Recalculating….Evangelism
At one time or another, all of us have been driving along the highway or streets believing we had the supreme knowledge of where we were going. In an instant our confidence changes because of a wrong turn or misinformation. When we are lost, we turn to the ole trusty GPS in an effort to get us back on track. As we look at the screen, we see that famous word, recalculating.
Recalculating is the attempt made by Matthew E. Petrusek as he writes Evangelization and Ideology. He attempts to redirect Catholics in responding to wokeness, secular, and political beliefs. As he spent most of his career as a professor his didactic directive is aimed at guiding societies hyperpolitical ideological framework. His book weighs the balance between Catholic beliefs and the socio-political challenges within culture.
His ideology is framed from a Catholic perspective, and as his book is very academic in nature as he works out the progression of evangelization through a political lens. Petrusek’s influence emanates from Bishop Robert Barron, an apologist for Catholic social teachings. To Petrusek’s credit, he correctly acknowledges the end goal of evangelism while opening the door to various pathways, “no way is superior as long as they lead to Christ and his church.” [1]
Petrusek unpacks the Catholic Church’s social thought tradition and how it has changed over time. However, I believe the road to evangelization remains the same, and if political debate is the way to open minds, then we better close the door.
What is Evangelism? Evangelism is proclaiming the Gospel – the good news about Jesus Christ, which is God’s power to save all who believe it and turn from sin to follow him. The road to Jesus is not through political debate but through the Gospel, a surrendered life and transformation through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Political debates have already fragmented the church. We truly, indeed, are in the midst of a hyper-partisan environment with culture wars raging between traditional and contemporary viewpoints. American Christianity, Christian leaders, and Christian churches have used Sunday morning as the platform for modern politics, with Jesus on the back burner. It has become glaringly evident much of Christian leaders and churches seem to be finding their voice in this arena, putting stakes in the sand and aligning left or right and middle in the political spectrum.
How the church handles the political arena is ultimately divided, but Petrusek’s take on evangelizing the political culture leaves much to be desired from my perspective. He believes that if political debate is done right, it can help win minds. As I think about his goal of winning minds and handling the political arena, I am reminded of another book, The Politics of Jesus, written by Obery Hendricks Jr. Hendricks looks at Jesus through a different lens by opening minds to see Jesus’ identity as a political revolutionary and who works to overturn social injustice. Hendricks, too, affirms that the church and its ministers should enter the political arena but offers a justice perspective.
“The uncompromising example of Jesus Christ places upon every Christian minister the responsibility to withstand the temptation to align oneself with the secular ruling powers. It is true that it is part of every minister’s calling to be a pastor to his or her parishioners, to be a spiritual leader and teacher, and a comforter of the sick at heart and those afflicted in mind, soul, spirit, or body. Ministers of the Gospel must comfort the afflicted, but they also have the prophet’s duty to afflict the comfortable.” [2]
I once heard at a seminar that we “seek the welfare of the city” by fighting against injustice and evil. Hendricks argues there is a need for church leaders to use the political arena for such. He later goes on to say there are distinguishing characteristics which determine whether they represent the true cause of Christ and his mission or self-interest; “There are two telltale criteria: (1) they are silent about issues of social justice, and (2) they function as uncritical supporters of rulers and politicians, rather than as their moral conscience and dedicated arbiters of biblical justice.” [3]
While I applaud Petrusek’s discussion and attempt to take on this most polarizing topic. Trying to make the political world a moral one is a noble attempt. Politics and morals are not in the same family. For the Christian with a moral foundation, weaving the two together is no easy feat. Petrusek realizes it, “…materialist empiricism (examining morality as it relates to politics) has an even bigger problem: it cannot produce a prescriptive morality, meaning it cannot tell us what we should and should not do.” [4]
When it comes to evangelization, politics can be introduced as a new form of identity, and it is viewed as a trap from my perspective. In the Identity Trap Yascha Mounk was not optimistic about the Trap’s future. “the forces favoring the identity trap and favoring its retrenchment will clash for years to come.”[5] The emergence of new identity factions is on the rise daily, resulting in a more isolated and divided society than ever before. Sadly, Petrusek’s premise of evangelism and politics is yet another one.
[1]Petrusek, Matthew R., and Thomas Collins. Evangelization and Ideology: How to Understand and Respond to the Political Culture. (Park Ridge, IL: published by the Word on Fire Institute, an imprint of Word on Fire, 2023). 18.
[2] Hendricks, Obery M. The Politics of Jesus: Rediscovering the True Revolutionary Nature of the Teachings of Jesus and How They Have Been Corrupted. (New York: Doubleday, 2006). 94
[3] Hendricks, 31.
[4] Petrusek, 72.
About the Author
Daren Jaime
13 responses to “Recalculating….Evangelism”
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Hi Daren!
Wow …
I have so many questions after reading this, but I’ll wait until we’re face-to-face :-).
At one point you wrote, “For the Christian with a moral foundation, weaving the two together is no easy feat.” And yet, you, as a pastor, and we, as Christians, are faced with this every day, yes? What is your opinion on how to tackle this slowly? I say slowly because this cannot happen overnight. How would you answer this question if it were one of your congregants asking you?
Hi Nancy! Great question. I will launch from this foundation, and we cannot legislate morality in society. I am not saying all politicians are immoral; I know quite a few. I should clarify that there is a temptation to go along and get along. I have talked with several politicians who wrestle with this very issue. When they are caught having to compromise their beliefs in passing legislation or supporting groups or organizations they oppose, the struggle is real.
As a Christian first and as a pastor we have a responsibility to live in a manner that glorifies God and is based on morality. Micah 6:8 serves as my reminder,
“He has told you O mortal what is good and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God. This is a moral mandate and an instruction that supersedes political preference. Encouraging people to follow this path would be a huge first step.
Great post Daren. Thank you sir! I appreciate the reminder of the trap of identity that politics can bring. Perhaps that’s why it becomes fruitless in the end? How do we pastor people towards finding their identity in Christ during this polarized time?
Hey Ryan That should be our primary goal, helping others find their identity in Christ. When this is found so is purpose. Having people see through the lens of Christ and avoiding politics as best as we can in this season of political turmoil could be fruitful. We have become so politically divided it has compromised our witness. Does this mean we will have to avoid political issues? No, because Jesus had to confront the political issues of his day.
If we are guiding people into understanding we are made in the image and likeness of God and truly loving our neighbor as ourself perhaps we can stay out of the trap. We interject a lot of self in our messaging, but a greater focus on what God says and Christ teaches can move the needle further.
Hi Daren, Your post is thought provoking. When you said that “The uncompromising example of Jesus Christ places upon every Christian minister the responsibility to withstand the temptation to align oneself with the secular ruling powers.” It caused me to wonder how that lives out in real life for you as a pastor at a local church and someone who supports other churches in your denomination.
Hi Diane, Thank you for your post. I increasingly find more and more ministers taking to the pulpit and aligning themselves along political party lines in America. While I am registered with a political party my role as pastor is non-partisan. There was once a saying when it comes to politics as a pastor, There are no permanent friends, no permanent allies, just permanent interests. I have gained friends on all political sides as a result of embodying this. Honestly speaking, these persons of various parties I have worked with have been sensitive towards the needs of my community while understanding the boundaries I have also put in place. As a pastor, I have done my due diligence in helping people become registered to vote, but I always tell people the disclaimer, I will not tell you who to vote for, because there is a danger in choosing sides politically because no candidate has a perfect record that is not worthy of scrutiny and can easily be thoroughly debated.
Thanks for your post. I am feeling conflicted about Petrusek’s call for debate and several of our classmate’s apprehension towards it.
You said ‘Political debates have already fragmented the church’. I wonder if you might mean, “Political fighting has already fragmented the church”. Petrusek makes a case that there is a difference between fighting and arguing. Much of what we see in America is fighting over arguing or debating.
For some less mature Christians in America, the response has been to entire the political divide with a fight. For some more mature Christians in America, the response has been to avoid the political divide at all costs. I can’t help but feel like there might be a reasonable middle ground that we have to consider. I personally would rather just disengage. It’s easier and I don’t run the risk of losing some friends. But as a Christ follower, I have felt a conviction to enter into the conversation in a Christ honoring way.
I would love your thoughts on this.
Daren and Christy,
I’ll jump in on this thread as I would also like to see this answer. I appreciate the perspective and think that I understand what you are articulating. What I do wonder though is whether you think the book is helpful in defining and undermining the different political positions? Is it helpful for Christians to understand why Wokeism falls flat as a political ideology?
Adam, I think the book is helpful. There is both meat and bones throughout the book from my perspective. To your question, It is helpful. I think for me there is an inward belief for utilizing our evangeliistic tools we have to help get people to the identity of Christ. We are seeing people being molded to political partisanship in the name of Christ and that is what i take issue with the most.
Admittedly, I need to rererad this in my leisure because i don’t think I can unpack it all fairly in this present blog
Hey Christy! Thanks for this. You are 100% correct and I should have edited my post. Debates are good things get mucked when fighting is engaged. There is an old saying that everything is political so at some form we will have to enter into the political discourse.
To the friends perspective. The truth is when you stand on the side of the things that Christ represents it will offend some as it challenges their morality and their positions of influence and comfort. A real friend will respect your differences and agree to disagree.
I agree there is a middle ground that allows us to put certain issues on the table for discussion but we should not weaponize these matters because it becomes divisive. This speaks to my point of trying to use politics to win minds. Although he offers up some in depth content, in our current climate to evangelize through political means is an avenue I just would not pursue.
Hey Darren… let me pick up the mic for you… you must have dropped it on the floor. POWERFUL thoughts, sir. Great post. This book has ruffled me in many of the same ways it did you; I just couldn’t have written it so eloquently.
Is it safe to assume you agree with Obery Hendricks Jr.’s view of Jesus as a political revolutionary working to overturn social injustice? I will have to add that to my book list (which, sadly, has a two-year waiting period).
Chris, this is a great read! He really talks about the tactics Jesus used and how people can advocate for the poor, marginalized, and others whom the gospel calls us to serve. I would not use Hendricks’s term to define Jesus out and out. But reading his book, you can see how Jesus challenges the system and whoever stood between justice, grace, and mercy.
Hi Daren, thank you for your post. How do the intersections of evangelization and political ideologies impact the unity and mission of the Church, especially in navigating the complexities of contemporary cultural and political landscapes?