel like misdirection, given the urgency of the electoral moment, but I would argue that it is precisely this urgency that demands an active prayer life. We should pray about the policy issues facing our elected officials and neighbors as much as or more than we talk about them with our neighbors. We should pray for soft hearts and listening ears to hear the urgent cries of those in vulnerable situations. We should pray to be led by the Holy Spirit rather than our selfish desires or the talking points of partisans. We should pray for our leaders to seek justice and love kindness. We should pray to remain hopeful in suffering and joyful amidst the economic, cultural, and political upheaval. We should pray for wisdom and discernment in our conversations and to choose the correct course of action. An active prayer life is a critical component of healthy discourse and politics for Christians. We have to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide our speech for our sake and those we encounter.
In every conversation about a complicated topic, including politics, discourse and public policy, I try to remember the gifts of the Spirit and let the outworking of the Holy Spirit be evident even in disagreement.
Read and memorize Galatians 5:22-26
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking, and envying each other.”
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Kathryn Freeman is the National Advocacy and Operations Specialist for World Relief. She is currently working toward a PhD in political theology at Baylor University. She has a degree in English with a minor in Political Science from Texas A&M University, a Master of Divinity from Baylor University, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law. In her spare time, she also writes about the intersection of faith, race and pop culture. Her work has appeared in Christianity Today, Christ and Pop Culture and Think Christian. Kathryn loves books, Tex-Mex and iced coffee. She is passionate about her Jesus, justice and Beyoncé.