Editor notes
By Daniel J. Lehmann Tread lightly
with politics Candidate endorsements too much
A
Pew Research Center survey this fall found a surprising (at least to me) increase in support of religion in politics, including a growing
minority who think churches should endorse can- didates for political office. This comes on the eve
of congressional, state and local elections this month. Do we really want church leaders telling us who to vote for? The survey found that 32 percent of Americans think churches should
endorse political candidates. A majority of Americans oppose the idea, but that 63 percent is down from 70 percent four years earlier. This change comes amid a sense that religion is losing influence in American life. Up 5 percentage points from 2010, nearly three-quarters of the public (72 percent) hold such a view. To combat this, the poll found, 49 percent of Americans think houses of wor-
ship should express their views on social and political issues. Further, those who say there has been “too little” expression of religious faith and prayer from politi- cal leaders is up modestly over the same period to 41 percent. “The findings reflect a widening divide between religiously affiliated Ameri-
cans and the rising share of the population that is not affiliated with any religion (sometimes called the ‘nones’),” according to Pew. “[T]hose who continue to identify with a religion (e.g., Protestants, Catholics and others) have become sig- nificantly more supportive of churches … speaking out about political issues and political leaders talking more often about religion. The ‘nones’ are much more likely to oppose the intermingling of religion and politics.” The ELCA has been involved in policy
advocacy since its beginning. Our first social statement was “The Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective” (1991). It charged the church to “work with and on behalf of the poor, the powerless and those who suffer, using its power and influence with political and economic decision-making bodies to develop and advocate policies that seek to advance justice, peace and the care of creation.” The ELCA employs a policy staff that promotes our advocacy efforts. That
action is uncomfortable for some, who see the church’s business as growing Christianity. One Lutheran reader scoffed at a recent quote about listening “more to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John” than a conservative commentator, calling it a “typical ELCA political liberal Democrat point of view.” Another refused to believe Martin Luther helped set up and advocated for “generous government safety nets for the poor” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 45), saying it was an “Obama” idea. Stepping into the political realm, for the most noble of reasons, runs the
gauntlet of partisan interpretation. Endorsing political candidates is a bridge way too far.
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www.thelutheran.org The Lutheran is the magazine of the ELCA
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Editor Daniel J. Lehmann
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Section editors Julie B. Sevig Congregations & Community
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The Lutheran magazine belongs to the people of the ELCA in all our diversity. The magazine: • Nurtures awareness of Christ’s presence in our lives and the world. • Shares stories of God’s people living their faith. • Connects us with the global Christian community. • Provides an open forum for discussion. • Challenges us to bring God’s grace and care to all.
MICHAEL D. WATSON
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