Finneyism & Political Activism

Modern Reformation recently picked up an interesting article from Associated Baptist Press on religion and politics:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) -- Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and best-selling author Rick Warren, both ordained Southern Baptist pastors, will speak about how to use the pulpit to address political, social and cultural issues at a preaching conference in April...

This seems to me a clear confusion of the two kingdoms brought on by Charles Finney and the Second Great Awakening. Although I am somewhat new to the idea myself, I firmly believe that politics and the pulpit should never be confused. Rather, the Church should focus on the salvation available through Jesus Christ. This alone is the message the Church!

Warren has set a precedent for using his pulpit to speak about global warming and HIV/AIDS and has invited several prominent political figures -- including presidential contenders Senators Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) -- to speak in his church...

Maybe I missed something - but are Obama and Clinton ordained ministers? Did they speak the Gospel during their time at the pulpit? Perhaps Obama delivered this line (quoted from World Magazine, "Preach It", Oct 2007):

Obama has said the Bible is not "a static text" and says he "must be continually open to new revelations"—and he has acknowledged that those who believe the Bible is inerrant and that it teaches, for example, that abortion is wrong aren't likely to accept his "ground rules for collaboration."

Wowza...I'm not sure I'd want to hear an Obama sermon even if it wasn't on politics...In any case, back to the original article:

Huckabee, in the middle of a campaign to win the 2008 GOP presidential nomination, is a good example of someone who has connected the pulpit with politics, Michael Duduit, editor of Preaching Magazine, said.

Even the Christian presidential candidate is getting into the act it would seem...perhaps that's why all Christians must vote for him! *sarcasm alert*.

All this to say that individually, Christians "have a duty to seek the welfare of the city (Jer. 29:7)" [¹] - or to be engaged politically. Corporately, however, the body of Christ should disengage from political activism. For, as D.G. Hart put it, "because the truths about politics, economics, and international relations are much more ambiguous than the way of salvation revealed in Scripture, Christians, as Machen admitted, will likely disagree." Which means that even if I don't support Huckabee's presidential bid, I can go on being a Christian...Ron Paul '08!