‘You are witnesses of these things. ‘
Luke 24:48 NRSVue
I originally planned to post this in January, while I was still on sabbatical. It never materialized, partially because the impetus of my sabbatical was a need to retreat and reset after a series of slanderous and politically motivated attacks by people close to me. I have had a hard time writing it in the months since because fresh wounds are difficult to investigate as they are healing.
Since December, I have been carefully discerning whether it is worth voting again in this country during my lifetime, or at least the foreseeable future. Some of the leanings for this are admittedly rooted in secular frustration with our political system which seems increasingly rotted to the core, with no good side to be found.
However, the larger issue is rooted in my ability to witness to the person and work of Jesus. After warning against idolatry of political figures given the rise of Christian Nationalism in our country, I have noticed many of siblings are virtually, if not entirely, unable to disentangle what is political opinion and what is religious conviction.
I noticed this most glaringly when I told a worship leader, “I have concerns about the worship of President Donald Trump” and she responded with, “Yeah, but don’t you think the Democrats were hiding President Biden’s cognitive decline? There weren’t any good options.” My stated concern was principally one of religious conviction, the same kind that Moses chastised Aaron and the Israelites for in Exodus 32 as our ancestors worshiped a Golden Calf. The worship leader’s response was one fully in the political realm. Despite concerns about one political candidate, another political candidate’s (valid) failings had to be compared. And this concern was seen as an equitable rebuttal to the concern about religious idolatry.
I also noticed our extreme confusion in the aftermath of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk’s assassination. As siblings gathered in comment threads to celebrate or express indifference over his death, I asked them point blank if our call as Christians was to revel in the death of ideological enemies. Some backed down while others raised their hackles: “If Charlie would have celebrated my death, why shouldn’t I celebrate his?” they asked back pointedly.
Our call as Christians is complicated to enact in the real world but easy to state in words:
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be arrogant, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” Instead, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink, for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’
Romans 12:14-21 NRSVue (bolding mine)
Our love for our enemies, whether our enemies are political commentators or migrants illegally crossing our boarders, or protestors killed by ICE agents, is threatened every day in this country by our political beliefs. Before we grieve with those who grieve, we seemingly have to ask ourselves, Did I agree with this person? Did their life matter?
This is not a new phenomenon – in 2015, I received hundreds of death messages on my Tumblr account after saying that we shouldn’t pray for then presidential candidate Trump’s death just because we didn’t agree with him (only to now receive death threats for saying we shouldn’t worship him) – but it has gotten more normalized and widespread. If simple tenants of the Christian faith like aversion to idolatry and dedication to love for our neighbors, is something that can easily be dissected or dismissed simply because you vote differently (or are even just perceived to vote differently) than someone else, I believe that we in the United States Church have lost the plot almost beyond repair.
Historically, I have believed that it was possible to be a civically engaged citizen and a witnessing Christian. I no longer believe my witness as a member of Christ’s Kingdom can coexist with participating in any level of earthly politics. And, in truth, this grieves me. I know as a marginalized person the tangible reality that “politics” play in a person’s ability to be human. And yet, if everything I say or do is ascribed to my supposed motives as a “godless liberal” or a “supremacist conservative,” I think an answer is to disengage with the process entirely.
Perhaps one day we will regain the intellectual and emotional maturity to understand what perspectives belong to the Kingdom of God and which belong to the kingdom of humanity, but until that day comes, I’m becoming increasingly convicted that in order to witness as a Christian, a complete separation from earthly politics needs to be made.
I would appreciate your prayers for wisdom or comments of disagreement in the comment sections or in this anonymous Google form.
May we cling to our true Love and reject all other imitations. May I cling to my true Love even in the midst of objection.
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Bryce Van Vleet is the #1 selling author of Tired Pages and Before We All Die Let’s Have One Last Chat by the Fireside. He sells poetry art here, published a collection of poems titled Weak Eyes, and masquerades as the spoken word artist Liihey. You can support him by clicking through blog posts or donating (scroll to the bottom of the page).
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