(OPINION) By Michael Brown – As many readers will know, my most recent book was titled “The Political Seduction of the Church: How Millions of Americans Have Confused Politics with the Gospel.”
And while I did make passing reference to the errors of the Christian left, my focus was on the Christian right, in particular conservative evangelicals, part of the community with which I identify. But as the 2022 elections continue to be decided with a major senatorial runoff in Georgia, it is a good time to focus on the overt and unashamed merging of politics with the gospel on the Christian left.
I wrote in October that, “The left is also guilty of this very thing, to the point of celebrating the marriage of politics with the gospel.” And, I added, “it is just not the right that is guilty of blurring these lines (meaning, the lines between the gospel and politics or between Church and State). The left most certainly is, and even more blatantly.”
That’s why it was no surprise when Bishop T. D. Jakes openly endorsed Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke or Pastor Creflo Dollar openly endorsed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
Both of these candidates made appearances in these respective churches, where they were openly affirmed by these influential leaders. And although both Jakes and Dollar are conservative scripturally (meaning, believing that the Bible is the Word of God and that Jesus is the only Savior), they lean left politically.
In such circles, there is virtually no separation between Church and State. The reason, though, for another article on this subject is that recent ministerial endorsements of Pastor (and Senator) Raphael Warnock have become even more pronounced and extreme.
But let me be blunt here before you read any further. Because of various political and ideological divides, the great majority of white evangelicals vote Republican while the great majority of Black evangelicals vote Democrat.
So, the major focus in my “Political Seduction” book was on white Christian leaders. The major focus of this article is on Black Christian leaders.
That means that skin color is not the issue. The issue is the merging of politics and the gospel as if they were one and the same, but with this notable (and major difference): the same left-leaning media that bashes white evangelical Christian involvement in politics completely ignores (or even celebrates) Black evangelical Christian involvement in politics.
The former is viewed as a dire threat, yet another attempt for nefarious Christian Nationalists to take over the country. The latter is viewed as a beautiful expression of spirituality, where justice, righteousness, politics, and Jesus form a beautiful and harmonious chord. Having said that, let’s look at just a few examples. (READ MORE)
