One of the words we toss around without understanding the definition is “secular.” When it comes to being in the public square, it is a misunderstood (and abused) word.

In Jesus and the Powers, Wright and Bird draw a clear picture of true secularism, where government is useful to allow religious voices to be heard but not dominating, and non-religious voices to be heard, but not shoving out religious voices from the public square (p. 93).

We, of course, have twisted the idea to fit our own motives.

The Western world in general has bought heavily into the Enlightenment belief that ‘sacred’ and ‘secular’ are divided by an unbridgeable gulf. In that setting, it makes sense to tell Christian people to stop meddling in political matters, stick to spiritual things, stay in your lane of pious niceties and keep your religious sentiments to yourselves. But the compartmentalization of the spiritual and secular is foreign to Scripture and to most of church history. Secular government is still a divine servant and is therefore theological; the Church’s existence cannot be divorced from life within the public sphere and is therefore political. (p. 94)

When the Church is raising its prophetic voice and witness in a world that sometimes is desperate to shut them up, the realization of the political stance and the theological stance of the Church comes to the front. What is needed in this hour is for us, as the American Church, to quite being “issue” driven in our political “statements” and instead be Kingdom driven so we are unafraid to be able to speak on what is typically labeled “conservative” or “liberal” or “progressive.”

To do that, we have to learn to be “politically homeless.” No political party belongs to Christians, nor should it. Stand in the prophetic space and find yourself at odds with “conservative” and liked by “progressives.” Then, wait a few minutes. Speak on another subject and find that “progressives” now can’t stand you and “conservatives” like you. Then, you’ll understand.