Talking Politics

Dear Friends,

This week I have struggled with what to say to us about the upcoming election. I, of course, have no intention of telling anyone how to vote, but I do want to name some of the tensions and troubles we face these days, as we stand on the cusp of a pivotal election, and where the presence of Christ is to be found around those tensions and troubles.

I want to acknowledge what nearly everyone is feeling—both on the left and the right. Some mix of fear, anxiety, a little hope (maybe), and a wish that we knew what happens next. That's a hard mix of emotions, and it doesn't always incline us to bring our best selves into conversation. Especially hard conversation. Especially, I think, conversation on social media.

That said, I do not think it wise or prudent for us to stop talking politics. I don't believe that all political positions are of equal worth, and I don't hesitate to say that there are poisonous forces at work in the politics of our day. Politics matter. How we order our society, how we pursue the common good, how we navigate the complexities of our world—all of that matters. And we, as Christians, should be able to talk about it. But if we are to have these conversations, we must have them as Christians. Discipleship doesn't go away just because we're talking politics. So, I'd propose a few rules:

·         Have political conversations in good faith. If you can't assume the best about the person with whom you're speaking/texting/messaging, there's probably not much of a point to talking. If you can't make that assumption about the other person, what can you do to cultivate the relationship, to grow the trust and vulnerability needed to have that conversation well?

·         Don't engage in conversation that feeds the outrage and disinformation machines that are working overtime right now. Check your sources and refuse to share things that traffic in half-truths or debunked conspiracies. Christians believe in truth, so this means we need to do the work of seeking truth. We also need to read and hear from smart people who do not share our assumptions or party identifications.

·         Know your limits in a discussion. If it's just making you angry, if it's leading you away from love—cut it off. If it's causing you to fail to see the humanity of the person with whom you are talking, it's also causing you to fail to see them as made in the image and likeness of God. None of us need more reasons to ignore the humanity, the made-in-God's-image reality, of our neighbors.

·         Talk about other things, too. It is easy for politics to feel like the only reality these days, but they aren’t.

The presence of Christ is with us in this time. We are a community of people with different leanings, different priorities, different party affiliations, and different candidates we support. Our call is to remain in community for the glory of God and for the benefit of this world beyond November 3. I believe that we can do that.

I’ll just close with two reminders that I'm holding close to my heart these days. Despair is not a Christian virtue, and our call to love God with all that we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves remains no matter what happens on Election Day. I pray for peace for all of you in the days to come. I pray we all discern the abiding presence of Christ as we walk through the coming week.

God bless,

Fr. Quinn+