Church and Politics: Let’s Speak Up!

I had always thought that religion and politics are separate in most modern nations, particularly in the United States. The Bush-Kerry election campaigns shows, however, that the sacred and the secular cannot be easily separated.

Both candidates appealed to faith to woo the voters. President George W Bush’s religious convictions he describes himself as a “born-again Christian” eventually convinced the majority of the American electorate.

The World Council of Churches criticised American faith communities for influencing the election outcome. God has no place in politics and should not have been used by US churches to influence the presidential election, the WCC said. The Protestant world body told US member churches in a letter that they should not ask whose side God was on in an election, but only offer “a moral and spiritual compass for their community, their nation and the world.”

American church leaders, mostly from the conservative evangelical Protestant churches, but also some Catholic bishops made it clear during the campaign that they preferred Mr Bush over his Democratic challenger John Kerry. In America anything is possible.

Politicians in South Africa know how to butter their bread in both sides.

During election campaigns, politicians attend church services with their spin doctors. We know that parties such as the (now virtually defunct) New National Party, Freedom Front Plus and the African Christian Democratic Party have a claim to Christianity.

It has not been uncommon to see party leaders such as Nelson Mandela, FW de Klerk and Mangosuthu Buthelezi addressing millions of worshippers at Moria City in Limpopo. Remember when President Thabo Mbeki received the blessing of Prophet Vimbeni Shembe: dressed in a Nazarite white gown and Zulu traditional head ring, Mr Mbeki addressed more than 10000 Shembe followers at Inanda, outside Durban, explaining the government’s efforts to improve their lives.

No wonder Messrs Bush and Kerry thumped the Bible and sang “Halleluiahs” for the American votes.

When it matters most, religion is no longer “opiate of the masses”.

The Church in Southern Africa must lift up its head for the good of society.

The Church has a very powerful instrument of influence: the Church, the people of God, itself. Every Sunday millions of people gather for worship and praise in thousands of churches: church buildings, schools, community buildings, trains, buses, under the trees and in open spaces.

But most church leaders are afraid to speak about their convictions in public. It is evident that religious leaders will never have the same views and ideas on moral and political issues. The onus is on the individual leaders to voice their aspirations and desperation.

Local pastors know the situation of the masses better than the politicians who come to their constituencies once in five years. When they speak, preach and pray, it is on behalf of the poor, the sick, and the most vulnerable. If the church does not preach the truth, the politicians will preach the Gospel according to their political affiliation.

The silence of the church is even more dangerous than those openly taking sides. People come to church seeking guidance. The Gospel is not neutral! Speak up!