When I first became a Christian, I struggled a lot with my relationship between my political beliefs with religion. A good chunk of my political views doesn’t line up with what a lot of Christians believe; I’m LGBTQ+ affirming, pro-choice, a Biden supporter, so on. Basically, I don’t fit the ‘conservative, America-loving’ Christian mold. And while I’m proud of my beliefs, it came with stress, confusion, and feeling invalidated. I attended different churches, listened to podcasts, had vast conversations with followers from all over the political spectrum, but I found books helped me the most. So, I collected my top three in the hope that it’ll help you find peace if you struggle with this.
- Compassion (&) Conviction: The AND Campaign’s Guide to Faithful Civic Engagement by Chris Butler, Justin Giboney, and Michael Wear
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I absolutely love this book and I’m forever grateful for my friend who recommended it. It discusses a wide range of topics including abortion, racial reconciliation, immigration, and the role Christians should play in politics. Something I appreciate about this book is that they bring in both democratic and republican views instead of leaning more towards one party. If you feel too progressive for conservations but too conservative for progressives, this book is perfect for you.
“It’s better to lose than to sacrifice our virtue for the sake of what is politically expedient, to defend leaders’ harmful policies, or to condone immorality. It is better to lose that temporal battle. If our actions don’t glorify God and serve as the salt and light of the world, then they are good for nothing.”
- Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth: 12 Questions Christians Should Ask About Social Justice by Thaddeus Williams
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There are right and wrong ways to go about social justice. And a lot of times, it conflicts with biblical values. Williams helps guide readers towards how to fight for justice while still honoring God. Something I enjoyed about this book was how Williams talked about some more unique topics like socialism and tribalism. A lot of Christian books only discuss popular topics like the LGBTQ+ community, so it was refreshing to read about something new!
“Apathy toward the oppressed can hinder our prayers and sever our connection with God.”
- Thou Shalt Not Be a Jerk: A Christian’s Guide to Engaging Politics by Eugene Cho
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There is so much wisdom to this one. Something I struggle with is how to react and respond to those who disagree with me, so if you’re in the same boat, then this book is great for you. As Christians, we need to be involved with politics. It affects everyone. And a lot of times we focus on getting our point across but not how we actually do it. Cho dives into how to use scripture to react to disagreements and just how important it is for Christians to actually care about politics.
“…Christians should always have two questions in mind as we engage with those around us: 1. Help me understand what you believe. 2. What brought you to those conclusions?”
Honestly, there are times where I still struggle with this relationship. Sometimes I feel as if I’m not allowed to be a Christian because I don’t follow every single statement in the Bible. But in the end of the day, I believe I follow a God of love. A God that loves and accepts everybody- not just certain people.
I hope that if anything, you find that you don’t need to choose between social justice and your faith. You can follow both, and that’s perfectly fine.