Persuasion 202 | Toeing the Party Line
PPerhaps during this series you have become open to the idea that political engagement is one avenue for the flourishing of the kingdom to bring about the common good. And perhaps you have also made clear the kind of nation you want to build with your political commitment. Now let’s move from theory to practice, because political engagement will actually require digging into the system we have to make the world better.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson press in their fall series called For God and country. Each episode will address one aspect of how faith and politics collide. In this conversation, Erin and Hannah discuss how to seek the good of our fellow citizens using modern-day political constructs. And this is where politics often becomes biased. People flock to their favorite camp and begin to identify with its ideals, so much so that they stick to party lines above all else. And that’s when party lines become deep like trenches keeping others out. Such lines also keep us locked within certain bounds of thinking. Party politics shifts us from investing in the common good to the need to win and defeat our enemies. Having a shared enemy (that awful Other Party) binds us even more closely to our own party, and with that kind of loyalty, we become even more blind to the external good of our party, as well as our internal evil. If we truly want to invest and realize the common good, we must find both the common and the good. And both will be somewhere in between, where people of both parties can find common ground and set aside the need to win the political game. Is it possible to work for the common good with people who have different values and beliefs? What do Christians lose when they join a particular party? Why do we assume the worst about people we don’t even know? Hear dialogue on issues like these as we learn to think more clearly about the intersection of faith and politics. Then keep the conversation going on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook.
This episode of Persuasion is sponsored in part by InterVarsity Press, publisher of Kaitlyn Schiess’ new book, The liturgy of politics: spiritual formation for the good of others.
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InterVarsity is giving away two copies of Kaitlyn’s book to Persuasion listeners! Click here to register by September 24th for a chance to win.
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Order your copy of The liturgy of politics from ivpress.com TO 30% off plus free shipping with code OFFER20F. Offer valid from 8 to 30 September 2020.
GUESTS
Erin Strazza: spiderweb / Chirping
Hanna Anderson: spiderweb / Chirping
PERSUASION PODCAST
Persuasion Podcast.buzz
Chirping: @PersuasionCAPC
Instagram: @PersuasionCAPC
Facebook: /Persuasioncapc
PERSUASION 202 RESOURCES & LINKS
Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Differences by Timothy Keller and John Inazu
Did you like this episode of Persuasion? Listen to the entire series:
Persuasion 200 | For God and Country? with Kaitlyn Schiess
Persuasion 201 | Taking back America for God
Theme music by Maiden name.
