Editorial: God does not gerrymander
She didn't say this at a news conference or in a committee hearing or a TV interview. She spoke the words in a Chicago church, with the blessing of Father Michael Pfleger who heads St. Sabina on the South Side of the city.
Can a house of worship really serve two masters? Those being God — and overtly partisan politics?
The answer, as your Sunday school teacher might have told you, is a firm 'no.'
Her appearance raises an old but urgent question: Where is the line between preaching moral truth and campaigning from the pulpit? This one's a little more complicated than a simple 'amen' or 'no way.'
Gervin-Hawkins, who fled her home state, was speaking about her efforts to avoid a redistricting push led by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. Try as they might to spin this as the great moral issue of our day, mapmaking — at least in this context — is a partisan gambit about political power. This comes as the IRS recently signaled that churches may engage in more overt political speech without risking their tax-exempt status.
There are certainly times when the church provides clarity on faith-based principles that shed light on the pressing issues of the day. Pastors are, and should be, able to preach freely about all manner of subjects that could deal with everything from loving our neighbors (no matter which country they come from) to championing peace in times of war. Many Black churches played crucial roles in promoting the rights of Black Americans during the Civil Rights Movement — not by and large by promoting politicians, but by speaking biblical truths — including that all men and women are created equal in the sight of God.
But, back to the church-going Texas Democrats.
It's worth pointing out that the difference between faith and politics is that while politics is about power, religion is about connecting to a higher power. In other words, just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
Just as no two people need the same spiritual medicine, so to speak, church members each have unique political perspectives. Churches are supposed to be a safe haven from such naked partisanship — one of the few left in modern American society.
God does not write electoral maps. And he does not smite one side messing with our democratic process and ring the bells of heaven for the other.
We don't pretend to know the will of the Almighty on salamander-like districts, but we're guessing he is of the view that each side should look to themselves.
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