Political Activities at Chapelgate Presbyterian
Church
As approved by Session on September
10, 1996
With Revisions approved 7/11/2000
We believe the mission of
Christ's Church is to call people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and
worship of God. Members of Christ's Church, in addition to being members of the
kingdom of God, are also members of the society in which they live, and they
should to be "salt" and "light" in that society. Being "salt" and "light"
includes acting as informed voters in local and national elections, and perhaps
actively championing specific causes or candidates.
In the last decade, several
organizations have actively championed political causes, some of which are
using Scriptural or evangelical bases for their actions. The organized church
must be careful in this arena, as any "political messages" could adversely
affect the message of the Gospel.
The objective of this policy
is to encourage the members of Chapelgate Presbyterian Church to embrace God's
purposes as found in His Word, both with regard to political activities and
with regard to the mission of God's kingdom.
-
Jesus Christ is
Lord of all. All authority on
heaven and earth - including authority over human governments - has been given
to Him. Nothing s exempt from His Lordship.
-
His Kingdom rules over the world but is not of
this world. Jesus' authority
differs fundamentally from human political authority. Human rulers "lord it
over" men; Jesus became the servant of men. Human rulers build governments;
Jesus built a church. Human rulers seek places of honor; Jesus endured the
shame of the Cross.
Jesus was tempted with earthly power, but He resisted that temptation
(Matthew 4:8). But His disciples clung stubbornly to their understanding of
Messiah as an earthly ruler. They believed that Jesus would establish a
political kingdom, and fought to sit
at His right hand and at His left. Even after the Resurrection - after
Jesus had conquered Satan, hell and the grave - His disciples wanted to know
when He would "restore the Kingdom to Israel" (Acts 1:6).
This conflict has continued throughout Church history. In the ancient
Church of the East, the Emperor convened church councils to resolve theological
controversies. In the West, the Pope laid claim to temporal authority. At the
other extreme, some Protestant sects have called for Christians to withdraw
completely from the political realm.
-
God has ordained
human governments for His own glory. Human governments derive their legitimacy from God
Himself (Romans 13:1-4; I Peter 2:13-14). Christians should not, therefore,
despise political power. Nor should the church seek to acquire authority that
rightly belongs to government. In the Providence of God, the Church has
spiritual power, the State has temporal power.
-
God has commanded
Christians to be good citizens.
Although we are citizens of heaven, God has called us to be faithful citizens
of earthly kingdoms as well. Christians are commanded to pray for their
government, honor those placed over them by God, pay taxes required by their
government, obey all the lawful commands of their government, and be subject to
the government's lawful authority.
Christians who live in democracies have additional
obligations that derive from their additional rights. Specifically, the right
to vote requires Christians to decide prayerfully and intelligently for whom to
vote.
The following excerpts from
the Westminster Confession of Faith,
Chapter 23: Of Civil Magistrates, summarizes the doctrinal position of
Chapelgate Presbyterian Church on public officials and candidates:
-
God has ordained civil
magistrates to be under Him, over the people, for His own glory and the public
good (Romans 13:1-4, 1 Peter 2:13-14)
-
It is lawful for
Christians to accept and execute the duties of public office, maintaining
piety, justice and peace (Proverbs 8:15-16, Psalm 2:10-12, 2 Samuel 23:3)
-
Civil magistrates may
not interfere in the matters of faith, but should protect the Church of our
common Lord, without giving preference to any denomination of Christians above
the rest. Civil magistrates shall protect the person and good name of all their
people, in such a manner that no person be allowed to inflict any indignity,
violence, abuse or injury on any other person. (John 18:36, Acts 5:29, Acts
18:14-15,1 Timothy 2:2)
-
It is the duty of people
to pray for magistrates, to honor their persons, to pay them tribute or other
dues, and to be subject to their authority. Difference in religion does not
void the magistrate's authority nor free the people from their due obedience to
them. (1 Timothy 2:1-2, 1 Peter 2:13-14, 17, Romans 13:6-7)
As stated in the Larger
Catechism of the Westminster
Confession of Faith, the chief
and highest end of man is to glorify God and fully enjoy him forever. We are to
glorify God in every area of our lives and in all that we think and do. The
areas include each believer individually, their homes, work, worship, and
relationships with unbelieving neighbors. Believers are commanded to be ambassadors
for Christ remembering they are temporary citizens in the world. Chapelgate
Presbyterian Church desires that political activity of any sort must never be
confused with or replace the Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. With
this in mind, Chapelgate activities must communicate the following:
-
The only real and
lasting solution to immorality in America is repentance from sin and a saving
faith in the work of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible. This applies to equally to all
believers and unbelievers.
-
God's Word, the Bible,
is the objective standard by which all social or political issues, legislation,
public policy, regulations, or candidates should be evaluated.
-
The Gospel of our Lord,
Jesus Christ, has no partisan affiliation. The Gospel does have much to
say about the members of the Body of Christ being salt and light in their
community, including involvement in political processes.
-
All governments are
ordained by God to bring Him glory and to defend and encourage those who are
good and punish those who are doers of evil.
-
Christians are commanded
to pray for their government, honor those placed over them by God, pay taxes
required by their government, obey all the lawful commands of their government,
and be subject to the government's lawful authority. God expects his children
to be model citizens in the society of which they are part. Part of being a
model citizen is to remind those in authority of what is righteous, peaceable
and just.
These policy statements apply
to actions taken by Chapelgate Church. They do not apply to actions taken by
individual Chapelgate members, acting as private citizens, so long as it is
clear they are not representing Chapelgate.
1.
Chapelgate will state
positions on moral or other issues for which there is clear biblical guidance,
and we encourage full discussion of these issues. Although we encourage open
and frank discussion of issues, we do not condone slanderous or belittling comments
about others, either private citizens, candidates for office, or public
officials.
2.
Chapelgate does not
speak for or against the election of any particular candidate, nor does it
affiliate itself with any political party.
3.
Chapelgate encourages
its congregation to prayerfully and intelligently be active in political
matters including the seeking of office, voting in local and national
elections, and praying for the election process and elected officials.
4.
Chapelgate may engage in
certain activities such as voter registration, conducted in a non-partisan
manner.
5.
Chapelgate may inform
the congregation (e.g., by candidate questionnaires or voter guides) of
positions taken by public officials or candidates as they bear on a variety of
issues. This information will attempt to cover all significant officials or
candidates. It cannot be generated by a political party, and shall not be
designed to directly advance or impede the election of a particular official or
candidate. (Revised 7/11/2000)
6.
Anyone, including public
officials or candidates for office, is welcome to attend services as a
worshipper.
7.
Chapelgate believes
Sunday mornings are times of worship and Bible study, free of partisan
political pressures. It does not condone candidates making campaign appearances
on Sunday morning, nor the general distribution of partisan literature on the
church property.
8.
Chapelgate may hold
candidate forums, but all significant candidates (including those whose views
the church may consider undesirable) must be solicited to participate, and the
nature of the forum, including time, format, moderator, agenda, candidate
questions, etc., must be approved by Session beforehand. Chapelgate does not
host candidate forums on Sunday mornings during scheduled worship or Sunday school
times.
9.
Any communication on
Chapelgate letterhead, stating church positions to elected or appointed
government officials, candidates seeking elected office, or political
organizations, must be reviewed and approved by Session beforehand. (This does
not apply to normal pastoral or other church communications which would be sent
to any Chapelgate member or other private citizen.)
Voter guides will be made
available only in the ministry racks as soon before the election as
possible. Their availability will
be announced in the Connection without mention of the source providing them. (Added
7/11/2000)