When I come back from these speaking engagements, I generally return with a sense of cheer, and this time is no different. My trip to Monroe, LA, was festive as always, and if you read my latest substack, published somewhere between 4:30-5:30 this morning, you already know. For everyone else, please take a look at the link in the comment section.
My talk was on ecclesial conservatism, the kind of thing you can expect me to say occasionally, frequently, well, practically always. But one of my points focused on this supposed cry for political pluralism within local churches. The argument states that congregations should be receptive to political diversity because churches ought to provide spiritual grounding but offer freedom on political decisions. Churches are okay with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents roaming their corridors and pews. if Machen had warrior children, so does Keller. And they look ripe for victim ideology. Sometimes they will even praise “drag-queen-story-hour” as a defense of freedom.
On the other hand, the right hand, that is, I offered an ecclesial vision that conserves creational norms on sexuality, morality, and labor. If we exercise our liturgical muscles in the rhythm of church life under the authority of the Bible, then we will produce conservative, political congregations. I am not saying we should always vote Republican, but I am saying we should always vote, not Democrat. I hope the negation had its effect on that last line.
Megan Basham summarizes a standard daily occurrence in D.C. to make my point:
“So many prominent Christian figures continue to pretend that the two political parties are roughly morally equal, & the way of Jesus is to strike a balance between them. We should stand against the GOP when it stands against Scripture, but this shows why 3rd wayism doesn’t wash.”
And what political event stirs so much precision in Megan’s thoughts? The House passed a bill requiring doctors to provide medical care after an abortion procedure. If a baby survives the massacre of abortion, some humans voted for medical care for those survivors, and others voted against it. Every Republican voted “yes,” while 99% of Democrats voted “no.”
This level of cognitive dissonance is expected, and any attempt to revive Kennedy’s party from its 1960 grave is futile. We can spend our days desiring and working for a better GOP, and they deserve the shared mockery when they abandon the good life. But we spank them like disobedient children, who are still children in the end. Then, we cover them with protection and encouragement.
Churches can disciple Democrat adherents, and they should be welcomed at our tables as those who need Jesus as much as we do, but what they cannot be is treated as ordinary in regular, Bible-believing churches. Healthy congregations conserve the truth and are regularly appalled at barbarism.
