Politics #5 - Politics Happens

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wo people, of any age or background, enter a space, and politics happens!

Politics works out the power relationships among a group of people, and whenever we meet with another person we are engaged in politics.

Politics decides who gets what; how the money is allocated and who has the influence.

We have choices around how we do our politics, and whether we do it well or badly, but unless we live an entirely solitary life we are always involved in politics.

Those who are clear in their values work their politics so as to give shape and substance to their convictions.  We all ‘do’ politics, and we do politics well when we bring our most deeply prized convictions into effective action.

Jesus engaged in politics. He “set his face steadfastly” in the direction of the values of the Kingdom of God, refusing to live any other way. The church and the state were each threatened by the politics of Jesus, and they formed an alliance that eventually crucified Jesus in an attempt to silence him.

Jesus did politics well, aligning his action with his most prized values.  And it killed him!

The Gospels do not hide the politics between the disciples.  Throughout Mark’s Gospel the disciples consistently fail to understand the values and the ways of Jesus.  They struggle for power within the group and Jesus contrasts this struggle by setting a powerless child in the middle, to demonstrate the ways of God.

Jesus also rebukes his followers when they try to dismiss other people who have no power - women and foreigners, those who are different.  Consistently Jesus embraces and cares for those whom society tries to forget.  It takes a lot of time and a lot of grace for the disciples to learn the ways of God.

So, is TSA in politics?  Of course it is!!  By being part of society we are part of society’s politics.  Even if we remain silent on an issue our silence speaks.

The better question is: Does TSA do politics well?  And that depends on how clear we are about our core values, and how effective we are in bringing these values into effective action.

The Australia Southern Territory declares it mission values as Human Dignity, Justice, Hope, Compassion and Community.  These words and the actions that flow from them express the ways of God through TSA.  Enacting these values leads to transforming lives, caring for people, and reforming society.

When our politics are driven by these values we do politics well.

Remember, it’s all level ground before the cross.

Writer: Married to Laurel and with two adult daughters, Dr Craig Campbell was for 27 years a Salvation Army officer. During this time he completed Doctoral studies, with a research project Emerging Images of Mission in The Salvation Army.  Prior to officership Craig practised as a civil engineer, and over the last four years has managed a youth service that offers an individualised and educational response with disengaged youth.

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