Non-Apocalypolitics

Ross Douthat observes ( Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics ) that American politics oscillates between mad messianic hopes and insane apocalyptic fears. When our guy wins, we scan the prairie expecting to see the lambs lying with lions. When the other guy wins, we can hear the sky crack and run for cover from the falling stars.

Christians get caught up in the passions, but we should know better. We know there is one Messiah, and He doesn’t need to be on the ballot. We know that an end is coming, but we know it didn’t happen on election day 2008 and I’d be surprised if it happened next Tuesday. Come what may, when we wake up Wednesday, Jesus will still be on His throne.

One of the most significant contributions Christians can make to American public life is to cultivate a measured politics, a non-apocalypolitics.