How to pledge allegiance to Jesus on Election Day

Excerpt from Mark Schloneger on CNN.com:

Our fears, our hopes, our worries and our struggles are the currency that buys our votes. And how do politicians and their supporters acquire this precious currency? They invest billions of dollars to foment fear, inspire hope, create worry and exploit our struggles.

It’s a power play. Some of us are pawns, and some of us are participants. But some of us are choosing a different part.

I initiated the Election Day Communion Campaign out of a concern that Christians in the United States are being shaped more by the tactics and ideologies of political parties than by our identity and unity in Christ. Out of this concern, a simple vision sparked the imaginations of congregations nationwide: the church being the church on Election Day, gathering at the Lord’s Table to remember, to give thanks for, and to proclaim its loyalty to Jesus.

Gathering for Communion on Election Day seems fitting, for the practice of Communion is an inherently political act. It is both a pledge of allegiance to Jesus and a declaration of independence from all other powers making claims on our bodies, minds and souls.

Far too often, the church has abandoned its first love for the siren song of political parties promising protection, prosperity and peace. Far too many times, the church has ceded the practice of its faith to the spiritual and the private while leaving others to address matters of justice. And far too frequently, the church has attempted to speak truth to power while seeking and relying on that same power for protection.

The bread and the cup are God’s antidotes to our fickle memories. As we eat and drink together, we remember that all things fall under the lordship of Christ. We remember our sin and need to repent. READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE

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Here’s my endorsement of “Election Day Communion” from the website:

For the past few years I’ve become increasingly aware of how American politics shape the identity of many people who claim to be part of an alternative polis – the Kingdom of God. The more I reflect on this, the more I have to confront the ways in which I still put my hope in particular policies and politicians, whether explicitly or implicitly. The reality is that Jesus is the only president (King) worth voting for, not just in a ballot box, but in every moment of every day. This doesn’t mean voting is wrong, unless of course it becomes a primary source of hope. May Christ be our only hope!

With that in mind, I wholeheartedly endorse Election Day Communion. The holy eucharist is a dynamic sign to the kingdoms of the world (and to ourselves!) that our hope is in a political rebel, killed by the government of his day. God raised Messiah Jesus from the dead, showing the powers (both visible and invisible) that our true hope is in “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth…”