“While our allegiance to God takes precedence over our allegiance to any state, we acknowledge the vital function of government as a principal vehicle for the ordering of society . . . . The strength of a political system depends upon the full and willing participation of its citizens.” (paragraph 164 The United Methodist Discipline).
I want to encourage you to participate and vote in the upcoming election. It is a way that we live out our faith, not just our civic duty.
At the church where my wife and I serve as co-pastors, I know that there are deeply committed Christians who will vote for the Republican, Democrat and Independent candidates. I realize it is important for us as pastors not to “tell people how or who to vote for.” Even as I review the scriptures and the narrative of God’s salvation history that Christians have surrendered their lives to, my opinion is that no candidate could fully share that narrative. (Nor would I expect them to given the assumptions that one has to make in order to be the president of the United States.)
Therefore, I find it impossible to say, “This is the Christian way to vote.”
However, I encourage people to participate in the election process by listening to debates, reading candidates’ websites and the plethora of news sources that report what the candidates are saying, rather than basing one’s vote entirely upon simplified “voter guides” produced for Christians. Those may be helpful in some sense, but they never give a very complete picture.
As you participate in this way, you may find it helpful to know what the United Methodist Church has said about various social issues that affect our world today. These stances are not considered church law, nor are they written to tell people how to vote. It is a statement that the General Conference of the United Methodist Church has produced as a prayerful and thoughtful effort to speak to the human issues in the contemporary world from a sound biblical and theological foundation. I think they are worthy of our reflection as we practice our faith and civic duty.
Here is an overview of the six sections of the "Social Principles" of the United Methodist Church. You can see the complete version of the Social Principles by following this link. http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?mid=1686
The natural world
We affirm that we're responsible for the way we use the Lord's creation. We support social policies that promote the wise use of water, air, soil, minerals, and plants. We support the conservation of energy and oppose energy-using technologies that threaten human health. We're concerned for the humane treatment of animals and the respectful use of space.
The nurturing community
We affirm the family and work to strengthen its relationships. We affirm the sanctity of marriage and shared fidelity between a man and a woman. We recognize divorce as regrettable and intend to minister to the members of divorced families. We affirm the integrity of single persons. We recognize that sexuality is a good gift of God and that sex between a man and woman is only to be clearly affirmed in the marriage bond. We recognize the tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion and urge prayerful consideration by all parties involved. We assert the right of every person to die with dignity.
The social community
We affirm all persons as equally valuable in God's sight. We reject racism and assert the rights of racial minorities to equal opportunities in employment, education, voting, housing, and leadership. We urge social practices that will uphold the rights of religious minorities, of children, youth, young adults, and the aging, of women, and of disabled persons. We affirm our long-standing support of abstinence from alcohol and illegal drugs, and we support the rehabilitation of drug-dependent persons.
The economic community
All economic systems are under the judgment of God. We believe the private ownership of property is a trusteeship under God and must be responsibly managed. We support the right of employees and employers to organize for collective bargaining. We affirm the right of safe and meaningful work and creative leisure. We support efforts to ensure truth in pricing, packaging, lending, and advertising; and we urge people to evaluate their consumption of goods in the light of the quality of life. We call on Christians to abstain from gambling and to be in ministry with persons who are the victims of this societal menace.
The political community
We hold governments responsible for the protection of people's basic freedoms. We believe that neither church nor state should attempt to dominate the other. We call for freedom of information and quality education. We defend the right of individuals to practice conscientious, non-violent civil disobedience. We support government measures to reduce crimes consistent with the basic freedoms of persons; and we urge the creation of new systems of rehabilitation.
The world community
God's world is one world. We hold nations accountable for unjust treatment of their citizens. We affirm the right of people in developing nations to shape their own destiny; and we applaud efforts to establish a more just international economic order. We believe war is incompatible with the teachings of Christ, and we claim that it is the primary moral duty of every nation to resolve disputes peacefully. We endorse the United Nations and commend all who pursue world peace through law.
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