The fusion of Christianity with American civic life – a strange transformation

By Steve Zmyewski

Houston, Minn.

According to the Apostle Paul, who was one of the most influential leaders of the early Christian Church, in JESUS’ sacrificial love for the church, “the church was to be set apart from the sinful world and found in GOD’S KINGDOM (sanctification).”

The 2016 and 2020 Presidential elections have boldly demonstrated differently as many Christian Church leaders across America, southeast Minnesota included, have stepped into the world of politics with their own political bias. This has enabled their personal political agenda to spill over into the message they deliver to the Christian Churches they lead. While the sanctified church is to be impartial and peace-loving, these church leaders are injecting bias American politics into the church. This is a fusion of Christianity with American Civic Life. From the pulpit to the internet, church leaders from various levels of leadership, have separated themselves from the sanctification of the church and have entered American politics, claiming to be the voice of the church. A false claim.

Within the church there is division, discouragement and disappointment. Outside of the church, as the world watches, there is criticism. This practice is being labeled as Christian Nationalism. In 2016 their political bias was with Donald Trump and after being elected President many of these church leaders felt they had the spiritual authority to call it GOD’S will.

In 2020 their bias was once again with Donald Trump, but this time they are referencing it as a stolen election pushing baseless conspiracy theories that don’t hold up in court, prophesying the will of GOD to be a second term for Donald Trump and asking for prayer to overturn the election.

Substitute Donald Trump’s name with the name of President-Elect Joe Biden or any other candidate’s name in any election, in no way does this political practice by church leaders reflect JESUS’ sacrificial love for the church and the purpose HE had for the church. This is a strange transformation between Christianity and American civic life. The voice of the church is the biblical teachings of JESUS within the sanctification of the church, as HE intended. Let the believers be encouraged by HIS word, let them make their own American civic choices and keep the sanctification of the Christian Church “Holy and Blameless” as HE intended.