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Many American evangelicals have forgotten that other Americans, who belong to another political party, are our brothers and sisters. The world now follows our politics on television. As the world's peoples observe the deceitful, "Swift-Boating," character-assassinating campaign tactics that now pass for "the American (political) way," the American democratic experiment is perceived, less and less, as a model for other nations to copy. If evangelical Christians do not call campaign obscenity by its right name, and intervene in campaigns whenever necessary, who will?

Space does not permit an extended reflection on "the weightier matters" of Christianity's ethic. Scripture stands strongly on the side of justice, peace, reconciliation, and health--including the health of creation. Some evangelicals have been strangely mute on the social ethic of God's kingdom; the world might not even know, from us, what it would look like if the will of God were done "on earth, as in heaven." The prophets were more than predictors of the future; they were revealers of God's purposes for his people, the nation, and the earth's peoples. And Jesus did much more than provide the way to heaven; he also taught and showed people how to live and what kind of world he wants.

The shifting times suggest that many of us are called to become "oxymorons"— Christian evangelical Democrats. Two obstacles, however, seem to stop evangelicals in their tracks when they consider this possibility.

First, many evangelicals experience distress bordering on trauma at the thought of associating with the "lunatic fringe" of the Democratic Party. I sympathize, but those people often need Christian friends and invitations to follow Christ. I experience discomfort at the thought of associating with Klansmen and other "flat earth" people who attach to the Republican Party, until I remember they may need Christian friends and redemption. In either direction, "politics makes strange bedfellows." If we are salt and light people, however, there is no valid reason to avoid the fringe folks—when we remember that, in them, Jesus meets us anew (Matt. 25:40).

Second, many evangelicals are more comfortable in the company of Republicans than Democrats, because Republicans seem to profess religion in greater numbers. That is probably true, but please reconsider Jesus' parable in Matthew 21. A man asked his two sons to work in the vineyard. One son said he would not, but he did; the other son said he would, but he did not. Jesus then posed a rhetorical question that has exposed the "lip service" fallacy ever since. "Which of the two did the will of his father?" I am, on most days, an evangelical Democrat because the Republicans are often like the second son, and the Democrats like the first.

George G. Hunter III is Beeson Distinguished Professor of Evangelization at Asbury Theological Seminary and the author of Christian, Evangelical, and … Democrat? (Abingdon Press, 2006). This article, as with all "Speaking Out" pieces, does not necessarily represent the views of Christianity Today.

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Hunter's Christian, Evangelical, and … Democrat? is available from ChristianBook.com and other book retailers.

See today's other commentary on the election, "Faith-Based Triangulation | Religious moderates propelled the Democrats to victory" by Joseph Loconte.

Christianity Today editors liveblogged the election results.

More on politics is available in our full coverage area.

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November (Web-only) 2006, Vol. 50