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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBut while seeking to be thoughtful about how my faith informs my voting, I try to keep in mind two counterbalances. The first: I don\u2019t expect a political system to fully reflect my faith. I long for our government to think about the poor and vulnerable, in the same way that my faith tells us to care for the vulnerable, but I also understand that the role of government is distinct from that of a church. I look for the many ways God might work to provide, both within our political systems but also as a complement to them, through our faith community partners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Second, I try to avoid the false sense that I can reach an \u201cobjective\u201d perspective. I think it\u2019s the fullness of our spiritual, emotional, physical, and social realities that makes us human, that shapes our perceptions, decisions and judgments. And rather than aspiring to being \u201cdetached\u201d or objective (can we truly be objective?) I try to be mindful of my own values, experiences, and how they shape (or, in some instances, create weak spots in) my understanding, and then seek to demonstrate empathic curiosity. I want to be a person of strong convictions and clarity, with a generous, hospitable posture towards others. I hope that hearing other people\u2019s opinions makes me kinder, perhaps helps deepen my convictions, and keeps me open to changing my mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A word of caution about single-issue voting: The teaching of Jesus is astounding in that it is both simple enough for first century illiterate folks to grasp and so complex that academics and philosophers continue to ponder and wrestle with it centuries later. Shalom is similar: it is at once straightforward and, especially when it comes to what it looks like in a pluralistic society like ours, remarkably complex. If voting feels simple to you, I\u2019d urge you to invite in one more perspective \u2014 perhaps of a Christian from a different background, experience, or political persuasion from yours \u2014 just to force yourself to wrestle with another viewpoint. I believe that this is one way of loving God with your whole self, with your whole heart, and with your whole mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the convictions that I\u2019ve appreciated is that of a pastor who also held a political office \u2014 he said, \u201cA vote is a prayer.\u201d My understanding of prayer is that it is a conversation with God, a conversation that nurtures a friendship with God. A vote, a prayer, a conversation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n