Sermon delivered at Christ Church, Gardiner
October 27, 2024
Good morning. My name is John Hennessy. I am the public policy director of the Diocese of Maine and the co-chair of the public policy committee of the Maine Council of Churches. Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak with you this morning.
Politics and religion. You’re not supposed to discuss the two topics if you want to avoid a conversation filled with fireworks.
And here we are—in a church—talking about it. Many clergy in the diocese have reported pressure from congregants to “speak to the issues!” and from others to “stay away from politics!”
There is a third option, which is why I am here today: preaching our principles and not our politics with clarity and humility. We can be clear about what we believe and why we believe it and share our principles with sincerity rather than prescriptively. What do I mean? It means saying what you believe instead of telling your neighbors what they should believe.
In today’s intensely polarized political climate, policy debates often hinge on values and how each side views the role of government in Americans’ lives. Those who speak out as people of faith often influence those debates. Our goal is to share our principles and to begin a conversation—not to convince anyone else to believe or vote a certain way.
Our public policy network is a voice for the Episcopal Church in Maine. A voice representing the values of love and compassion, goodness and peace, the voice for values of caring for those who do not have voices to speak for themselves, a voice for those who are vulnerable in our state. We want to help you raise your voice around the values we share as people of faith to find a better way forward that works and is good for all.
Over the years, Episcopalians and Anglicans have lived out the Gospel’s call in many ways, celebrated and unknown. We have taken to the streets and into the halls of government. We talk of a “Jesus Movement” in the Episcopal Church that coincides with continuing political activism.
One of the Episcopalians whom I often mention when I speak in church is Frances Perkins, who spent a lot of time in Maine. Frances was a sociologist and workers’ rights advocate who served as US Secretary of Labor from 1933-45, the first woman appointed to a cabinet position. Perkins helped implement many aspects of FDR’s New Deal during her long term. She was largely responsible for adopting Social Security, unemployment insurance, federal laws regulating child labor, and a federal minimum wage.
Frances often said she came to Washington to serve God, FDR, and millions of ordinary working people. She added that the administration of a democracy is not easy. The statute law and the natural law of God must be somehow blended, and fairness and decency must prevail.
Although many Episcopalians are wary of mixing Christian teachings with political messages for fear of blurring those teachings, many of our congregations and those of other denominations see activism as part of being a Christian, not contrary to it. People tell me that if we are going to follow our baptismal covenant truly, then we are, by nature, going to occasionally stand up against what we perceive as injustice.
There is no shortage of examples of public policy issues the Episcopal Church has taken up: refugee resettlement, DACA, Bishops Against Gun Violence, marriage equality, conversion therapy, immigration, Standing Rock, health care reform, Arctic wildlife preservation, and many more. At the General Convention this past June, we passed over 50 social justice and creation care resolutions, many by unanimous consent or with solid majorities from both the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies.
A healthy faith community can provide regular opportunities to name our deepest principles and reflect on the daily challenges of living them out. Our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, believes that voting and participation in our government are ways of participating in our common life, which is a Christian obligation.
He says, “We are blessed as a nation to vote. As citizens of this country, this is a right, an obligation, and a duty. Go vote. Vote your conscience. Your conscience is informed by what it means to love your neighbor, participate in seeking the common good, and make this a better world. However you vote, go out and vote. Vote faithfully. And do that as followers of Jesus.
Throughout history, voices of faith have been raised, forcefully at times and often bravely, on behalf of the less fortunate. Our meetings at Loring House and many of our gatherings in churches around the diocese almost always start with prayer. It is a blessing to be reminded that we are all helping our state look more like God’s dream for us all. It also helps to constantly remind ourselves that God loves us no matter what.
After today’s service, I look forward to discussing what that can mean for the congregation here at Christ Church and the wider faith community in Gardiner.
Let us pray. Loving God, creator of the world and source of our wisdom and understanding, watch over this nation during the election. Help us see how our faith informs our principles and our actions. God, our creator, guide us in truth and love.
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Invite John to speak to your congregation!