The Center for the Study of American Culture and Faith recently
conducted a poll of identified “theologically conservative pastors.” If you want to understand why America is in
the condition it is, look no further than these
results.
According to the findings, just 44% of
“theologically conservative pastors” would “definitely provide strong encouragement” to their
congregations to vote and to get involved in next year's elections. Another 20% said they “probably” would. Thirty percent said they were not sure and 6%
said they would not encourage their congregants to be active politically.
It goes without saying, that I’m among
the 44% of theologically conservative pastors who believe it is important for
Christians to be active participants in the public policy process. But given the redefinition of marriage, the
assault on religious liberty and the persecution of Christians overseas, it is
disturbing that more than one-third, and perhaps as many as one-half, of
theologically conservative pastors could be lukewarm about public policy.
Unfortunately, many pastors … even
those who generally share the Biblical worldview about the importance of civic responsibility
… often say – “It’s my job is to preach the Gospel.” By this they mean – not to speak from the
pulpit of public policy. Yet, if you ask
them about the silence of many churches in slave states during the 1850s, they
will shake their heads in disgust.
President Lincoln worried about
pastors who told him that slavery was a political issue, and not a moral issue.
And when he discussed slavery in the
public square, Lincoln was often told to keep his religion to himself.
Too many churches were silent in
Germany during the 1930s. And when some
brave souls like Dietrich Bonheoffer and Martin Niemoeller dared to speak up, Hitler
told them to take care of their churches and leave Germany to him.
America was founded by people seeking religious
liberty; it has a tremendous religious heritage. Religious liberty was so important to our
Founding Fathers that they listed it in the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
But when so many pastors are sitting
silently in the trenches of the culture war, we risk losing those first freedoms
… while America is fundamentally transformed into something our Founders would
not recognize.
Where is your pastor or priest? Is he/she engaging and equipping the
congregation in the cultural war for the soul of America? Encourage your spiritual leader to get out of
the trench and on to the battlefield … for the culture war cannot be won unless
God-fearing, God-honoring Christians reclaim America for Christ and His Kingdom
on earth as it already is in heaven.
Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel
I thank God that we two chaplains at Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel who would be proud members of the Black Robe Regiment and not afraid to speak the truth.
ReplyDelete