Blasphemous or Noble? Defensible or Disturbing?

The RNC produced the above video, especially for churches, with hopes it would be played on Sunday, two days before the presidential election. Gov. Mike Pence, the GOP VP candidate, and the only speaker, closes with a quotation of 2 Chronicles 7:14:

“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will heal their land.”

Ten years ago, I would have said how you react to that video would probably depend on ideology. Conservatives would be more comfortable with such a fusion of religion and politics, while liberals would not. There still may be truth in that assertion, but I think we are in the middle of a transition.

I fall on the “disturbing” side of the spectrum. There is a lot to unpack here, and I am not going to do it in the space of a blog post. Let me briefly highlight some troubling elements.

First, quoting the Chronicles passage is intolerable. America is not Israel. America is not the church. This idea that somehow our promises are Israel’s promises, or that we are the people of God, as a nation, is simply untenable theologically and it is potentially destructive to the Body of Christ. As Russell Moore said, this sentiment is the political equivalent of the Prayer of Jabez. Ick.

Putting all of that aside, even if you want to persist in your belief such verses should apply to America, how does a vote for Donald Trump translate into seeking the face of God, humbling ourselves, or turning from our wicked ways?

Pence, as Trump has done for a few months, makes repeal of the Johnson Amendment a central part of his closing argument. The amendment is shorthand for a federal law that prevents churches, and other particular non-profits, from engaging in direct electioneering, like endorsing candidates, if they want to maintain their tax-exempt status. The assumption seems to be that we, as a church, are in desperate need of political freedom and that our votes this election are a key element of that freedom.

Let me be very frank about this. It is insulting to think the Body of Christ needs to be “freed up” to do anything. That assumes government is even capable of binding us. The Johnson Amendment cannot shackle the Body of Christ any more than Pharaoh, Caesar, or Herod could. We are free in Christ. We were slaves to sin, but Christ has freed us through his sacrifice. Those have NOTHING to do with government, policy, or amendments. We can speak to any issue for any reason in any place and at any time. We don’t need permission.

Of course, Pence isn’t really talking about this sort of freedom, is he? He speaks of political freedom under the pretense that our spiritual freedom is somehow reliant upon policy. It is as if we, as a church, must depend on an external, political source to fulfill our potential. Heaven, I pray the American church needs Donald Trump for nothing, much less as a facilitator of our destiny.

I understand what Pence is saying–changing federal law will allow us to engage in more political activity without fear of losing our tax-exempt status. But, again, we do not need the government to be the church. We are the church in tyrannies, democracies, oligarchies, or any other kind of government with any sort of policies. Pence seems to believe that a more politically engaged church is desirable. I think this election cycle has proven that of all the American church’s problems, not enough politics is pretty low on the list.

Just so we are all clear, I cannot vote for Hillary Clinton and I still cannot vote for Donald J. Trump. Such is life on the eve of our collective catastrophe.

*Churches are of course free to engage in any electoral activity they wish if they are willing to forfeit their tax-exempt status. This may or may not be good policy, but it is hardly the picture of oppression.