Religion and Politics, Part I

An old adage is you don’t talk about religion and politics over dinner. Why? Because if you want to maintain relationships, these subjects are to be avoided. These days, however, the subjects are unavoidable. And sadly the old adage seems true. Everywhere I look, long-standing relationships are fraying. During the 2008 US Presidential campaign I spoke to the congregation I was then leading, Tikvat Israel in Richmond, Virginia, on the subjects of religion and politics. Fellowship was deteriorating because of strongly pronounced views about the candidates, especially Barak Obama. I tried to provide guidance on the subject by reviewing Biblical passages about the relationship between faith and politics and providing a brief overview of the history of politics and religion. I concluded the message by outlining what I believed to be ways for the two subjects to healthily interact. That message is the basis for the first part of a multi-series of comments I will be making on these subjects. I look forward to interacting with anyone who will constructively respond to what I write.

I grew up in a political home in Washington, DC. My father was involved in politics from as far back as I can remember. He ran numerous political campaigns, worked in the US House and Senate and later was Deputy Assistant to President Nixon. He took me to President Kennedy’s inauguration. I worked with him on various campaigns, and in high school I attended the Republican National Convention. In the summers during my high school and college years, I worked in various Congressional offices. I was involved in student government in college and, following law school, I worked in the Congress as a chief counsel to a US Senate subcommittee. As a Congressional lawyer, I helped write laws, conducted hearings and investigated the Executive Branch.

It’s funny – growing up in that environment I never considered how unusual my experiences were. Friends of the family were almost all politicians of sorts. Most of them were hard working and intelligent. Religion, however, was never discussed. I grew up in a secular Jewish family. We did belong to a synagogue where I attended Hebrew school and had my Bar Mitzvah, but my family was not religious. Everything changed, however, when in high school, I became a follower of Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah. Now, religion became a hot topic in my family, ultimately leading to my removal from the family for almost thirty years. However, the conflicts had nothing to do with interaction of religion and politics. It was personal.

At age 34 I abruptly changed direction in my life – I left Congress and political life behind, went to seminary and eventually became a rabbi of a Messianic Jewish congregation in Richmond, Virginia. I served there for over twenty years. While I believe my political experience helped me in the ministry, I never mixed them. The only talk I ever gave on a political topic was the one I mentioned in the first paragraph. While at Tikvat, I was never involved in any political campaign and never voiced my views about any political candidates. I did, however, encourage the members to vote.

Eight years ago my wife and I moved to Israel. I am no longer actively involved in ministry, although I’m still a follower of Yeshua and attend a congregation. Rather, I and others opened a law practice, and I have joined and become active in a political party in Israel. I’ve written this rather long introduction because my life has been immersed in religion and/or politics. I believe this provides me with a unique vantage point on the subjects and how they interact. I have strong opinions on these subjects, and I am sure many will disagree with me. However, I hope that my thoughts will provoke many to think more deeply about these subjects and to use a popular phrase, “to think outside of the box.”