In 2022, RFTG published an article featuring the 9Marks Church Questions Series. These short helpful booklets tackle big questions that face the church today. Our article featured several titles in that series. However, we thought it would be helpful to pull one title out of that series to feature on its own. On the whole RFTG does not seek to be cutting edge or trendy. Our aim is to “help followers of Jesus think biblically about books.” Yet as we enter into a year that will likely prove to be politically divisive, it is helpful for followers of Jesus to take a step back and think biblically about how to engage politically.
The body of Christ is a beautiful reality of redeemed souls from every corner of the globe. There is much diversity in Christ’s people, as well it should be. Yet with diversity comes differences of opinions and variations of worldview. Although every believer must filter their outlook through Scripture, all believers come to the table with different upbringings and lived experiences. This is none more evident than in the world of politics. For this reason it is important for Christians to know how to love fellow church members who have different opinions. This is what Jonathan Leeman and Andy Naselli discusse in their 9Marks Church Questions series resource titled How Can I Love Church Members with Different Politics? (Crossway, 2020).
Contrary to popular belief, not all Christians are card carrying members of the Republican Party. The reality is that increasingly in modern American culture Christians do not fit comfortably into either of the two major political parties. There are aspects of the Republican Party that are attractive to Christians (i.e. abortion, traditional marriage, religious freedom, etc). However there are aspects of the Democratic Party should also be important to Christ followers (i.e. equality, diversity, social justice, etc). For these reasons it is understandable why Christians throughout the nation align themselves with both parties, claiming that it is closest to their religious viewpoint.
In the book Leeman and Naselli walk through six recommendations for Christians to follow regarding how to love well fellow believers, and by extension all people who hold differing political viewpoints. Primarily he focuses on doing theological triage when it comes to discussing different issues in the church. There are straight-line and jagged-line judgements. Straight-line judgements are those principles that can be derived directly from Scripture and must be followed by all believers. Jagged-line judgements are principles that are derived from Scripture but fall into the realm of Christian freedom. Many times believers will hold as solid those issues that are actually freedoms in Christ. The book calls all believers to stand firm on the straight-line issues and give grace on the jagged-line issues. This will go a long way in encouraging unity among the body of Christ, while still leaving room for freedom of conscience on second and tertiary issues.
How Can I Love Church Members with Different Politics? is an excellent and timely resource for the Church today. Much of the material has been distilled from Leeman’s larger book on the same subject titled How The Nations Rage (Thomas Nelson, 2018). This short booklet would be an excellent small group study to help flesh out issues and better understand people who have a difference of opinion on jagged-line issues. In a culture that is increasingly divided is important for followers of Christ to show the way to unity while also respecting differences of worldview. This book will be a great start to that conversation.
Editor’s Note: This title was received by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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