“Sunday Morning Politics”

The only thing worse in this day and time than not voting is casting an uninformed ballot

There are now four months left until the November election and we are in the midst of countless local elections nationwide. As the adage remains true that, “all politics are local,” black churches and other faith-based institutions, as a whole, and outside of candidate visits, remain the least politically and civically involved. For a varying degree of reasons, we have opted, instead of providing much needed leadership in political conversations and dilemmas, to remain silent, rather than lending spiritual direction to social issues. One cannot be separated from the other when the lives of citizens are at stake in a very tangible way.

In her recent address to the convention of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Tennessee, our first lady, Michelle Obama, all but begged black convention goers to embrace political action and activism. It is no secret that African-Americans attend church at higher rates than our counterparts and that politicians systemically take advantage of our pulpits in the days leading up to any given election. At best, we owe it to our congregants to make certain that campaign promises are kept when public policy is created. “To anyone who says that church is no place to talk about these issues, you tell them there is no place better,” Obama said in her impassioned plea to the attendees. In my theological opinion, I maintain that it is the churches spiritual mandate and moral obligation to be actively involved in the political process and be engaged civically. We have a sacred responsibility to make certain that our parishioners as a whole are empowered to actively cast informed votes in every election. It is my strong opinion that the only thing worse in this day and time than not voting is casting an uninformed ballot.

We owe it to our congregants to make certain that campaign promises are kept when public policy is created

The fact of the matter remains that there are way too many problems, issues and concerns plaguing our nation and individual communities for our organizations and institutions of faith to remain in collective silence. In this week of celebrated freedom, our beloved country can only reach its greatest potential if we the people participate in the process and make such potential actual reality. Certainly, Martin King speaks clearly to us in his continued immortal proclamation and reminder that “If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.”