Faithful Politics

Faithful Politics Week 14: The Role of the Local Church

December 20, 2020 • Sam Haist

Key Questions: When it comes to politics, what role does the local church play? How should this play out in the church “gathered” vs. “scattered”? In what ways might the church bring the Lordship of Jesus to bear on pressing issues and political questions?

Faithful Politics Week 13: Contemporary Issues (2 of 2)

December 13, 2020 • Kian Hudson

Key Questions: Besides voting, what practical ways can we promote good in the political sphere?

Faithful Politics Week 12: Beyond the Voting Booth

December 6, 2020 • Greg Enas

Faithful Politics Week 11: Contemporary Issues (1 of 2)

November 22, 2020 • Kian Hudson

Faithful Politics Week 10: You Shall Not Bear False Witness

November 15, 2020 • Sam Haist

Key questions: How should the ninth commandment shape our speech, media habits, and the way we interact with political sparring partners?

Faithful Politics Week 9: Proximate Justice: Politics, Disappointment, and the Hope of the Gospel

November 8, 2020 • Charles Anderson

Key questions: What does it look like to process disappointment in politics? How do we stay motivated when perfect justice/righteousness/shalom isn’t available this side of glory? How might the promise of Christ’s coming restoration impact the way we engage here and now?

Faithful Politics Week 8: Politics for Exiles

November 1, 2020 • Sam Haist

Sam talks about "politics for exiles," and focuses on what it looks like to seek the welfare of our communities as people whose first allegiance is to the Kingdom of God. See class materials at http://www.redeemindy.org/politics.

Faithful Politics Week 7: American Political Thought

October 25, 2020 • Greg Enas

Greg Enas discusses major events, questions, themes, and concepts that have shaped our own particular context of American political thought. You can access previous sessions and additional materials at http://www.redeemindy.org/politics.

Faithful Politics Week 6: Historical Perspectives: Reformation Era

October 18, 2020 • Kian Hudson

Kian Hudson discusses Reformation political theologies with a special focus on the Anabaptists, Martin Luther, and John Calvin. Key Texts: Luther’s Secular Authority, Calvin’s Institutes (Book IV, Chapter 20), Schleitheim Confession (Art. VI) Key Questions: In what ways did the Reformers continue or depart from prior Christian political thought? Download class handouts and additional resources at http://redeemindy.org/politics.

Faithful Politics Week 5: Politics and Mercy (Mercy Month Edition)

October 11, 2020 • Jenny Baenziger & Catherine Gillespie

Key Question: what does mercy and justice look like “where we are” in our own local context?

Faithful Politics Week 4: Historical Perspectives: Augustine and Aquinas

October 4, 2020 • Kian Hudson

Key Texts: Augustine’s City of God (Books IV & XIX), Aquinas’s Summa Theologica (Part II-II, qq. 90–108) Key Questions: What did Christendom’s two most influential theologians think about justice, the state, and the law?

Faithful Politics Week 3: What are Governments For? A Biblical Theology of Civil Authority

September 27, 2020 • Sam Haist

Key Texts: Romans 13, 1 Peter 2, Revelation 13 Key Questions: Why, according to Scripture, do governments exist? What role do they play in God’s purposes for the world? How should Christians relate to civil authority?

Faithful Politics Week 2: Principle Questions and Challenges

September 20, 2020 • Kian Hudson

Key Texts: Psalm 10, Romans 5, Revelation 21 Key Question: What are the main ideas, tensions, and questions that have shaped and occupied Christian political thought throughout history?

Faithful Politics Week 1: Politics as Stewardship

September 13, 2020 • Sam Haist

Key Text: Genesis 1:27 Key Questions: What does it mean to be made in God’s image? How does God’s command to “exercise dominion” shape the way we think about politics today? In other words: what are people for, and what is God’s vision for our life together?