​Read, again: Micah 3:5 – 4:5

Some of you may remember that Sojourners – the Washington, D.C., Christian-community-based magazine – offered an adult education curriculum in the run-up to the 2008 election.  The discussion guides and promotion materials featured the tagline “God is not a Republican . . . or a Democrat.”  The congregation I served used those materials and benefited from a series of lively and rich conversations as we approached that election.  It feels like several lifetimes ago: a global pandemic and a more toxic political environment have combined to sabotage most respectful conversations at the intersection of faith and politics.

But I was reminded of that tagline last week when I read this from Dr. Fred Gaiser, an Emeritus Professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN: 

“Micah was neither a Republican (though he based his arguments firmly in Israel’s conservative traditions) nor a Democrat (though he liberally denounced injustice to the downtrodden); indeed, Micah knew nothing of democratic government or global economics. The preacher of Micah’s texts is called not to be partisan, but to proclaim to all – in language as direct as that of this text – that God will not put up with injustice to the poor and self-satisfied arrogance of the wealthy and the powerful.

“Republicans and Democrats may disagree about whether the primary responsibility for social and economic justice lies in the private or the public sector, but, again, the concern itself is not optional, at least not for those who read and believe the Bible.  In our own society, where we all claim independence and share responsibility, the text is addressed to each of us, and it will let no private party and no public or governmental enterprise off the hook.  God is Lord of all.”
 
Surely Republican and Democratic Christ-followers can shout a hearty AMEN to that!
 
And Republican and Democratic Christ-followers can embrace together the glorious vision recorded in Micah 4:1-5.  Read it again, with hope.
 
Go Deeper: 

• The vision of nations beating “their swords into plowshares, their spears into pruning hooks” has inspired generations of believers.  Think of contemporary examples of weapons of war (including the weaponizing of our words) being transformed into instruments of peace.  “. . . nor will they train for war anymore.”  We have “war colleges” – West Point, the Air Force Academy, etc. – so shouldn’t our Christian schools be “peace academies”?  What would that mean in terms of curriculum and the kind of courses offered at schools named for the Prince of Peace? 
• How does the familiar prophetic image of “Everyone sitting under their own vine and under their own fig tree” translate into today’s struggle for equity of access to adequate housing, great education, health care, etc.?