A St. Paul’s Voter’s Guide
Hello –
On Sunday I began my sermon by observing how disturbed this election season was making me. I am particularly alert to how easily it crowds into my prayer space. These days, I need to be extra alert to keep praying. I am also among those who struggles against addictive behaviors during the day, repeatedly looking at websites. Many responded to me sharing similar feelings.
What are we to do? In this email, with two exceptions, I won’t tell you who or what to vote for or against. But I do want to share some Christian observations that may help you negotiate the next two weeks.
First, though, I want to share my recommendation on how to vote. I urge you to vote yes on Proposition 62, which ends the Death Penalty in California, and no on 66, which accelerates it. I hope this comes as no surprise to you. San Quentin is less than five miles from our church and at least eight men on its Death Row are our known brothers-in-Christ. Our parish is called to a particularly strong and clear witness against the Death Penalty. For decades the General Convention of the Episcopal Church has also advocated, nationally, for the abolition of the Death Penalty. Please join me in voting ‘yes’ on 62 and ‘no’ on 66.
As for everything else, I intentionally leave it to you. When I first interviewed at St. Paul’s over twelve years ago I was nervously asked if I preach politics from the pulpit. I replied that no, I care far more about the capacity of each of you to take Jesus into the voting booth with you than I do about what exactly you vote for.
And so, over these past dozen years, I have done everything in my power- worship in the beauty of holiness, formation classes, Discipleship Groups, Bible studies, spiritual forums, spiritual conversations, Jesus centered Outreach programs, and pastoral visits of all sorts- to help you know Jesus better. I trust you to take Jesus into the voting booth with you.
In this particularly puffed-up and rude election cycle I am deeply grateful for the ways our Episcopal Church nurtures the Christian virtues of Humility and Courtesy. I often (too often!) read articles and opinion pieces that bemoan the degraded state of our polis. One commentator writes that we are ‘over politicized and under moralized’ and ‘it’s not that we’re bad, but we’re morally inarticulate.’ When I hear such things, I think, ‘that’s because our culture is not paying enough attention to churches like St. Paul’s!’
At St. Paul’s, we nurture the moral virtues such as humility and courtesy that lead to a healthy polis. And we are not constantly ‘reimaginaing’ these things. Rather, we are living them out now, in a way that has roots at least 3000 years old. To be blunt, our way of being human is among the best possible antidotes to what ails our American culture.
I ended my sermon on Sunday by sharing my belief that the accusatory tone of our politics won’t end on November 9th. I believe what we are experiencing now is the new normal, at least until our culture learns to listen again to deeply rooted moral voices like ours. America, and Marin, needs us to be strong and clear. They need to hear our voice. Come strengthen your heart and your voice at St. Paul’s.
The Sunday after the election, November 13th, we begin preparing for Christmas. The O Antiphons, with their chants and banners, will begin to return. Our children, with our help, will begin learning the tunes and multiple verses of our Christian Christmas Carols. And I will begin to preach a series of simple sermons that will prepare our hearts to receive Jesus by the core practice of ‘working on our Belovedness.’
Come to church. Bring your friends. It’s not just about you. Our culture is yearning for a way to be good. Come to St. Paul’s with your friends, where it’s easier to be good.
Blessings,
Christopher
p: (415) 456-4842