Holy Votes and Hot Takes: Navigating the Church-Politics Tug-of-War
I recently had the chance to step out of my Canadian bubble and join my cohort—fellow students from the Doctor of Leadership, Global Perspectives program at George Fox University—in Washington, DC. Since our coursework is primarily online, this annual in-person event is a chance to engage deeply, especially in a place that holds global and political significance.
Polarization and the Edges of American Discourse
One of the most striking aspects of being in the United States, as a Canadian, was the stark polarization I noticed in conversations around big, sensitive topics like abortion, immigration, and climate change. In Canada, I’m used to a range of opinions—a spectrum that stretches from conservative to liberal, with a fair amount of room in the middle for debate and nuance. But in DC, it felt like the conversation rarely occupied that middle ground. Instead, I experienced people standing firmly at the edges of each issue.
I think what added to my sense of dislocation was the concept of political party registration. It’s a common practice in the U.S., but from my perspective, it’s a strange kind of allegiance to declare. In Canada, I’ve voted for five different political parties over the years, depending on the issues and the candidates. At the local level, our city politicians aren’t formally affiliated with any party at all, which creates a different kind of political discourse. In short, I’m used to fluidity in political loyalty, while in the U.S., it seemed like loyalties were carved in stone.
Politics and Church: A Tale of Two Cultures
This polarization isn’t confined to politics; it seeps into the church as well, at least according to Russell Moore in Losing Our Religion1. I have to admit, reading this book felt a bit like fiction to me. While I can certainly relate to the cultural dynamics through the flood of American media we consume in Canada, the reality Moore describes—of a church entangled with political allegiance—feels foreign to my experience.
In Canada, politics and church don’t mix quite so overtly. Yes, there are always undercurrents of influence, but I can’t recall a pastor standing up in my church to advocate for a particular candidate or party. Instead, our prayers focus on the well-being of politicians, asking for wisdom and protection, regardless of their affiliation. It’s a kind of neutrality that feels less like sitting on the sidelines and more like focusing on what matters most.
Navigating Faith and Politics: What Losing Our Religion Taught Me
Russell Moore’s book dives deep into the ways the church in America has intertwined itself with partisan politics, to the point where many have become disillusioned, feeling as though they’ve lost sight of what it truly means to follow Jesus. This theme of disillusionment isn’t unique to Moore. Jim Wallis, in God’s Politics2, similarly critiques how the church has often traded its prophetic voice for political power, urging believers to consider how their faith aligns with broader societal issues rather than political platforms.
But what’s clear from Moore’s writing is that this entanglement is not just about voting habits—it’s about identity, culture, and the way faith communities have shaped and been shaped by political narratives. It’s a crisis that feels distant from my experience in Canada but resonates with what I witnessed in DC, where the lines between political conviction and religious belief seem blurred.
The Powers That Be: Faith in a Politically Charged World
The challenge Moore raises is echoed in the work of N.T. Wright and Michael F. Bird in Jesus and the Powers3. They explore how Jesus’s ministry was a direct challenge to the political and spiritual powers of his day. Their thesis is that following Jesus means being countercultural, often standing against the status quo rather than aligning with it. This, to me, is the core of Moore’s message—a call to step back from the edges of political discourse and ask what it really means to follow a Savior who didn’t pledge allegiance to any earthly power.
Reading Moore alongside Wright and Bird makes me question how the church—on both sides of the border—engages with politics. Is it possible to maintain a prophetic voice without becoming political pawns? The more I reflect on it, the more I see Moore’s disillusionment as a challenge to all of us: to focus less on political power and more on the kind of radical love and justice Jesus embodied.
The Middle Ground: Can We Find It?
As I think back to those conversations in DC, I’m struck by how different the cultural climates are between Canada and the U.S., especially when it comes to faith and politics. In the States, the church’s political involvement is often explicit, sometimes even expected. In Canada, it’s quieter—subtle, and maybe even covert at times. But what struck me most was the lack of middle ground in the discussions I witnessed. It’s as if the political climate has become a tug-of-war, each side pulling harder the further apart they drift.
Losing Our Religion is a reminder that this polarization isn’t sustainable if the church is to maintain its integrity. It challenges the idea that faith must be married to political ideology and instead urges a return to a more holistic, humble way of living out the gospel. In this way, Moore’s call feels like a plea for the church to reclaim its distinctiveness and its prophetic voice—a voice that isn’t caught up in winning political battles but in embodying love, justice, and humility.
Faith Beyond Ideology: A Call for Authentic Witness
This tension between faith and politics isn’t new. Evangelization has always had to contend with ideology, as Tomas Petrusek points out in Evangelization and Ideology4. There’s a constant struggle to present a faith that transcends political and cultural divides. Petrusek’s work, much like Moore’s, reminds us that the gospel message is one of hope and transformation, not a tool for political gain.
It’s easy to see how churches—whether in Canada or the U.S.—can become ideological battlegrounds, especially when culture wars flare up. But the question Moore, Wallis, and even Petrusek ask is the same: How do we remain true to our faith without getting swept up in the partisan divides that so easily entangle?
Moving Forward: What This Means for Leadership
I don’t have all the answers, but reading Losing Our Religion has reminded me that faith and leadership require a delicate balance, especially when navigating a polarized world. Moore’s honesty about his own disillusionment is refreshing, and it challenges me to think about how I engage with the big issues of our time—not as a Canadian or an American, but as a follower of Jesus.
One thing I’ve learned is the value of humility in leadership. This ties back to some of the ideas in books like Humble Leadership and even Wallis’s God’s Politics2—that leading with authenticity means acknowledging complexity, valuing the voices of others, and not pretending to have it all figured out. It’s about making space for diverse perspectives, rather than assuming that our way is the only way.
A Call to Prayer and Reflection
At the end of the day, my takeaway from Losing Our Religion is this: We need to hold our political convictions lightly and our faith deeply. There’s room for political engagement, but it should never overshadow the core of what we believe. Moore’s call for a church that’s less concerned with earthly power and more with spiritual authenticity is one I think we can all resonate with, no matter where we stand on the political spectrum.
Maybe that’s why, in Canada, we spend more time praying for our politicians than debating them. It’s not that we don’t care—it’s that we’re striving to be something different, something beyond political labels. A community that embodies the kind of love, grace, and justice that goes beyond partisan lines. It’s not an easy path, but, as Moore and others suggest, it’s the one that will keep our faith honest and true.
- Russell Moore, Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2023).
- Jim Wallis, God’s Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2005).
- N.T. Wright and Michael F. Bird, Jesus and the Powers: Conflict, Covenant, and the Hope of the Poor (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2019).
- Tomas Petrusek, Evangelization and Ideology: The Role of the Church in Political Discourse (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017).
About the Author
Mathieu Yuill
While raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens may be a few of Julia Andrews' favourite things, here are a few of mine: Talking to strangers, Learning about what you do for fun, Conversation over coffee. I own a marketing and communications company in Toronto, Canada called Leading With Nice. There are a lot of names I could have given the company but a trusted friend encouraged me to name it that because I really value the humanness in us all. Bah - this is starting to sound like a horrible LinkedIn post. So whatever, let's have coffee. I'd love to hear about what you do for fun!4 responses to “Holy Votes and Hot Takes: Navigating the Church-Politics Tug-of-War”
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“We need to hold our political convictions lightly and our faith deeply.” That’s so well said, and I’m going to lean into that especially as we’re a week away from the presidential election in America. Was it intentional that Jason has us reading Moore’s book this week, just before the election? I’m guessing it was. Great post, you brought in so many good thoughts from other authors, and I especially appreciated learning a bit more about Canadian politics.
Great post Mathieu!
As a fellow Canadian, I believe you rightly and accurately reflected the differences between the evangelical communities in our respective countries.
Having said that, I do have a small percentage (perhaps 5-7%) of 60+ people in my church that have the same worldview as the conservative, Trump supporters down south. And over the past few years, I have seen our politics become increasingly bombastic and polemic. This is concerning for me….but more so, I care that the church handle the cultural divides better than our friends (and brothers and sisters in Christ) down south have. Your quote, which Kim highlighted in her response, is a great place to start: “We need to hold our political convictions lightly and our faith deeply.”
Let it be so, Lord. Amen
Matt, you describe the US church I recall growing up in. We used to pray for our politicians/leaders and hold more middle ground and friendly disagreement.
Everything changed at some point in the last 20+ years. In some ways I don’t recognize the US church anymore. It’s interesting to discover that Canada hasn’t made this turn.
Can I immigrate to Canada??
Hi Mathieu,
Another amazing post! You wrote, “…the core of Moore’s message—a call to step back from the edges of political discourse and ask what it really means to follow a Savior who didn’t pledge allegiance to any earthly power.”
Another great take-away, “We need to hold our political convictions lightly and our faith deeply.” My sentiments exactly!
I envy your Canadian experience. I don’t understand my own culture’s obsession, perspective, and polarization when it comes to politics and religion. How hard is it to be come a Canadian citizen these days? 🙂 My daughter, who returned to Asia five years ago tells everyone she is from Canada! I get it. Canadians are wonderful!