God is not Republican… or Democrat.
Posted on 3 Oct 2008
Is big government counter to the Gospel? Should the government be involved in works of mercy or just stick to justice? A dear Christian/missionary/Republican friend sent me a well-thought argument on the matter (here) and I penned the following response.
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I guess I don’t see the role of government, market, church, individuals, NGOs in such black and white categories anymore. Each of them have budgets to steward and account for; they must submit to the vote of the people/parishioners/stockholders/board; all have primary and secondary objectives that involve mercy, justice, relationship building; and all have motives and values that can work for good or ill. To say the government should only serve justice, the church–mercy, and the market–trade, is just not viable in such a complicated world. Ideally, they share functions and values in different, integrated ways. I want all three realms to value the plight of the individual; to be compassionate and personal in their dealings. I want corporations to have CSR departments, I want the church to fight for civil rights, I want the government to provide equal education for all its citizens, or drop aid in war-zones. I am a fan of both World Vision and UNICEF. And I’m not worried about “sending a message”–as you put it–that the church is not THE place for mercy. Such concern sounds a bit arrogant to be honest. When Christians espouse small government, I wonder if they are simply jealous of the government encroaching on the mercy market. Frankly, I think the competition is healthy. I am sure you’ve witnessed dehumanizing church missions that turn the sick into souls to save, or a Third World village into a degrading compassion project. We aren’t as well-intentioned as we always like to believe; nor is the government as inhumane as we like to believe. Your consummating point: opposing the notion of “forced care” doesn’t seem to be the real issue as much as your disdain for people taking advantage of the system, its efficacy, ability to show care, and the passivity of the church and her believers–issues we both agree require great wisdom and action. (And really, isn’t one of the church’s greatest gifts, providing care for those who do not deserve it?) Why are we so enraged at the welfare system serving those who do not deserve it? Is it because we don’t get to offer the sinner’s prayer to the single Mom? I hope not. I don’t see the solution in further dividing up the work and roles but better integration and attention to humanity in everything.
The Right believes in and champions the freedom and liberty of the individual, which errs towards greed and individualism; the Left believes in and champions the collective well-being and justice for all, which errs towards indolence or collectivism. Neither system or party is perfect, but I would rather support a system that attempts to provide for everyone, knowing that a few will unjustly pay more and a few receive what they do not deserve, than a system that provides for those who work/inherit/deserve their position and unjustly abandons those who cannot provide for themselves. I see the gospel tipping more towards grace and community than justice and liberty.
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