From “Holy Chaos: Creating Connections in Divisive Times” by Amanda Henderson – Chalice Press
Our avoidance of these difficult topics is not unjustified. For we have a long history of dysfunction at the intersection of religion and politics. However, the solution is not to refuse to think or talk about these critical issues. Nor is it to put each issue into a silo and adhere to hyper-personalized religion and a hyper de-personalized politics. The two are inseparable and intimately affect us. If you breathe, you are participating in political life. If you drive, walk on a sidewalk, go to a grocery store, take your children to school, or go to work, you are participating in political life. If you turn on the tap and pour a glass of water or head to the bathroom to take care of your biological necessities, you are participating in political life. Further, if you are a tax-paying person living in America, you are supporting American policy locally, nationally, and internationally with your tax dollars. Whether you agree with these policies or not, you are paying for them. Since we care about our lives, the lives of our families, and even strangers, we must have a say in how our political policies are shaped and implemented.
How? Instead of ignoring these profound truths, we can develop the skills, knowledge, reflection, and practices to enter spaces and conversations about religion and politics rooted in our own beliefs. We can be humble and listen with genuine curiosity, compassion, and a commitment to building communities with room for multiple ways of believing and living. We experience growth when we put ourselves in spaces with people where we confront and wade through the big and challenging questions. We can strike a balance between personal freedom of belief and practice and shared laws that navigate the inevitable points of conflict with awareness, sensitivity, and commitment to justice. Learning our history and understanding our current context helps us build systems that are rooted in shared values, systems that embody daily loving and just policies of living together.