Justin Giboney - Compassion (&) Conviction: The AND Campaigns Guide to Faithful Civic Engagement

A s the 2020 presidential election process nears, our countrys political climate will require Christians to faithfully, prayerfully, and thoughtfully engage others with a focus on promoting social justice, guided by moral order. The good news is that you are holding in your hand a life-changing book. This remarkable guide serves as a solid framework for Christians to engage in the political process in a faithful, informed, and effective manner without sacrificing deeply held, biblically based convictions.

For many of us, religion and politics are deeply intertwined. Does the separation between church and state imply that there should be a separation between religion and politics? Between morality and government? What is the relationship between my Christianity (or my commitment to the teachings of Jesus) and my politics? Where does one end and the other begin? These are hard questions, ones that Compassion (&) Conviction help us to address in a spirit of humility and love.

Never before have so many followers of Jesus Christ had more difficulty in the (too often negative) way we relate to those whose views differ from our own on hot-button issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, racial equality, immigration, and the environment. Without question, there is a growing political divide in our country. Yet as Christians we are expected to engage in both private and public spaces in ways that honor God, consistent with the great commands in Matthew 22:37-39 to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Exercising faith in these challenging times takes courage. Although Christians are still called to speak truth in an increasingly corrupt world, it is vital that we think carefully about how our faith informs our politics. We must hold fast to Gods declaration in Genesis 1:27 that every person is made in his image. And we can practice this truth in ways that will not diminish human dignity. Just as we have received Gods immeasurable grace, we should be ready to extend grace to those we disagree with, something I consider even timelier for Christ followers today.

Whether youre a Christian or non-Christian, it can be challenging to show that kindness to those who hold a radically different worldview. Showing kindness means being able to unconditionally accept people for who they are without approving of their choices, even if we believe those choices are outside of Gods will according to our understanding of Gods Word. With the guidance provided through Compassion (&) Conviction, we can learn how Christ-centered political engagement can be delivered in a loving and caring way.

May God use this book to awaken his people with a vision for the good of all Americansa vision that is not fully represented in either partys platformby providing us with a key to unlock doors where other keys have failed.

E very Christian in America is political. This is unavoidable. It is the privilege and burden of citizenship. We can choose to not exercise the duties of citizenship, but that does not mean we do not have them. People are paying attention to how Christians operate in political life. They want to know if faith makes a difference in how to think about politics, in how to carry out those duties of citizenship. Christians, too, are asking how their faith ought to impact their political outlook. We believe that how we answer this question can glorify God, bless our nation and our neighbors, and affirm that the gospel we proclaim is real and meaningful for all of life.

The AND Campaigns leadership team created this resource to help believers engage the civic space as faithful Christians and informed citizens. Our organizational mission is to educate and organize Christians for civic and cultural engagement that results in better representation, more just and compassionate policies, and a healthier political culture.

While traveling around the nation speaking to pastors, Christian educators, and people in the pews, it has become clear to us that many Christians are searching for a better understanding of the civic process and the role our faith should play in it (if any role at all). We found that some believers were intimidated by the civic space while others had allowed it to compromise their beliefs or ruin personal relationships. We even heard a story about congregants physically fighting in a church about political differences. We resolved to bring clarity to the proper intersection of faith and politicsa subject that could greatly benefit or harm believers and the world as a whole. This book is a concrete expression of our resolve.

We came to this effort as Christians with strong biblical convictions and a wealth of experience in the sociopolitical arena. Whether working for a US president, managing state and local campaigns, pastoring, or advocating for better education policy, we have seen close up how faith can provide direction or be misdirected in the political realm. Through successes and failures, study and practicebut mostly by applying Jesus teachings and sound biblical doctrineweve developed a gospel-centered framework to help Christians reflect the compassion and conviction of Jesus Christ in the public square. We are not telling Christians who to vote for or implying that we must agree on every issue; rather, were providing a framework for Christian Democrats, Republicans, and Independents to engage in a more faithful, informed, and effective manner.