The Liturgy of Politics: The Partisan Liturgy of Tribalism

Aristotle said the purpose of politics is to create a people who
are better than they would be without it. Politics has a way of
shaping how we see ourselves, how we see others, and how we
should live in the world. Have you noticed how this is parallel
to the task of the gospel? This journey of faith creates us to be
someone better than we would be without Jesus. Jesus shapes how
we see ourselves, how we see others, and how we should live in
the world. Is it any wonder our political activity has gotten so
bound up in our understanding of the gospel?


In fact, our partisanship and faith have become so wrapped up
together, that it is like one big ball of tangled string. They
influence one another in various ways (some helpful and some
not), and often times it is hard to tell where one begins and the
other ends. This month, we will be crafting experiments together.
These experiments will center on how we engage politics and how
we are being formed by politics. Together we will notice what
strings in this tangled mess the Holy Spirit is drawing to our
attention, and we will intentionally practice ways of untangling
that thread. How can we seek to be formed in the way of God's
kingdom and bring that to bear on politics rather than allowing
politics to shape how we view the kingdom?


We continued our experiments this week exposing the partisan
liturgy of tribalism, reflecting on the ways we are tempted to
find our identity in a political party or position. Then, we
considered the counter-formational liturgy of humble service.
What if our political activity followed the way of Jesus and
humble service?


You can find the handout for crafting an experiments here.


For additional resources, please visit our website.


Resources for Navigating This Political Season


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