Book overview:
Navigating the choppy waters of American politics, this book from the AND Campaign provides a helpful framework for thinking through a Christian approach to politics. Whilst not all Christians should come to the same position on all issues, all Christians should think Christianly about politics (p.38). Moving from a Biblical discussion on the purpose of politics and government, this book helps us think through what both orthodoxy and orthopraxy might look like and how they might serve our communities to the glory of God.
Discussion:
- What is the Christian’s ultimate political objective? pp.7-8
- Profess the gospel (Matthew 28:16-20) p.7
- Helps us remember the ultimate things p.8
- Reminds us that whilst we have the power to do good, sin and suffering will remain till Christ appears p.8
- Profess the gospel (Matthew 28:16-20) p.7
- Why should Christians engage in politics? pp.8 & 129
- The Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39) p.8
- The Great Requirement (Micah 6:8) p.10
- To make known the greatness of the One who sent us p.129
- What is the purpose of government? p.20-22
- To bring order to the world p.21
- Order, safety, justice primary purposes p.22
- What is the difference between the separation of church and state and the separation of faith and politics? pp.27-35
- What does this mean for the way we talk about Christian values?
- What’s the false choice politics often presents to us? Do we experience this same dilemma in the UK? pp.39-41
- What is our answer? pp.41-50
- How does your political ideology fall short of this Biblical framework pp.50-53
- When it comes to politics we need to be ready to work with others, what are some of the dangers and opportunities of political partnership? pp.55-73
- How does the co-belligerency model help us as Christians in our partnerships? pp.59-60
- Where do we seek and find validation? How does this affect our faithfulness? p.66
- What does it mean to be as wise as a serpent and as innocent as a dove in our messaging and rhetoric? pp.74-92.
- How does the model of awareness, relationships, advocacy, and active reconciliation help us think through and pursue racial justice? pp.103-4
- What would a Christian approach to protest and advocacy look like? Not look like? pp.106-110
- Do good, pursue justice and uphold timeless truths p.107
- Honest, humble, respectful p.108
- Avoid the dangers of power and offense pp.108-9
- What is civility and why is it so important? pp.117-20
- It is a form of public grace p.117
- Incivility is a product of dehumanization p.118
- Not about winning but pursuing truth and a shared way forward p.120
- It’s a form of Christian witness/incivility threatens the church pp.123-4
- Why is the gospel so key to their model of political engagement? What separates this book from just another activist’s handbook?
- What difference does reading this book through a British lens make?
