How are Christian schools approaching politics ahead of the election?

As the November election approaches, Christian schools must decide how much, or how little, to talk about politics.

Some take the approach of trying to stay out of it to avoid divisions, while others encourage the discussion of issues and candidates from a biblical point of view. In a fractured world, and the sensitive mixing of politics and religion, agreeing to disagree and speaking the truth in love can be challenging.

“Ideally, we want to be cultivating an ethos with our students that they can have good disagreements,” says Micah Watson, a professor of politics at Calvin University. “I think one of the best ways to do that is actually to model it among teachers and adults.”

Watson, who leads the university’s Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics, gives Jesus’ disciples as an example.

“You had zealots, and the zealots were into taking action against the Roman occupation,” he told The Lion. “You had tax collectors who were collaborating with the Romans. You had people from different backgrounds in terms of class, and yet they were unified because of their commitment to Jesus. This isn’t to say that political differences don’t matter, but they aren’t a reason for us not to have robust discussions.” 

Mark Hoduski, a social studies teacher at Kansas’ Maranatha Christian Academy, embraces this philosophy wholeheartedly. 

“I believe you can say ‘this candidate believes in X, Y and Z,’ and then I will identify whether X, Y and Z is biblically acceptable,” says the 38-year veteran teacher. “I have no problem saying Kamala Harris believes in abortion up to nine months because she has said that. And I say, ‘That’s wicked. That’s wrong.’ And I believe we are morally responsible to teach it.” 

Not talking about politics would be akin to saying, “Ahab’s going to do what Ahab’s going to do,” he says, referencing a wicked biblical king of Israel. He also cites German pastor and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer as someone who spoke out against a wicked leader, despite Hitler telling another pastor to “mind your own pulpit and leave the rest of society to us.” 

“I find a lot of ministers don’t want to lose their tax-exempt status and so I think they go too far by not standing up and speaking plain truth as found in the Scriptures,” Hoduski says. ‘I shouldn’t come out and say, ‘I’m going to vote for this person.’ I don’t think we’re at liberty to do that, but I do think we’re at liberty to communicate these issues are evil.”  

Hoduski isn’t shy about criticizing both sides, either. 

“I said Donald Trump was probably the most pro-life president we’ve ever had, but now he’s running as not the most pro-life president,” he says. “As a matter of fact, the pro-life community is angry at him because he’s more concerned about getting the vote right.” 

In fact, the pro-life community is still supporting Trump, who remains what National Right to Life President Carol Tobias calls “a friend” of the movement – a presidential candidate who can overturn “the fanatical pro-abortion policies of the Biden-Harris administration.” 

Hoduski believes, along with some prominent scholars, that the idea of keeping religion out of politics is nowhere expressed in the U.S. Constitution. The wording comes from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1802, but his original intent was to keep government from interfering in religion. 

Regardless, Hoduski enjoys discussing candidates and issues with his students in age-appropriate ways. He’s had a few administrators tell him over the years to remain “wholly neutral, and I just said, ‘You’ll have to find another educator.’ 

“I do believe it’s my moral responsibility. I’m a shepherd of these children, on behalf of their parents. If politicians hold a truth or lack of truth, I have a responsibility to expose that, and I believe that strongly.” 

Hoduski says he’s faced little resistance from parents, but he did have a conversation with one not long ago who questioned how he could say anything good about Trump. Hoduski responded by listing Trump’s accomplishments, such as moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, fighting ISIS and appointing pro-life Supreme Court justices. 

Watson, of the Henry Center, favors an approach advocated by C.S. Lewis in his “Meditations on the Third Commandment,” where Lewis cautions against labelling a political party as “Christian” so as not to “take the Lord’s name in vain.” 

Christians are called to pray, Watson says, and involve themselves in politics as they are led, but they must view themselves as part of God’s kingdom before the kingdoms of man. 

“The public square and politics is a way, not the only way, that we can love our neighbor and stand up for what’s right,” he says. “But sometimes we can put too much on political outcomes and we can lose sight of the biblical promises that God’s will is going to be done ultimately even if there are setbacks as we see it along the way and things that are rightfully disturbing.” 

Watson brings up the suffering of believers both in history and around the world today to give context to our present struggles. 

“In other parts of the world, they would love to have our problems,” he says. “I think that’s a helpful reminder.” 

His bottom line for schools and Christians in general? 

“Will we put our trust in God’s sovereignty first, such that we’re praying not for (specific) outcomes but for justice to be done and that God would help us respond well to whatever the outcome is?” he asks. “Either way, God promises to be with us through those times.” 

For teachers wondering how to have productive class discussions, Watson recommends holding a debate, political or otherwise, where students must defend a position that doesn’t align with their own. When done, he asks students what they learned by defending the other side. 

“Do you need to change anything about the other position and can you see why someone might hold the other position even if you’re not ultimately persuaded?” he asks. “I think that’s a pretty invaluable experience for them.” 

Another resource for Christian schools is a paper by Dr. Joel Hazard called “Navigating the Political Season.” In it, he recommends schools communicate clearly, build on their shared values, encourage open dialogue and implement a political policy. 

“Establishing common ground rooted in biblical truths, our school’s mission, and the attributes we cherish in our graduates will enable us to maintain unity and promote respectful dialogue, even in times of division,” Hazard writes.