Faithfully navigating the murky waters of politics

SUBJECTS AND CITIZENS:
The politics of the gospel. Lessons from
Romans 12–15
By Michael P. Jensen
Matthias Media. 204 pages. £8.99
ISBN 978 1 922 980 182

In this year of elections and continued political turbulence, it is helpful to read a book on how Christians should approach politics.

Jensen distinguishes between Politics 1.0, that is politics as most would understand it, and Politics 2.0, that is the new politics of the Kingdom of God. Christians cannot avoid politics, because the belief that ‘Jesus is Lord’ is itself a highly political statement. This truth rejects Caesar as Lord, and it rejects all other so-called Lords ever since. To help us think Biblically about politics, Jensen goes back to what we can learn from Romans chapters 12-15, as ‘Scripture is the foundational text of Politics 2.0’ (p.52). The church as God’s kingdom on earth now, and forerunner of the future eternal kingdom, has the responsibility to show what having Jesus as Lord looks like. Much of this comes down to the micro-politics of interpersonal relations within the church as we are transformed by the renewal of our minds (Rom.12.1-2). This will be expressed in love (Rom.13.8), selflessness (Rom.14.1-15.6), and hospitality (Rom.15.7). The best way for Christians and the church to do politics is to model what this counter-cultural Jesus-serving community looks like, and to preach Jesus as Lord to see people following Him – Politics 2.0, even as some Christians will be called to participate in Politics 1.0.