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Something remarkable happened in this week’s elections, and those of us in the mainline Protestant church ought to be paying attention.
The election of the Rev. Adam Hamilton, a United Methodist pastor in Kansas; James Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian in Texas; and the Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott, an ELCA Lutheran pastor in Iowa, offers an interesting glimpse into the place of faith in American public life.
These three candidates (and I am sure there are others) are rooted in mainline Protestant traditions who have openly connected their faith with love, justice, compassion, and public service.
Elections are complicated, and people vote for many reasons. Yet these results invite an important question: Are people more receptive to a Gospel centered Christian witness than we have allowed ourselves to believe?
In recent years, the loudest expressions of Christianity in America have often been associated with Christian Nationalism. Meanwhile, mainline Protestants have sometimes been so concerned about appearing political that we have hesitated to be boldly theological.
But the Gospel has never belonged to one political party.
Jesus calls us to love our neighbors, care for the vulnerable, pursue justice, and recognize the dignity of every person. Kindness is not weakness. Civility does not require silence in the face of injustice. Love is not simply being nice.
The church’s mission is not to win elections but to proclaim Jesus Christ. We need to become more confident in proclaiming the Gospel entrusted to us!
I am confident that people are longing for an expression of Christianity that sounds a little more like Jesus. It is time that we listen, act, and confidently proclaim the love of God in Jesus Christ!
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