Politics, Religion and this Blogger

According to some one’s calculation today forty-six years prior to the common era, Julius Caesar dedicated a temple to his putative ancestor Venus Genetrix. This had something to do with a vow he’d made in the heat of the battle of Pharsalus. (And yes, I know the picture is of his nephew, but the great Augustus appears here in his capacity as Pontifex Maximus, and so…)

Caesar also made sure the public knew of his piety.

It wasn’t new when he did it.

It is no surprise today.

Now in our republic, thanks to Thomas Jefferson and a few others, we have tried to draw a bright line between religion and politics.

Obviously this is a difficult thing. On the one hand it isn’t actually possible to expect a person to fire-wall their interior life from that which they do. In fact if someone can do it with any ease, that should raise serious questions about their character.

On the other hand the republic is much richer, to my mind, for its attempt to not let one religion have undue influence over the affairs of the nation. As mixed a bag that attempt has been over the ages…

For most of our history the Christian religion in its Protestant flavor has been our American dominant cultural current and therefore its assumptions and prejudices have permeated wherever we have given our attention to the development of our laws. Not entirely a bad thing, but certainly not what the founders (well, Jefferson and a couple of others, maybe a majority, at least those who cranked out the documents) had in mind. Still, I feel, the attempt has kept the possibility of a greater dynamic, of the chance for new views seeping in than would otherwise been the case…

And, of course, for a brief shining period in the twentieth century there was a pretty serious attempt at drawing that line bright. But that has passed and today if one aspires to high political office, one must publicly dedicate temples to some god or other. Well, actually, it has to be the God of the Holy Scriptures of the Western tradition, in one incarnation or another. (Setting aside for a brief moment his apparent lack of any political convictions, former Governor Romney’s variation on that Western God would have made for lots of interesting reflection…)

Today the understanding on the one hand is that the state is not to give preference to one religion over another or over no religion at all.

And those of us who are religious professionals are expected to be conscious of our obligations as citizens and to avoid a small handful of actions in our public ministries that would contribute to this crossing of lines. At least if we wish to retain the tax code privileges given to religious establishments.

I think the spirit behind the laws good. And I don’t mind the tax advantages for the institutions I serve, either.

In that spirit I have never endorsed a candidate or railed against a candidate for political office from my pulpit. I’ve also refrained from such in any official publication of the churches and other religious organizations for which I’ve worked. And I’ve objected when an enthusiast of one stripe or another has attempted to interject such into our common religious affairs.

But, then, what about a blog? What about a personal blog? What if that blog is linked from the church’s website?

Interesting question, no doubt.

At this site I’ve attempted to be as transparent as I can be. With various caveats of personality and discretion that attempting common decency calls for…

And so here I’ve revealed my political concerns along with my religious. And along the way I’ve named a few names of the political sort.

Now, my researches have led me to believe I am not bound by any law in regard to endorsing a candidate at this blog. I can say anything I wish, wise or asinine about candidates for office from dog catcher to president…

But, I’ve been thinking about this. A fair amount… Whatever the law, what about the spirit behind it? And where would I, a religious professional, fit into all that?

And I’m talking the deeper issues…

So, here’s where I am…

I’ve decided for the time to dial back my reflections on partisan politics, at least so far as it concerns reflecting on the merits of specific candidates. Until recently I placed a button for a particular candidate for highest office on this page. That button is now gone.

I am going to continue with my reflection on the deeper currents that feed these issues. No doubt people will be able to discern how I will vote in many specific situations. And I will excoriate elected officials for sins great and small, as I discern them…

But, through all this, I hope my contribution to the conversation will run at the deeper level…

Hopefully, at the deepest level.

Well, at least some of the time…