Religion and Politics by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 5, 1908

Religion and Politics

By Editor

In following out their advocacy of so-called civic righteousness, some professedly religious papers attempt to discuss the moral issues in the various political platforms, and then cast their influence in favor of that party which makes the most alluring promises in the line of such moral reforms. This leads one prominent journal to remark:—

“Religion and the modern brand of “practical” politics won’t mix well. Attempts to amalgamate the two have wrecked many a promising pulpit, and any religious paper which tries it, except on rare and imperative occasions, is hunting trouble.

We believe a correct principle is here stated, but we would not make an exception even in favor of “rare and imperative occasions.” We find abundant reason for this in the same editorial from which this paragraph is quoted, which speaks of “the average campaign, with its mud-throwing, its wire-pulling, its unblushing mendacities, and with its thousand other discordant accompaniments.” We have no record that Jesus made any attempt to control the political movements of his time in order to bring about a better state of things. Ministers who preach political sermons and do campaign work in behalf of political candidates, have ceased to be preachers of the gospel, and have become partisan politicians. Those who expect the kingdom of Christ to come through the gateway of politics may be consistent in thus trying to open the gate; but those who accept the plain statement of Jesus, “My kingdom is not of this world,” will not be trapped by any such political philosophy. The gospel of the kingdom, as Jesus preached it, is the theme both for the pulpit and for the religious paper.