My 2 favorite topics are religion and politics. Crazy huh? But having voted this past week in Virigina's primary... I am so excited by the energy and optimism that is tangible at the polling stations and in the conversations I've had recently. People actually are feeling empowered to change ... alleluia. 

But.. I have also met some scoffers. God bless the scoffers. Some have claimed that such a thing as a Christian Democrat is a myth. :) I, however, can't imagine a Christian who isn't a democrat. However... Differences shouldn't define us

I am a Christian Democrat. :)  

The following are 7 values presentsed as a value statement from the Christian Alliance for Progress. I don't claim to have read all of the website but I can say these 7 values I agree with completely.  

Spiritual Foundation

 "Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God" (Luke 6:12).

 Jesus had an intense, personal relationship with God. Time and again he withdrew from the press of people and events for long periods of prayer and communion with God. Jesus spoke to God with profound intimacy, and Jesus invites us to do the same. Following his example, we turn to God as our spiritual foundation, and we work to strengthen our connection with God - in quiet retreat, in meditation, in prayer, in the everyday-ness of jobs, friendships and family.

 "But a Samaritan while traveling came near, and when he saw him he was moved with pity... which of these do you think was the neighbor... the one who showed him mercy" (Luke 10:30-35).

 Jesus challenges us to embrace personal and societal responsibility.  He gives us an example in the Samaritan, an ethnic 'enemy' who showed what it meant to act as a genuine 'neighbor'.  Jesus' life and death summon us to take up our own obligations.  In our individual lives, Jesus' example calls us to continually grow and transform, to die to an old way of being and be born to a new identity.  But following Jesus requires us to go further.  Our duties do not stop with 'the personal'.  We are obliged to challenge oppressive and unjust structures in our world.  Despite being keenly aware that his actions could lead to his execution, Jesus courageously persisted with his message.  As an incomparable standard for accepting obligation, he teaches us to seek God's justice as he did.  We strive to heed Jesus' call to take up our cross - to live in personal integrity and to take responsibility in our communities and country. 

Compassion and Care for "The Least of These"

 "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me... Truly I tell you, just as you did it to the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me." (Matthew 25: 34-40)

 Jesus said that our lives as Christians will be judged on how we treat "the least of these," how we serve the hungry, the poor, the ill. Jesus also loved the "little ones," the children, and said the kingdom of heaven was for them (Matthew 19:14).  Throughout his ministry, Jesus cared for the poor, welcomed the stranger, fed the hungry, healed those ill in body or spirit. Jesus tells us that, he himself is among "the least of these."  To love and care for them is to love and care for Jesus.  He taught, by word and by deed, encompassing love and compassion. We believe that today Jesus continues to call us to "love your neighbor as you love yourself." (Mark 12:31)  We seek to follow Jesus' often-difficult commandment to care for all people, not just some people, not just our kind of people.

Justice for All

"...They asked him, "Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath?" so that they might accuse him. He said to them, "Suppose one of you has only one sheep, and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath; will you not lay hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." (Matthew 12: 10-12)

 Jesus stood against human injustice in his world, particularly when such injustice was driven by powerful institutions, including the religious establishment. Jesus was a provocative voice of social criticism whose work challenged power systems, like the use of The Law to oppress people. Jesus teaches us to seek God's justice as he did.  Some of his harshest words were for those who treasured "personal holiness" while ignoring the pain, poverty, and suffering of their fellow human beings. Jesus sought to build the kingdom of God on earth here and now, not later.  He gave us the Beatitudes.  He taught us how to pray in word and deed.  In the Lord's Prayer we say, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth...".  Following Jesus' example, we work to shape our present world to reflect the just order of things.

Equality and Inclusiveness

 "Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman..." (John 4:27)

"Look... A friend of tax collectors and sinners!" (Matthew 11:19)

 Samaritans were the outcasts of Jesus' day, and women were believed to be inferior to men in every way. Yet women were given the honor of announcing the resurrection, and Jesus stayed with the Samaritans for two days. Jesus healed the sick, who were believed to be ill because they had sinned. He traveled with women and welcomed them as his disciples. He ate with tax collectors and with Pharisees. Jesus lovingly ministered to the blind, the deaf, the lame.  He cared for "unclean" lepers.  He always welcomed people who society said were lowly and despised. By his actions, Jesus affirmed the equal value of all people. We seek to live as Jesus did when we hold that all people are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.  We strive to follow his example by eliminating hurtful, exclusionary distinctions between "us" and "them."

Right Use of Power

 "Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple...." (Mark 11:15-16)

 Satan "...showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him. ' All these I will give you...' Jesus said to him. 'Away with you, Satan...'" (Matthew 4: 8-10)

 Jesus understood worldly authority.  When he acted in the temple to throw out the money changers, he challenged powerful systems of purity codes and taxes that were oppressive.  But this was an act of protest against injustice.  While Jesus advocated a different social vision, he did not force others to accept this vision. Every year during Holy Week, we are reminded that the kingdom Jesus proclaimed was not to be brought about by force.

 Yet Jesus was powerful.  He was filled with the power of the spirit. He used this power to bring healing miracles into the lives others. In his ministry Jesus showed us how God's power can help a just world emerge.  As Christians and Americans, we strive to follow Jesus' example as we acknowledge that we are powerful, but as we also seek to avoid the seduction of power and the temptation to coerce others to our will.  In the darkest and most frightening times, Jesus calmed and strengthened his followers, telling them "Be not afraid..." (Matthew 28: 10)  Jesus shows us that we must reject fear and use the power of God that flows through us to protect the innocent and build justice in the world.

Faithful Stewardship

 "From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded." (Luke 12:48)

 Throughout the Gospels, Jesus calls us to stewardship - to sharing and caring - as opposed to unrestrained acquisition and greed. As Americans, we gratefully acknowledge that we are a people to whom much has been given. From us, to whom so much has been entrusted, we believe that much is asked. We hear Jesus when he tells us to be like the good servants, faithful stewards of our master's bounty. (Matthew 25:14-28)  Faithful stewardship requires us to care for God's creation, our world's environment, with wisdom and integrity. Even when we err, we are called to recover from our mistakes like the shrewd steward of the parable (Luke 16: 1-8).  We may not be able to repair all the damage done or undo all the consequences of profligacy; but we are obliged to change our behaviors and to amend wherever we can.  We seek to follow Jesus' call for responsible stewardship of God's abundant creation and worldly treasure.

The Creation of Shalom, A Hard-Earned Peace