Faith & Politics (No, we’re not going to tell you how to vote!)
A Word with Your Pastors Class – Winter 2026
Many would argue that faith and politics don’t mix. Martin Luther would respectfully disagree. He believed strongly that God was at work through government to care for God’s people and world. (In fact, Luther believed that God established government for just this reason!) For this reason, Luther believed that each and every Christian had a role to play in supporting governmental institutions by praying for our civic leaders, paying our taxes cheerfully, and holding government officials accountable for using those taxes efficiently and to help God’s children flourish, just to name a few.
At the same time, Luther was very suspicious of religious leaders who wanted to exercise political power and of secular leadership who tried to influence religion or use religion to justify their policies. This separation of church and state – or, more accurately, this “distinction of responsibilities” among the church and the state – was relatively novel in Luther’s day and proved influential. James Madison, for instance, when working on the US Constitution, credited Luther for the intellectual framework behind Madison’s provisions for the protections of religious liberty and separation of church and state.
Curious about how that has played out? Have concerns – or, for that matter, hopes – about how faith and politics might interact? Want to learn more about our dynamic faith tradition? Interested in hearing what Luther has to say about politics without having your pastors tell you how to vote? 🙂 If any of these apply to you, join Pastors Dixon and Lose for the Winter Edition of “Word with Your Pastors”!
Taught by Pastor Dixon and Pastor Lose
- Jan 21 | Is Faith Political? Yes, but not the way you think (Should Christians care about the political world?) | Lose
- Jan 28 | In Loco Parentis (What is the role of government in God’s creation?) | Dixon
- Feb 4 | Community of Saints (What is the church’s role in civil life?) | Dixon
- Feb 11 | Dual (or Duel?) Citizenship (What does it mean to be a Christian and a member of society today?) | Lose
In-Person presentations held Wednesdays, 10:30-11:30 in the Minneapolis Campus Room 207. Please use Door #3 to enter the building (it is by the main office–use the main parking lot).