Why Do You Have to Be a Republican to Be a Christian Today?

Last updated on: March 23, 2017 at 5:58 am by Josh Daffern

Why Do You Have to Be a Republican to Be a Christian Today? 2017-03-23T05:58:46-06:00 Josh Daffern

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

wikipedia.com

The goal of this blog is to create conversation, and I have a feeling this post is going to create one. Religion by its very nature is supposed to transcend politics. So at what point did the evangelical world seemingly reduce itself to a reliable voting bloc for one political party? My guess is that it’s the lingering effects of the Moral Majority movement championed by Jerry Falwell in the 1980s.

This particular post isn’t meant to debate the tenets or the platforms of the Republican or Democratic party. It’s simply to express a personal angst that we (as evangelicals) have allowed ourselves to be so identified with one particular political party that it seemingly makes us subservient to politics rather than transcend it.

In my last post (The Thing That Keeps Most Non-Religious People Away From Church and 3 Ways to Solve It), two poignant comments reminded me of this truth. One commenter wrote, “One should also note that Evangelicals in particular have also become completely ‘married’ to the Republican Party and essentially declared that one has to be a Republican to be a Christian. That turns off huge numbers of people, particularly young people.”

Another one wrote, “Another issue with non-this guys specific type of religion-people not going to church is that with over 80% correlation Evangelical = Republican. So if a None isn’t into the hardcore aspects of the Republican Party, as it currently stands in the US, adding Jesus as a cherry on the top isn’t going to make it more palatable.”

Once again, this post isn’t designed to debate the merits of the Republican, Democratic or any other political party. It’s merely to express angst about the fact that for all effects in purposes, we’ve allowed ourselves as evangelicals to be reduced to a reliable voting bloc for one political party. We’re better than this. We’re called to be better than this. We’re called to transcend politics.

P.S. This isn’t the first time I’ve written about Christianity and the Republican Party. Here are three other posts on the subject:

Church and the Republican Party

Am I the Only One Uneasy About the Evangelical Embrace of Trump?

The Religious Right Would Have Hated Jesus

Previous Post

March 21, 2017

The Thing That Keeps Most Non-Religious People Away From Church and 3 Ways to Solve It

Next Post

March 28, 2017 5 Ways to Reach People Who Couldn't Care Less About Church

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Family Matters Ministry in the Trenches Morning Brew MTVpastor New Wineskins Top Menu Truth from Life Uncategorized Watch Sermons

Select a Month June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which prophet's book names the birthplace of the Messiah?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Amos Obadiah Micah Jonah