Chaplaining in Public Debate

A chaplain can be from a Christian faith but has adopted the role of 'internationalist' in terms of religion. We accept personally the truth of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and in that vein we act when with fellow Christians. But we also have to operate within the diverse experience of Christianity, from High Mass Catholic, to simple fellowship with non-clerical Quakers. And we also have to be respectful of other religions, not practicing them as 'clergy' for their practitioners, but providing access to local clergy of that religion, and, in their absence, providing some basic level of resource.

In other words, I may not agree with the teachings of the Buddha or Mohammed, though I personally respect them. In the role of Chaplain, I may have to know more to serve as a resource to those who do believe those teachings.

I think that gives us a window into the Christian faith and the public arena. We will come in to a realm with many people of many different beliefs, perhaps not other formal religions, but various shades of atheism or agnosticism or just general ignorance of faith. As a public leader, I think our public theology should be shaped like the chaplain. We don't subscribe to other belief systems, but we have made a choice to respect those belief systems, to understand them to some degree, and perhaps even to allow ourselves to be in the other person's shoes not just to understand them, but to support them.

What?

Pick your political battle. There was an era of one-issue voting, say, pro or anti abortion. That still informs the political choices of many Christians. It is a line in the sand that public officials are challenged not to cross if they want the votes. A Christian of good conscience in the public arena, demonstrating a public theology, can still love the person, and talk to the person, and agree with the person, maybe even select that person to be their government representative on more than just their position on abortion.

Maybe we dare to go so far as to articulate with due love and truth (though not defend) the position we disagree with when it comes under insulting and divisive attack.

Know what they believe, allow them the respect to believe it, and try by prayer and private conversation to shift them if they believe too far from your own Christian morals. Don't let the public forum be a place where you seek to wield the power of politics like a cudgel to knock down a fellow human being. No matter how tempting.