Jeff Proctor

The current status of law and politics in the United States has created an environment in which Christians remain fairly unified in three camps: those who wish to control sinful behavior with legislation, those who seek social justice through government intervention, and those who have steered clear of the debate all together. Those focused on sinful behavior have a particularly strong bond that reaches across Christian denominations. This bond, though possibly less intense, exists among those who seek social justice. In both cases, internal bickering about the particular course of action that should be taken is kept to a minimum. (It is true that both of these groups may exchange verbal daggers with those that have remained outside the public policy spectrum.)

An example of the relative homogeneity of denominations in the realm of public policy exists in the issue of alcohol legislation. Denominations vary widely on their teachings regarding alcohol consumption. Most view outright drunkenness as sinful, but many teach that moderation is tolerable. However, some denominations advocate complete abstinence from the consumption of alcoholic beverages. In turn, many individual Christians have decided to conduct their personal affairs in a way that avoids all contact with such behavior.

The current legal climate has made the intense alcohol debate among Christians a moot point. Weightier issues have demanded the attention of those who would otherwise seek changes in alcohol policy. While small movements toward prohibition do exists, the have been relegated to the fringe of Christian issue groups. However, we must ask ourselves what will happen if the movement toward the regulation of sinful behavior is successful. Are the current issues of the day (abortion, gay marriage, etc.) the end of the road for the so-called “legal moralist?”

Church history provides an insightful model into where Christian rent seeking behavior will lead America. While the differences between Protestant and Catholic churches may seem wide, those between smaller denominations are rooted in increasingly trivial issues. (Trivial from the standpoint of the onlooker, but surely not to the church member.) The history of almost constant schism and denominationalism among Christian churches paints a clear picture of how the Christian movement within politics will play out. Just as Protestants were originally unified against Catholics, and Christians as a whole have been unified against “pagans,” a victory on the broader front tends to lead to internal power struggles and further divisiveness.

Stated more clearly, which version of Christianity will rule the day in the end? Will it be that of the Catholic faith? How about an ultra-conservative flavor of Protestant Christianity? Denominations differ widely on their Biblical interpretations, and the time may soon come that those difference are played out in the realm of public policy. History suggests that, once the Christian movement toward regulating sinful behavior wins its first round, the internal struggle over the particulars of Christian theology will wreak havoc on our system.

Likewise, those who advocate social justice through legislation are currently in lock-step about most of their primary issues. What will happen if they get their way? If it is even possible to legislate equality and the end of poverty, what will be next for this group? It seems unlikely that they will give up the political process altogether. Like most groups, they will most likely take up new issues that fall in line with their basic ideology. As the scope of those ideas narrows, they will become more likely to succumb to internal conflict.

The necessary alliance of otherwise disagreeable Christian denominations seems to be heading for disaster. Once they have accomplished their immediate goals, they will turn on one another and do immense damage to the already dwindling social capital they possess.