A traditional Lutheran response might think my contrast between Jesus’ teachings and the way Donald Trump presents himself at his rallies and on social media is unfair. It would see comparing religious and political programs somewhat like comparing apples and oranges. The Church proclaims the Gospel, and the government provides order.
Jesus’ teachings were not political, but nevertheless, they provided standards for the church’s expectations of government. This is especially important in our modern democratic society, where politics permeates almost everything.
I was preparing to present some of these expectations when Paul Wildman posted “John Wesley’s Manifesto.” It is a list of political principles displayed at a Methodist chapel in Bristol, England, that the historian Gary Best derived from Wesley’s 18th-century writings. I decided there was no way I could do as well. So here they are:
• Reduce the gap between rich and poor
• Seek to ensure full employment
• Introduce measures to help the poorest, including a living wage
• Offer the best possible education
• Empower individuals to feel they can make a difference
• Promote tolérance
• Promote equal treatment for women
• Create a society based on values and not on profits and consumerism
• End all forms of enslavement
• Avoid engaging in wars
• Avoid narrow self-interest and promote a world-view
• Care for the animals with whom we share our planet
Remember these are principles, not programs. We can have different opinions about how they might be implemented. My problem with the present campaign is how many who claim to be Christian reject these kinds of principles and support programs directly opposed to them.
