Mennonite Weekly Review

In Politics Under God (Herald Press, 2007, 224 pages, $11.99) John H. Rede­kop encourages Christians toward discriminating involvement in politics. “Historically … Mennonites have stressed conscientious objection,” he writes. “The time has come to stress conscientious participation.” However, he notes, “Christians should get involved only to the extent that Christian discipleship allows.”

Marlin Jeschke, of Goshen, Ind., is retired from teaching at Goshen College.

In counseling such involvement, Redekop rejects the more “Lu­theran” understanding of two kingdoms, in which a Christian believes he can in good conscience kill in God’s service in the political realm. And Redekop rejects the “Calvinist” understanding of theocracy in which the church presumes to stand in authority over the state. In place of these views he offers an “Anabaptist/Mennonite” understanding in which “political involvement would be appropriate [as long as it] does not violate Christian ethics.”

Redekop calls the church God’s “plan A” and the state God’s “plan B,” the political structure God has provided for fallen humanity, to give it stability and order and to prevent anarchy.

“While secular governments are outside the perfection of Christ,” as the Schleitheim Confession states, “they are not outside the perfection of God’s love.” As Paul pointed out in Romans 13, the political order is ordained of God. And it always remains answerable to God and is judged by God.

God did not create two kingdoms, writes Redekop. These result from the human freedom to reject the values of Christ’s kingdom. But many things the political order has now taken over, such as health care, Social Security, care for the elderly, education, child welfare and emergency relief, were pioneered by the church. Because these are overlapping agendas, Christians should be prepared to live as responsible, involved citizens of the state, though always conscious of their first loyalty to the church.

“There will be times when moral integrity will require Christians to terminate party memberships and Christian politicians to resign from public office,” Rede­kop notes. “That, too, is effective witnessing.”

Most of the time it is the privilege of Christian citizens to serve, especially in civil service positions where they can show honesty and love for all people. It is also the Christian citizen’s right to criticize government. But such criticism, writes the author, is more credible if citizens also commend government when it does well.

He illustrates from his own experience with a Mennonite Central Committee delegation that asked for an appointment with the Canadian minister of Indian affairs, who at first offered them 15 minutes of his time. But when they spoke their support of what he proposed, and proffered suggestions, and asked how they could help, their 15 minutes turned into an extended evening of conversation.

“Christians must always resist the temptation to use government power as a shortcut to try to achieve Christian behavior or belief,” writes Redekop. Morality cannot be legislated. Although legislation can change public opinion, as U.S. civil rights legislation demonstrated, “the most effective witness the church can express to society and to political rulers is to be a truly faithful church, modeling in society what Jesus taught and practiced.”

Many Christians seem more willing to die for their country than for their faith, writes Rede­kop. But if large enough numbers of Christians throughout the world would refuse to fight, there would be much less warfare.

This book is clear and readable and is distilled from the author’s career as a churchman and professor of political science at Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont., and at Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C.

Redekop writes primarily for North American Christians, and so his encouragement to participate in politics would not give very much help to Christians living in societies plagued by civil strife, with violence and corruption on both sides. For the great majority of its readers, though, this book gives sound advice.

Marlin Jeschke, of Goshen, Ind., is retired from teaching at Goshen College.