Politics and Religion: the Good, the Bad, the Ugly and my thoughts

I recently heard someone make the comment that people need to keep their religion out of politics. When I heard this, I had a feeling that this individual was specifically speaking to Christians. Growing up, I heard on a regular basis that one does not discuss religion or politics as they often lead to conflict and damage relationships. However, by not discussing religion and politics and trying to leave religion out of politics we are teaching ourselves to avoid conflict rather than dealing with it peacefully and rationally. I decided to look into politics and religion: the good, the bad and the ugly. The intersection of politics and religion has a complex history from ethical guidance to deep conflict and violent altercations. After some research from both religious and non-religious perspectives, I will present a history of politics, religion and the American founding, as well as the good, bad and ugly when one mixes politics and religion and my own personal thoughts. 

Religious beliefs played a significant role in the political life of the United States. Many of the founding fathers fell into one of four categories: Episcopal, Presbyterian, Congregational and Unitarianism/Deism. However, the founding fathers did not set out to create a Christian nation; however, they were not secularists who intended to shut out religion (Frazer, no date). Many Americans will repeat the phrase “the separation of church and state” to indicate that we are not to mix politics and religion. However, this phrase does not mean what many people think it does. It is the belief that government involvement in the church would corrupt the church, not the church involved in government. First, the concept was first used among early Baptists in America in 1644. Roger Williams, a Baptist minister, founder of the state of Rhode Island and the First Baptist Church in America wrote “a wall or hedge of separation between the ‘wilderness of the world’ and ‘the garden of the church’” (Ryman & Alcorn, 2023). The most famous use of the phrase was written by Thomas Jefferson in a 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptist Association. Second, the phrase “the separation of church and state” is not in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. Many individuals will cite the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment that the separation of church and state was implied. The Establishment Clause states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. In other words, the government cannot make or endorse an official religion. It is to keep government out of the church but not keep the church (i.e. believers) out of government. 

The Good that results with the mix of politics and religion. First, moral compass and justice. Micah 6:8 says “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?” Moral codes of conduct have been adopted by governments around the world. Rules which guide what is wrong and what is right. Second, community and charity. Practicing Christians are the most charitable people in the nation and not just to their churches but to religious and non-religious charities (Chandler, 2024). Many of the pioneer social reformers were driven by their faiths. Jane Addams, cofounder of Hull House, a settlement house in Chicago, Illinois, was influenced by the works of Charles Dickens and advocated for better programs for the poor women and children. As a member of the Presbyterian church, she would spend her life being a voice to those who were powerless and became a prominent social reformer. Third, moral courage. Religion and moral courage are deeply intertwined as faith provides a foundation for strength and the ethical framework to act in the face of social pressures or danger. Proverbs 28:1 says “The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” Paul encouraged Timothy as he faced opposition, reminding him that God gives us a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).

The Bad about the mix of politics and religion is politicized religion. Politicized religion is when religion becomes increasingly marred in partisan politics (Campbell, 2020) as young Americans are abandoning religion when they see it as an extension of politics they do not agree with. Politicized religion also leads to polarization and tribalism which fosters division and prejudice. I have seen in the last decade as more and more people automatically hate or ridicule another group simply because of one’s affiliation with a church or a religion. “What do you expect she’s…” enter the chosen group. This type of tribalism also leads to opposition to compromise. With politicized religion, a growing divide between secularist and the religious. It becomes a us versus them mentality with little or no move to try to work with the other group. It becomes more about group identity than anything else. It becomes “if you aren’t with us, you are against us.” I don’t know how many times I have seen someone shocked to learn that someone else doesn’t think or believes something simply because of a given group identity. For example, many people think Latino automatically means liberal and Catholic or Middle Eastern and Muslim. Also, there is a growing trend in America where certain political individuals hijack Jesus and attempt to mold him into their ideology in order to validate their views and gain support. The most prominent example of this politicized religion is seen in Progressive Christianity. 

The Ugly about the mix of politics and religion is the weaponization of religion. According to Kathryn Echle (2023), there are three characteristics of weaponization religion. First, political manipulation. Political manipulation involves the use of religious sentiments and institutions to solidify support. This support often leads to theocracy and suppression of those who oppose those in power. Second, extremism and control. Weaponization promotes extremist ideologies and leads to radicalization and the justification of violence. It creates extremist groups which take the tenets of a religion to extreme measures and ultimately turn to violence in order to gain control or compliance. Third, virtue signaling. Virtue signaling in which people are using religion for image management rather than genuine belief. The use of religion for image can lead to exploitation and corruption.The mix of wealth and power with the pull of religion leads to greed, corruption and exploitation. Whenever anyone in the public eye makes the claim of being a Christian, I do not automatically believe them. I look for the evidence, the fruits in their lives, that they are truly believers. And while believers are not perfect and will falter, there still be proof in their lives that they truly believe and follow Jesus Christ. In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus tells us to watch for false prophets, to be careful of wolves in sheep’s clothing and by their fruit we will recognize one’s true character by their behaviors. 

I am not a person who is overly political. I do not belong to any political group. I do pay attention to what is going on politically in order to stay informed but politics does not dictate my every waking thought. Everything in my life is informed by my faith, including my political beliefs. The Christian’s primary concern is the gospel and being good citizens that we can represent Christ to the world (Winger, 2022). That is where my focus is to represent Christ as much as I can. It has become popular to fire politically charged questions at Christians; however, these questions are often to trap rather than find the truth or a solution (Winger, 2020). If I am ever faced with a politically charged question, I hope that my carefully chosen answer would bridge the person and Jesus rather than proving myself in the right and them in the wrong as Proverbs 15:28 says that “the heart of the righteous weighs its answers.” However, I know that it would be useless to teach holy concepts to people who do not want to listen (Matthew 7:6). Jesus tells us to be as shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16) meaning that we are to be discerning, quick to learn, to be careful of manipulation and deceptive traps and yet be gentle and act with integrity rather than inflicting harm. Therefore, as a Christian, my purpose is to be a light in the world and that includes the political world. 

In conclusion, religion and politics can be mixed carefully. To bring morality, justice, a sense of community and charity. Religion can be weaponized and used to manipulate and corrupt people in order to gain power and justify violence. While the United States of America was not designed specifically as a Christian nation, it is dishonest to ignore the faith foundations that are woven into the founding of this great nation. As for me, I focus on my identity in Christ as a wife, mother, friend, and citizen of this country. I will look to Christ as I cast my vote and voice my support or opposition. I aim to be more like Christ and while I may fail, I pray that others see him before they see me. Fellow believers in Christ, I urge you to not to shy away from politics, educate yourself, engage in the conversations when possible and be the light of Christ in a world that desperately needs it. 

Resources

Campbell, David (Summer 2020). The Perils of Politicized Religion. American Academy of Arts and Sciences. https://www.amacad.org/publication/daedalus/perils-politicized-religion. Retrieved March 13, 2026. 

Chandler, Diana (December 12. 2024). Christians are most charitable; giving drives happiness, State of the Bible finds. Baptist Press. https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/christians-are-most-charitable-giving-drives-happiness-state-of-the-bible-finds/. Retrieved March 18, 2026. 

Echele, Kathryn (May 20, 2023). Weaponization of Religion: The Manipulation of Religion in the Pursuit of Political Power in Yugoslavia and Syria. Fordham University. https://research.library.fordham.edu/international_senior/111/. Retrieved March 13, 206. 

Frazer, Gregg (n.d.). The Faith of the Founding Fathers. The Master’s University. https://www.masters.edu/master_tmu_news/the-faith-of-the-founding-fathers/#:~:text=There%20were%20Christians%20among%20the,to%20create%20a%20Christian%20nation.. Retrieved March 13, 2026. 

Ryman, Hana M. & Alcorn, Mark J. (October 17, 2023). Establishment Clause: Separation of Church and State. Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University. https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/establishment-clause-separation-of-church-and-state/#. Retrieved March 13, 2026.

Winger, Mike (2020). Being More Biblical About Politics: The Mark series part 47. https://www.youtube.com/live/dWBybF6T0HQ?si=n1Jgv9y8xJImvtXK. Retrieved March 8, 2025. 

Winger, Mike (2022). She asked me to talk about politics. The Bible Thinker. https://youtu.be/eV5dgUNoeHs?si=nH4xhdUT45rHrz4V. Retrieved March 8, 2025.

 

What was the faith of our founding fathers?

I always hear that we need to return to the faith of our founding fathers. I’ve always wondered what their faith was. What did they believe in? And was it what we think it was? In my research, I used the criteria for an individual to be counted as a Founding Father, he must have done one or more of the following: 1) signed the Declaration of Independence, 2) signed the Articles of Confederation, 3) attended the Constitution Convention of 1787, 4) signed the U.S. Constitution, and 5) served as a senator or a representative in the first Federal Congress, 1789-1791. I also focused on the very basic teachings and beliefs that were available at the time. The majority of the Founding Fathers fell into one of four categories: Episcopal, Presbyterian, Congregational and Unitarianism/Deism.

The Episcopal has its origins with the Church of England (aka Anglican). Benjamin Harrison and Samuel Chase are two examples of members of the Episcopal Church. It would make sense that the majority of the founding fathers were of this faith as many of them had English backgrounds. The church’s teachings were pretty straight forward and standard what modern Christians believe today. The basic teachings were that Jesus Christ is fully human and fully divine. They fully believed in His birth, life and resurrection. They believed in the Holy Trinity and that the Bible was the inspired Word of God.  The Episcopal Church appears to be between the Roman Catholic and the Protestant churches. They focus on two sacraments: baptism and communion with the other sacraments as optional.

The Presbyterian Church has its roots in Martin Luther and the 95 thesis and was refined by John Calvin and the Reformation theologians. Benjamin Rush was a famous member of the Presbyterian Church. They believed what most Christians would. They believe that knowledge of God comes from God, that Christ is the only way to God. They believe that the Word of God comes in several forms: the life and words of Jesus, prophesies of the Old Testament, the ministry of the apostles and from the preaching of ministers. Sounds the same as all churches right? Where the Presbyterian Church and Calvinism differs is in its five points. First, total depravity is the total inability as a consequence of sin. A person is a slave to sin and naturally not inclined to love God. Second, unconditional election is that God has chosen for eternity those whom he will bring to Himself based on His mercy alone. Third, limited atonement is that only the sins of the elect are atoned by the blood of Jesus. Fourth, irresistible grace is that God’s grace is applied to those He chooses to save, “the elect” and the elect cannot resist the Holy Spirit. It is God’s choice not the individual’s to accept the Holy Spirit. Lastly, the perseverance of the saints refers to the elect who will preserve in the faith because God chose them to do so.

Congregationalism is another Protestant/Reformed movement which originated with Robert Browne in 1592. The founding fathers were considered themselves among the Congregationalists were John Adams and John Hancock. Congregationalism is associated with the Puritans and John Cotton. They have the same fundamental beliefs as most Protestant churches. However, they believe in universal salvation which is direct conflict with Presbyterian Calvinism. Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was a famous Congregational minister who had the famous sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God (July 8, 1741) which I actually read in my 10^th grade English class. In his sermon, he emphasized that hell is a real place and he portrayed a horrific reality that awaited people should they continue without Christ. He taught that the will of God gives wicked men the chance to rectify their sins.

Lastly, the movement which featured prominently among the founding father is Unitarianism/deism. Unitarianism is a theological movement which teaches that God is one entity and rejects the Holy Trinity. It also teaches that Jesus is the son of God as all humans are the children of God and reject the claim of His divinity. Deism is the rejection of revelation of authority of religious knowledge. Deists like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, believe that reason and observation of the natural world are sufficient to determine the existence of a Creator. Deism gained prominence during the Age of Enlightenment (1620s-1780s) which believed in one God but were disenchanted with organized religion and the notions of the Trinity, the inerrancy of the Bible and supernatural events (i.e. miracles). Unitarianists and deists reject religions based on book which claimed to contain the world of God, they reject all religious dogma and are skeptical of miracles, prophesies and religious mysteries.

It is amazing to me that men from very different religious faiths could come together and make the U.S. Constitution as great and stable as it is. From different ideologies, different religions and different ideas about what the United States should be these men came together and built the foundation of this country which has survived for 239 years. In recent years, I’ve heard the call to return to the faith of our founding fathers. While each denomination had the basics of Christian beliefs, there are some big differences when it comes to doctrine. As well as the theological movement of Unitarianism/deism seems out of place. My question is what faith should we return to? Do we return to the faith of Thomas Jefferson, who had a complex belief system, was known to be a deist? Why must we follow the faith of these men? I didn’t even discuss every religious faith that was represented by the founding fathers. Have I been clear? Faith is believing in something without seeing. Every Christian doesn’t have the same faith. My faith in Christ is different from my family and friends. Our belief in Christ and His teachings, the word of God in the Bible may be similar. But faith is very personal and unique for each believer. I ask again: do we go back to our founding fathers’ beliefs and if we do, which belief system do we follow?