Conservative Politics

I hear conservative Christians say:

"social justice isn't the church's business, the gospel is"

and then I hear then turn around and also say:

"social justice isn't the state's business its the churches"

So which is it?

The same people who will say the mission of the Church is to 'get people saved' not 'get people fed,' are the same people who will say 'the Government can't fix the problem (in fact the Govt. IS the problem!), it's the Church's responsibility to care for people.' You can't have it both ways!

I know how I see that question answered in Scripture:

The gospel is not divided into 'social' and 'spiritual' issues, but rather is about the Kingdom of God coming which holds sway over everything, both 'social' and 'spiritual' arenas, and all else besides. The gospel is not unconcerned with what we might call 'politics' but was, and remains, politically subversive because it comes from a deeper source. So yes, the Church is God's plan to bring justice to the world!!!

Here is where the rubber meets the road. As Americans we give more than others (and studies show it is American conservative Christians who give more than any other category), but the reality is, it is not enough! When the money required to provide food, clean water, and basic health to the world is the same amount as the annual expenditure of Americans for ice cream there is a problem; saying 'we give more than others' doesn't change the fact that our neighbors are starving whilst we are sticking our fingers down our collective throats in order to make room for more expensive caviar...

...that we give $20 a month to the Christian Children's Fund is wonderful, but...

Have we really taken ownership of these things?

OR

Have we just given enough to cleanse our conscience?

Sure, we give, but are we actually involved? The money is often about conscience cleansing, and usually will do little, what is needed is personal involvement! Leverage your personal resources to work towards God's agenda for this little blue ball we call home! This is the adventure God is calling us to: He is pouring Grace and Peace over the earth, releasing His favor, and putting things in their proper places, and He is inviting us to find our place within that agenda. Will we join Him or work for some other purpose?

What about systemic injustice? We are blind to it! In our city there are children without the ability to read (or even speak passably!), this will have profound and compounding effects upon their lives, and our society as a whole. God is asking us to get involved! Sharing our lives, not the spare change from our cappuccinos!

On top of this there is a real inability in the American Church to distinguish between theological conservatives and political ones. It is uniquely American phenomenon that theological conservatives are also politically conservative. In the UK those Christians who are theologically conservative tend to be politically liberal...