MORAL OR POLITICAL?
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
… God will never forget the needy;
the hope of the afflicted will never perish. Psalm 9:9,18
Southern Baptist churches have, historically, avoided addressing certain moral issues, that is, those which could also be labeled, “political” in nature, such as war and the Civil Rights of African Americans. In 1957, Dr. Dale Cowling, pastor of Second Baptist Church of Little Rock, Arkansas, worked and preached in support of the segregation of Little Rock’s Central High School. As a result, his church lost hundreds of families, practically overnight, with the resulting loss of financial support for the congregation.
Baptist churches, particularly those in the south, have been extremely reluctant to take positions on extremely controversial moral/political concerns and, despite often holding a view of the “freedom of the pulpit” have been particularly unwilling to have their pastors speak out on such issues. Many of those churches would point to the historical Baptist principle of separation of church and state as the basis for not speaking out on issues that would appear to be merely political in nature. Furthermore, in 1954, the Johnson Amendment was enacted by Congress exempting churches and other nonprofit organizations from taxation. In exchange “[churches]are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office.”
Yet, are there issues that are both political and moral? In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Walter Rauschenbusch, a German Baptist pastor from New York City achieved significant fame for his emphasis on the social aspects of the Bible. Pastor Rauschenbusch was vocal in supporting a minimum wage, a 40-hour work week and safer working conditions. In addition, his ministry was directed to the issues of the nation’s wealth gap and the use of child labor. His theology and endeavors subjected his ministry to fierce criticisms by a great many Christian leaders who caricatured him as one who deemphasized the personal and individual aspect of faith at the expense of speaking to political issues, issues which he felt had biblical and moral relevance. Walter Rauschenbusch would become the major theological influence of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King labored and preached to bring moral issues to the conscience of Americans, issues such as racism, poverty, and war. For King, there was no contradiction between the personal and social aspects of salvation. King saved his harshest words for those who didn’t speak against injustice by preaching, “our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Walter Rauschenbusch and Martin Luther King gave voice to such moral concerns as the widening gap between the rich and poor, our nation’s addiction to war, and radical cuts to social programs to our nation’s poor.
Beginning in years just prior to Ronald Reagan’s election as President in 1979, many evangelical churches spoke out forcefully for Reagan using “voter guides” which made clear that Ronald Reagan was “God’s Man.” These voter guides focused on taxation, social service budgeting and abortion. Candidates like Reagan, who wanted to greatly reduce taxation of the wealthy were described as moral. Reagan’s desire to greatly reduce social service spending was viewed as the more moral option. It was Moral Majority’s outspoken Jerry Falwell who stated that “social concern was the concern of the church, not the government.” Yet evangelical churches such as Falwell’s Thomas Road Baptist Church did not increase their giving for social causes. These voter guides presented what was originally perceived as mere political issues as “moral” issues.
More than eighty percent of evangelical Christians voted for Donald Trump in the last two presidential elections and pastors of such congregations spoke unstintingly in favor of Trump’s presidency and his policies, many of which severely affect people of meager means. Protest from churches and ministers against such has been rare.
Reverend John Dorhauer, the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ denomination recently stated, “The complacency and decorum characteristic of white Christian liberalism is not going to bring back the justice we seek,” he urged. “They’re playing tackle football. We’re playing touch (football). And we’re going to lose this game every damned time.”
Liberation Theologians of the last half century have reminded us that God has a “preferential option for the poor and oppressed.” In the face of the radically increasing gap between the haves and have-nots, Baptist churches need to be a voice of advocacy for those who do not possess a powerful lobby in the halls of Congress. Clarence Jordan said it best, “poor people don’t need charity, they need capital.”
