Jim Coppoc.

A few years back, Reverend Mark Stringer, who later became the Executive Director of Iowa’s ACLU, came to preach at a church I worked for. It was another politically charged era, and many of the members of our left-leaning congregation were having trouble navigating families and communities and workplaces through all the hard feelings and partisan rhetoric. In fact some, with almost evangelical fervor, found themselves mired in constant battles from the Internet to the water cooler to the family dinner table.

Reverend Skinner began with a summary of the times we lived in, complete with real sympathy for the instinct to fight against every injustice everywhere, then he leaned out over the podium and asked us, “How is that working out for you?”

There is no denying that Jesus Christ was intensely political. He challenged the theological/legal authorities of his time again and again in every venue he could find. He led massive protests in Jerusalem. He made a mockery of Herod’s court, refusing to endorse the framework on which the case against him was built.

But whom, if Jesus could vote, would he have voted for? Whom would he vote for today? How do the politics of Gospel translate to the politics of now?

To begin with, Jesus’ understanding of politics was always deeply entwined with his progressive interpretation of Judaism. Although the Hebrew Bible does not contemplate a democratic government like the United States in the year 2024, there are some hints about building civil governments chosen by the people. Deuteronomy, for example, tells of Moses setting up a system of “wise and respected” leaders chosen from each tribe. The same book later describes democratically chosen kings, and sets legal and ethical limits, including that a king “not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left.”

On the other hand, the same Hebrew Bible warns us in the Book of Psalms, “do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.” Perhaps recognizing this, in the Gospel of John, “when Jesus realized that they were about to […] make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself” to avoid becoming entrapped in politics. In fact, in the same Gospel, Jesus famously declared, “my kingdom is not of this world.”

Looking at what we know about Jesus’ public ministry, he would sit down and dine with anyone from centurions to tax collectors who would listen. He was willing to engage in dialogue with every theo-political party of his time. But, as Jesus instructed in the Gospel of Matthew, “if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.”

So who would Jesus vote for? I have no idea. I don’t even know if he would vote. But I do believe that if the same Jesus who existed 2,000 years ago came again in mortal form today, he would absolutely dialogue with those who listen; disengage with those who don’t; and press his case everywhere for love, grace, justice and inclusion.

Over the next few months, as this intensely divisive political season heats up, I would encourage us all to remember the rules Jesus lived by. And if we do choose to step into that polling booth come November, I would also encourage us to remember that when an expert in the law asked, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”, Jesus replied,

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a Second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” I can’t imagine a better guide to which issues matter most.

Jim Coppoc serves the Ripley United Church of Christ at 400 S. Main St. in Traer. He lives in Ames and Traer, and also holds a “day job” as Director of Integrated Health Services for Center Associates in Marshalltown and Toledo. Jim can be found online at www.facebook.com/jim.at.ripley.