Pastor Greg Boyd Says Christians Out of Politics

The Controversial Stand of Pastor Greg Boyd Part 1

Given the reputation of the New York Times as a left-of-center journal that eschews anything that smacks of Christian and conservative ideals, I wasn’t surprised to see an article about a St. Paul, Minnesota evangelical pastor who has “disowned conservative politics” and is teaching his Woodland Hills Church congregation to do the same. Pastor Boyd asserts that the Church is too closely associated with the Republican agenda to the harm of the Church's mission to love and serve God's kingdom on earth. I can understand the Times’ interest in Pastor Greg Boyd's teachings since it was the Evangelical Christians and the “vast right-wing conspiracy” that swung the two presidential elections away from the Left’s favorite sons, Al Gore and John Kerry—or so claim a variety of pundits.

Dr. Boyd is a prolific and dynamic preacher whose knowledgeable teaching of the Bible has brought thousands to his church. This same dynamism has stirred up a fine controversy with the May 2006 publication of his book The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power is Destroying the Church. Pastor Boyd based his book on his 2004 six-part sermon called “The Cross and the Sword” in which he said that the Church should stay out of politics, stop moralizing on sexual issues, cease calling the US a Christian nation and stop glorifying American military campaigns.

In his first sermon, “Taking America Back for God?” Pastor Boyd says that Christians are confusing and even fusing two polar opposites: God’s kingdom and the kingdom of this world, this world being American politics. He asserts that the Christian Church, or at least some of its leadership, is seeking "power over others" by forcing biblical morality through the power of politics and legislation. This, he says, is a mistake because it relies on earthly power, which is corrupting. Pastor Boyd calls it militant Christianity--the antithesis of the Christianity demanded by the gospel: "winning people's hearts" by sacrificing for those in need, as Jesus did.

The confusion between the “two kingdoms,” as Pastor Boyd puts it, happens when typically conservative viewpoints in such socio-political areas as immigration, taxation, social security, welfare and other issues get tangled up with biblical moral edicts that political conservatives and Christians often agree on. The Republican Party is generally willing to support the moral issues that are important to Christians. This does not mean that all Republicans and conservatives believe in every biblical directive nor do all Christians agree with the entire conservative or Republican political agendas. But this does not mean Christians should remain silent on theological or moral issues that affect the foundation of our democracy, such as religious liberty, abortion, the sanctity of marriage and the family or any other issue, just because our society deems it political. If Christians do, they are playing into the hands of the kingdom of this world.

Pastor Boyd bases his argument on Matthew 20:24-28. Jesus said, “You know the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Yes! we are to help people. Yes! we are to pour out our lives for them. Yes! we are to pray for them. Why? Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). It is not to serve as an end in itself, but so that Christians can create opportunities to point others to eternal salvation in Jesus Christ.

Does this mean we are never to speak the truth about the policies that affect every American life? Do the principles of the Kingdom of God preclude the participation of the faithful in the political processes of our democracy? Does participation in the democratic process contradict the sacrificial aspect of God’s kingdom? Stay tuned.

This is LM.
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