Church promotes its faithful to take up civil leadership

For the greater glory of God, Church promotes its faithful to take up civil leadership

Many Politicians blame the Church for interfering politics. The relationship between Church and politics or Church’s interference in the politics is always a matter of discussion. Most of the time, involvement of the Church is often misunderstood.

On 26-01-2017, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released a statement stating President Trump’s orders. My Trump ordered to construct a wall at United States/ Mexico border. Earlier, Pope Francis said, at his general audience, societies should build bridges not walls to encourage good relations among people. On 18-2-2016, Pope Francis said that any one who wants to build a border wall is not a Christian. Trump reacted saying, “for a religious leader to question a person’s faith is disgraceful.” This is one of the examples where Church and the state underwent a conflict.

In this article, Church means the people of God and the state is constituted of the people. Every citizen has a right to express his/her opinions and he/she has the right to involve in politics. Therefore, the church has the right to guide its faithful towards better governance.

There are people who are against of guidance of Church. They hold that state and its politics are based on natural laws and secular ethics; whereas, Church is based on divine laws and faith. Quoting John 15:19, they say, followers of Jesus should not be the part of the world. In John 18:36, Jesus says, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom was of this world, my disciples would have made a good fight to keep me out of the hands of the Jews: but my kingdom is not here.”

Therefore, the purpose of the separation of church and state was to safeguard that individuals could practice their spiritual or religious beliefs without fear of revenge.

The Church sanctifies the politics. Jesus said that we are the salt and light in the world. We are called to sanctify the politics. In England, William Wilberforce abolished slavery because of his strong Christian conviction. In Bible proverbs 11:14 states, “When there is no helping suggestion the people will have a fall, but with a number of wise guides they will be safe.”

It is the freedom of each citizen to express his/her opinions. He/she has the right to involve in politics. The church guides the Christians faithful to follow the footsteps of Christ, like helping the poor, doing justice to all.

The church has also a moral obligation to be the voice of the voiceless. Looking back to the history, Archbishop Oscar Romero and many Jesuit priests involved in politics, to raise the voice of the voiceless. 

Pastor Martin Niemöller opposed the nazification of German Protestant Churches. During the World War II, Pope Pius XII spoke against the Nazi’s euthanasia program. As a result, many politicians fought against Nazi’s euthanasia.

The word of God says that God is the creator of life and no one has the right to destroy it. When a government goes against word of God, Church has to interfere.

When the civil law goes against divine law, The Bible says to disobey the civil law and civil disobedience.

In Europe, there are a lot of Priests and religious. There are a lot of Catholics. In some occasions, the local civil authorities or higher civil authorities do not do the will of the people, Church or priests have to speak out the decisions of the faithful. Or the local Church should support the faithful for a just reasons.

When we pray the prayer “Our Father”, we say “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” To bring God’s kingdom on earth, Church should interfere into the politics.

Therefore, the church can interfere in the themes of politics to raise the voice of the voiceless. Church also guides the politicians to work for the betterment of the society. At the same time, the leaders of the Church, should not misuse the pulpit to favor one political party.