On Aug. 31, 2017, a news release from Stanford University announced that according to a recent study, Americans cherish their political identity more than their religious identity.
“The self-defining characteristics that Americans hold dear include their racial and cultural heritage, the language they speak and their choice of worship,” the news release said. “But the strongest attachment, according to recent research from a Stanford scholar, is Americans’ connection to their political party.
“And the strength of that partisan bond — stronger than race, religion or ethnicity — has amplified the level of political polarization in the United States,” the release declared.
Trying to explain this finding, one of the researchers postulated that “because partisan affiliation (politics) is voluntary, it is a much more informative measure of attitudes and belief structures than, for example, knowing what skin color someone has.”
One’s identity
Perhaps, but isn’t religious affiliation also voluntary? And isn’t one’s religion supposed to be the foundation of one’s moral and ethical belief system?
The study also suggested that the frequent cycle of elections encourages partisan political participation and keeps it as a mark of one’s identity.
But the Christian faith is supposed to be a daily walking with the Lord. The Bible says believers are to pray constantly, to be living testimonies to the presence of God and to work for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in Heaven. That is constant, never-ending participation.
The Stanford research found that partisans appeared more motivated by their dislike of opponents than by favoritism of those who shared their political viewpoints.
Again, the finding seems at odds with the Christian faith. Jesus said, “But I tell you who hear Me, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27–28).
Unfortunately, a follow-up study by LifeWay Christian Resources seems to confirm that one’s politics may be more important than one’s religious faith.
The study released Aug. 23, 2018, concluded that Protestant “churches are divided by politics, and churchgoers under 50 seem to want it that way.”
“More than half (57 percent) of Protestant churchgoers under 50 say they prefer to go to church with people who share their political views,” the study announced. It added, “And few adult Protestant churchgoers say they attend services with people of a different political persuasion.”
Forty-six percent of adults surveyed said bluntly, “I prefer to attend a church where people share my political views.” Forty-two percent disagreed and the remainder were undecided. Interestingly, older responders were less likely to be divided by politics than younger responders. Of churchgoers 65 and older, 44 percent preferred attending church with those of their same political persuasion. Of churchgoers 35–49, the preference reached 61 percent.
Those who attended church weekly were more concerned about attending with those of similar political beliefs than those who attend once or twice a month.
Among Baptists who responded to the survey, 58 percent said their political views matched the views of those with whom they worshipped. That was the highest of any religious denomination.
‘Homogenous unit principle’
Historically, Southern Baptists have been slow to embrace diversity as an important value. Racially, ethnically and economically we have been more comfortable with what is called the “homogenous unit principle.” That is, churches are best if they are composed of the same kind of people.
Much of the church growth movement of the past 30 years was based on that principle.
The result is that Baptist churches in many places are stratified by race, ethnicity and economics. Now, perhaps, political affiliation should be added to those things that divide us.
Yet the Bible says God is making Himself a single people called the Church that is made up of those from every tribe, nation, tongue and people (Rev. 7:9). Shouldn’t the diversity of heaven be reflected in the Church on earth?
Diversity broadens perspective, understanding and even application of Scripture. That has been demonstrated in Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) life. As more African-Americans participated in SBC life, the tone and tenor of SBC statements on race changed. Concern about prison reform and mass incarceration increased.
When Latinos became a vital part of SBC life, Baptist understandings about immigration and related issues began to change.
Limited perspectives
Become involved with the hungry and one can never again say “show me a hungry family and I will go buy them groceries” as if there were no hungry people. About one-fourth of all children in Alabama live in food-insecure circumstances.
But churches living by the “homogenous unit principle” of the same race, ethnicity, economic status and political outlook have trouble looking critically at issues because of limited perspectives. Certainly these churches have something to teach, but they also may have something to learn from Christian brothers and sisters outside their cultural bubble.
Since God’s kingdom illustrates the value of diversity, then God’s church should reach beyond its comfortableness to connect and learn from those who are different from us. After all, in the gospel there is no Jew or Greek, rich or poor, male or female, slave or free. Not even Republican or Democrat.
The Stanford study said there is no indication the growing political divide in America will wane anytime soon. The study predicted political divide will be the greatest cause of polarization in the nation. In other words, politics will be stronger than religion.
I pray that will not happen. I pray that Christians of every stripe will embrace the diversity of God’s kingdom; that the transforming power of the gospel will bind the people of God together to see with God’s eyes, to hear with God’s ears (Matt. 13:16).
When Christian believers embrace the richness of the gospel and its invitation into the kingdom of God, then the Christian faith will be more important than politics.
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