There’s often a seamless transition from “The civil and ceremonial laws were fulfilled in Christ” to “You should vote for X because he’s promised to propose a bill in Congress to stop Y” within American Christian circles. And by often, I intend to communicate a staggering preponderance of Christians from all brands of American Christianity, along all points of the political spectrum. It’s an inconsistent, and perhaps contradictory, theological passage from the Kingdom of God to a terminus of entanglement with the world. It’s as if a man who removed the internal combustion engine from his car out of environmental concerns, elected to install it to power his windmill instead.

The Areopagus is steadfastly committed to the universal Church, both visible and invisible, and is prepared to apologize in her defense. It is my contention, however, that the Church’s primary difficulties rarely arise from without. After all, the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church, and let no Christian forget that gates are defensive armaments. If the Christian God attends to the affairs of humankind, can Christianity really be conceived to fail? I pray we recall our creed the next time we are tempted to treat someone outside the faith poorly, say, a scientist, an atheist, a Hindu, or any other ill-perceived threat.

The Church’s foremost troubles decidedly arise from within, from both God’s own people, and false prophets. At present, The Areopagus recognizes two primary evils corrupting the heart of the church: the first is the Church political, the other will be disclosed in a subsequent post. Christianity’s involvement in politics will be subjected to routine criticism as long as this blog endures. It’s time for Christians to rid the Church of this toxin.

I invite readers and commenters, then, to consider the following questions. Do we as Christians genuinely seek to establish another Holy Roman Empire? Do we as Christians really believe the Church needs political influence to survive? Is there any basis in Scripture to support the Church’s political activity, or does the Bible speak against it? Is it possible for the Church to provide a moral voice when it’s lobbying for votes? For those outside the faith, do you approve of the church’s involvement as long as it happens to coincide with your political leanings, or are you prepared to lose a percentage of your voting bloc for your party on account of your support for the separation of church and state?

In preparation for an extended discussion on the Church political, there’s another related consideration to ponder. God comes in judgment on His own people first–with respect to hierarchy, not time: You have lifted up the shrine of your king, the pedestal of your idols, the star of your god–which you made for yourselves. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus, says the Lord, whose name is God Almighty (Amos 5:26-27). You may wish to reconsider the next time you think that calamities of any classification are exclusively purposed for non-believers. In days such as these, where it seems many think the Church’s mission is electing those who can ensure us acceptable Supreme Court justices, it’s reasonable to conclude He has the Church in mind.