What would Jesus do amid an American political crisis that feels more fragmented and splintered than it has been in generations?
That’s the central question pastor and author Joshua Ryan Butler dealt with in his latest book, “The Party Crasher: How Jesus Disrupts Politics as Usual and Redeems Our Partisan Divide.”
Butler, who has been pastoring for two decades, said the past two election cycles have seen a “fracturing” and division that everyone has obviously felt.
“The political divide is wider than ever,” he said, noting it has cracked “families, and friendships, and even churches.”
Seeing the pain of church divides resulting from this chaos, Butler wanted to write the book to offer people resources and helpful tips on navigating complex political seasons. This, of course, becomes increasingly important in a culture that seems to be treating politics like a religion.
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“Historically, the root of the term ‘religion’ actually had to do with devotion, like, what you were most devoted to, and devotion, and the social obligations and expectations that came with that devotion,” Butler said. “And I would argue that, for many people today, there’s no greater devotion or zeal that they’re showing than to their political ideology … so I think that there’s a religious nature to it.”
Butler believes Christians should take their cues from the early church when it comes to modeling behavior.
“There’s been historians who have looked at the early church and [saw] how they modeled kind of this countercultural posture when it came to … their civic presence in the world,” he said, noting the late historian Larry Hurtado pinpointed five particular elements that made the early church unique.
Early Church
The first marker was the building of a multiethnic community, where slaves and free men and women — Jews and Gentiles — dined together “around the table in Christ.”
“This was this radical countercultural presence,” Butler said.
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Care for the poor was another differentiator. With no social safety nets, the church cared for those in need. Next came what Butler called a “high sexual ethic,” something deeply divergent from the Romans.
“The Romans were famous for being kind of generous with their sex, so to speak, and stingy with their money,” he said. “Whereas, the church was famous for the opposite of being stingy with their sex — like reserving sex for the marriage bed — but generous with their money and their finances.”
The fourth differentiator was being distinctly pro-life, especially at a time when Butler said “infanticide was common.”
“Infants would just be left out for exposure to die,” he said, noting Christians would rush to take these children into their own homes, adopt them, and raise them as their own.
The early church’s fifth and final unique attribute was its willingness to forgive and love enemies, praying for persecutors and showing otherworldly devotion to doing so.
“Even as they’re being martyred, they responded with [the] love of Christ, because that was how Christ had treated them,” Butler said.
Ultimately, he said, it’s essential to focus on these values, among others, and to try and live them out.
“I think we need to stand with conviction … in areas where Christ is clear, where the Gospel is clear,” he said. “Such as care for the unborn. I am very concerned about the impact of gender ideology today, particularly on youth and the way that that is having just a massive impact.”
Butler said it’s important to defend what’s biblical while also looking to find openings to speak with others constructively and meaningfully.
Handling the Divides
While it’s natural to care deeply about politics and for diverse opinions to take form, Butler wants to help churches avoid unhealthy handling of such divides.
The preacher said it’s, of course, important to stand firm on specific issues that truly matter. But he said he holds his cards “a little close” to the vest when announcing his voting preferences.
“I do want to disciple our people in the values of the kingdom,” Butler said. “[There are a] number of specific issues where I think these are places to be bold on, to plant a flag, to take a stand against where our culture is at.”
He continued, “I found … trying to create an environment where were Jesus first discipleship and then hoping to cultivate the values that can get people to what I think would be a biblical vision for those things.”
The problem with starting out by announcing his chosen candidate is that it can “shut down some of the discipleship process” and halt the “deeper foundational work that needs to happen” to reach people.
“But I do try and disciple in terms of what I think some of the values … that should shape and inform how we vote.”
Healthy Engagement
With all of this in mind, how do Christians engage in politics in a healthy way, balancing truth and love? Butler said it’s all about bringing one’s “political leaning to the table of Christ, and His kingdom, and the church.”
“It’s our ultimate allegiance to Jesus that can keep us with humility, and at the table together, and as curious learners who are pressing in together as the body of Christ,” Butler said. “A lot of the book is trying to get practical.”
Ultimately, he hopes “The Party Crasher” helps people solidify their commitment to Jesus and love God and others. One goal is to work against anything that might alter one’s character or pull them away from the “fruit of the spirit.”
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