by Demi Prentiss

I am a Christian. Sometimes – like the present election season – that’s a hard statement for me to make – depending on who’s in the room ready to jump to conclusions about what that means in terms of my beliefs.

The events of the past year have led me to articulate two guiding principles for myself:

• I am called by my faith to ground my thoughts and my actions in gratitude, not grievance.
• For me, “respecting the dignity of every human being” is a non-negotiable. All of us human beings on the planet are children of God, beloved and called – including the ones I would never vote for.

It’s not a popular sentiment, but I love the art of politics – the necessary work of governance required in a democracy. I love the “work of the polis,” from the Greek word meaning city or community. Being a city or community where the voices of the people are heard and honored is hard work. I love the push and pull, the argument and the compromise and the collaboration and the experimentation in bringing the vision of a self-governing, person-honoring polis to life. In some ways it parallels the work of liturgy, “the work of the people” as they worship. As in politics, the work of the worshipping community is diminished – some might even say invalid – if the dignity of each human being is not honored in the process.

I want to be an authentic Christ-follower. That is a risky undertaking, even in the best of times. Back in 2012, and again in 2024, Brian Zahnd offered 10 guidelines for Christian voters. I’ve listed my favorite five below. (Read the full list here.) The words can help shape our thoughts and our actions in our faith and in our political lives, seeking to honor both Christ and God’s people.

BZ’s Christian Voter Guide
1. The political process, while necessary, has little to do with how God is saving the world.
2. The fate of the kingdom of God does not depend upon political contests.
3. Don’t be naïve, political parties are more interested in Christian votes than they are in Christian values.
4. The bottom line for political parties is power. The bottom line for a Christian is love. And therein lies the rub….
10. It’s more important that your soul be filled with love than it is for your political team to win the game.

And Zahnd adds:

Love is patient and kind.
Love does not envy or boast.
Love is not arrogant or rude.
Love does not insist on its own way.
Love is not irritable or resentful.
Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing,
Love rejoices with the truth.
Love bears and believes all things.
Love hopes and endures all things.
Love never fails. – St. Paul (1 Corinthians 13)