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Going Nuclear: Young Christians Redefining Evangelical Politics
By Tyler Wigg-Stevenson
founder and director, Two Futures Project
The story of the "broadening evangelical agenda"-- evangelicals' political engagement with issues such as climate change, poverty and HIV/AIDS - reached a new level of visibility in 2006 with the devastating mid-term losses by Congressional Republicans, even in blood-red districts. President Obama's doubling of John Kerry's support among young Evangelicals in 2008 indicated that politics were truly changing in the heart of Jesusland.
Now, the broadening Evangelical agenda narrative is winding to a close, and another phenomenon--seemingly similar and yet critically different--is rising to take its place: the maturation of the first generation of Evangelicals with no memory of the culture wars of the 1960s and 1970s, and no inclination to fight those battles.
This week marks the public launch of the Two Futures Project, a new movement of Christians, led by younger Evangelicals, for the global abolition of nuclear weapons. This seems somehow fitting. How, after all, could we look ahead without abolishing forever the ungodly specter of these indiscriminate weapons?
Further, the nonpartisan, pan-Christian support we have received from wise, older saints -- from Chuck Colson to Jim Wallis to Reagan Secretary of State George Shultz -- is itself a testament to the readiness of history to turn. We're seeing veteran Cold Warriors wishing their children and grandchildren peace and freedom from the battles they fought.
This does not mean that younger Evangelicals are becoming secular progressives. We still believe intractable, unavoidably divisive things like the atonement of the cross, the Lordship of Jesus Christ and his literal resurrection from the dead, and the inspired authority of the Bible. We have no intention of throwing this orthodoxy under the bus for the sake of social acceptability.
The generation of Evangelicals currently coming into maturity, however, will decreasingly understand itself in contradistinction to more progressive politics, as the previous generation has largely done. As a result, though we will continue to have profound differences with many progressives--and conservatives--there will also be significant areas of overlap and co-belligerency on matters of mutual concern and the common good.
Finally, we can certainly draw (at least) three conclusions about the future of Evangelical political engagement.
First, Evangelicals will be less politically powerful than we have been in recent decades. Voters willing to pull the lever on one or two issues alone win elections. A diverse constituency with broad interests does not. This will be good for the American Evangelical soul. We'll see what it does for the country.
Second, we will increasingly work across internal divisions for common cause, though this change will probably be inscrutable to non-Christians who wouldn't know an Armenian from a TULIP Baptist. This is not to say that doctrine and theology have ceased to matter, but I expect that we'll fight those battles in parallel with, rather than prior to, work on mutual social concern.
Third, familiar political distinctions will lose their descriptive value for us. Younger Evangelicals are coloring way outside the lines of a blue/red dichotomy. In this new environment, traditional definitions of conservative and liberal will be stripped of their traditional landmarks and cease to be meaningful. This, too, is for the good. Political divisions based on the left-right seating plan of human legislatures never did lend itself to good cartography for the kingdom of God anyhow.
The Rev. Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, born 1977, is the founder and director of the Two Futures Project.
By Tyler Wigg-Stevenson |
April 29, 2009; 9:10 AM ET
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Posted by: dekeck | May 2, 2009 4:29 PM
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I found this a very interesting article. It mirrors the experience of a good friend of mine, who really isn't sure she still considers herself an Evangelical Christian. She has moved past 'two issue' voting, to look at actual effects of policy on society, and has become very uncomfortable with strident, right-wing conservative Christians, (including most of her own family).
For her, the Bush administrationn was one breaking point. She saw her former dream enacted, (conservative Christians running the country) and felt it tured out to be a bit of a nightmare. Another point for her were many 'non-saved' friends who, and here I'm quoting, "...seemed more caring, more righteous, and more Christ-like than the Christians I knew, and, frankly, than I saw myself being."
I don't think she quailfies as 'young' as she's in her early 50's, but one comment she made about the Obama administration (who she voted for and donated to) is, "At last, someone who isn't still caught up in the 60's. Maybe we can at last get past the culture war nonsense." This reflects the "no inclination to fight those battles," the article cites of younger Evangelicals.
I would really like to hear from others who have had similar experiences. I have been facinated, watching her transformation, but uncomfortable asking her too much about it. We've had a couple of very interesing talks, but I generally don't go there, unless she brings it up, since I don't want to offend her.
If any Evangelical Christians out there have found themselves questioning 'the big two' gay marriage and abortion politics, or they were profoundly disapointed with the Bush administration's religious overtones and their outcome, and they found this changed their outlook, I'd be very interested their experiences.
These are a few questions she and I have talked about: Has it changed your faith in ways other than political? How are your families taking the changes in you? Have you shared it with them? (My friend told me she almost felt like she was "coming out gay" to her sister, when she told her she was voting for Obama.) Has your relationship with your church changed? How do you feel about all this?
I'd be facinated to hear about other's experiences.
Posted by: gimpi | April 29, 2009 9:43 AM
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Chuck Colson is a Sinner & speaks in fork tongue. His freund George Schultz, I cannot comment yet. WOW!
Posted by: beforegod | April 28, 2009 5:00 PM
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Good. Please tell your brethren and sistren that America needs more scientists and you have to stop believing in Creationism.
Posted by: frankbd | April 28, 2009 2:19 PM
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Without sounding too much like the grammar police, the second conclusion should say "Arminian" and not "Armenian". At face value (which is how I read and re-read it), could be taken horribly wrong considering that Armenia is a country.