Monday, July 21, 2008

Church and Politics

Yahoo News has reported that Rick Warren will be hosting a joint campaign meeting with Barak Obama and John McCain. Now I don't really have anything against a church hosting a meeting with political officials. The problem I do have is when the church looks to political officials to advance the Gospel. Although, that doesn't seem to be the case here. In fact, it may be the opposite problem of the church confusing her mission of preaching the Gospel with starting every new program under the sun to gain "P.E.A.C.E.".

In any case, these two paragraphs caught my attention.

"Warren has known each candidate prior to their run for national office. Both men recorded video messages to attendees at Saddleback's annual Global Summit on AIDS and The Church last November. Along with other national and international leaders, each has also endorsed Warren's vision of the P.E.A.C.E. Plan, a 50-year strategy to mobilize millions of local churches around the world to address five global problems: spiritual emptiness, corrupt leadership, poverty, disease and illiteracy. After four years of testing prototypes of the P.E.A.C.E. Plan in 68 countries, the P.E.A.C.E. Coalition, involving business, church and government partnerships, was launched in April.

In conjunction with the Civil Forum event, Warren will convene an interfaith meeting at the church for approximately 30 Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders to discuss cooperation in projects for the common good of all Americans. Members of the P.E.A.C.E. Coalition Leadership Council will also fly in for weekend events."

What is interesting is the attempt to establish peace by having interfaith meetings. Is this a political peace? Is this really the role of the church? Last I checked, the mission of the church is separate from the government (I am not saying Christians should not run for office or be political officials.). Last I checked, the church's mission is to make disciples through the proclamation of the Gospel. Last I checked, the pastors of the church are to command men everywhere to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.

I guess we will just have to watch history repeat itself over and over again.

2 comments:

Ed Groover said...

This is where Biblical shallowness always leads...to emphasizing social action at the expense of the Gospel. Warren made some valuable contributions a few years ago. He's now completed his journey to de facto liberalism.

Howard Fisher said...

Yes, when a church assumes the Gospel or stops preaching man's true need, it has to go to ethics.

Going Green seems to be the popular thing to do. Now he is out to save men from Aids, pollution, Global Warming, ect. ect..