The idea of a Christian vote in the Jamaican context is an interesting proposition. For such a voting bloc to exist and to be of societal value requires an internal cohesion which can only be achieved through common connection to universally trusted sources of information and universally respected voices of authority. Even then, weighing in on every single election only makes the Prophetic voice of the church a gigantic kingmaking machine. If that king is not Jesus, nothing could conceivably be more whorish and abominable, as sufficiently evinced by several countries of Eastern Orthodox tradition for example. Despite all relevant forebodings, I still do genuinely wish the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches Godspeed in its efforts to build out its internal capacity for communication and consensus.
Yes, cloning the American situation is patently undesirable and clearly dangerous, where the religious community is rendered gullible to and easily manipulatable by savvy politicians who have worked out what religious buttons to press to make political puppets of the church, who seem incapable of discerning the insincerity of those unwilling to lift a finger to prevent school shootings or refrain from the promotion of genocidal wars, yet claim respect for the sanctity of unborn life.
Christian Dominionism that seeks to seize the levers of power through strategic influence rather than qualify for public trust through proven and consistent servant leadership is antithetical to the Great Commission and the teachings of Jesus Christ.
The church has much penance to perform to erase that most shameful chapter of its history, both in the East and in the West. Those Christian movements that arrogantly refuse to go down the humble path of ‘repair’ Isaiah 42:22 but press on in the folly of whatever new version of Christian nationalism deserve to have the wings of their religious freedoms clipped, whether by a growing secular majority or by opposing Islamic religious imperialists. Both Christianity and Islam have historically proven themselves equally capable of both moderate progressive politics and tyrannical religious oppression and aggression. Even now some Christians prefer to live in Dubai than in Washington DC.
Here in Jamaica we have a few good examples to consider. Trevor Munro, Ronald Thwaites and Peter Espeut, arguably representing (at least at certain points in time) the full spectrum of traffic light colours (from red to green respectively), have been part of a single Catholic think tank for several years. I think I know each well enough to comfortably say that, given the right circumstances, each would be willing to change their colours for the right or wrong party that either embodied their core values or opposed them as is evidenced by Peter’s recent very public censure of the Jamaica Labour Party which was assumed in the past to have his loyalty. I can as easily conceive of Thwaites turning green if the PNP betrayed its historical platform. Munro has been rather ungenerously critical of every colour, usually at the most inconvenient times. A good example from evangelical circles is Al Miller who although generally associated with one party, has publicly proclaimed that his past voting record reflects changes of colour but not of conscience.
Although I am very leery of the pulpit being used as platform for political views and organisation, I do recognise circumstances under which that might be appropriate. Anyone familiar with Jamaican political history will recognise that has certainly been so in the past and may yet again be required in our present or future.
The launch of the JLP manifesto later today may very well have been scheduled and not a knee-jerk response to Espeut’s public goading. We should all then be able to examine its contents in the light of Peter’s solemn warnings, which no Christian should ignore whose party affiliation or alignment cannot trump one’s heavenly citizenship and its commensurate civic responsibilities.
YeKengalé 