(Please read to the end to learn about the call for My Prayer/My Vote art.)
The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church state that “[o]ur involvement in political systems is rooted in the gospel imperative to love our neighbors, to do justice, and to care for the vulnerable. As United Methodists, we acknowledge that love requires responsible political action and engagement aimed at the betterment of society and the promotion of the common good. We acknowledge that such political engagement demands humility and mindfulness of our own complicity in perpetuating injustice. It also necessitates compassion, prayer and a willingness to discern God’s guidance.”
Whether we are voting in local, state, or federal elections, we have the ability to share our views on a multitude of issues that can impact society and the common good. Decisions around climate, poverty, education, hunger, housing, peace, health, equity, the economy, elections themselves, and more, are made by the people who are elected by “we the people”. If we do not use our right to vote for the world we want to see, we have given up one of the most important ways we have to work for that world.
Over the last several years, we have seen increased efforts to suppress the vote. These efforts have not looked like what John Lewis and others faced on that bridge in Selma, or what Fannie Lou Hamer faced when she tried to register to vote. These days voter suppression is more likely to look like the elimination or relocation of polling places, particularly in areas with large numbers of minority voters, reduced polling hours, more onerous and stringent voter ID rules, the purging of voter rolls, gerrymandering, restrictions on mail in voting, and reduction in early voting days and locations. We are even seeing increased calls for restrictions on the rights of women to vote.
This is clearly something we should care about as citizens of a democracy. But we are especially called to care about it as people of faith. We are called to care about it because of our belief that we are all created in the image of God. When people are denied the right to vote because of the color of their skin, it acts as a denial of their likeness to God. We should care about voter suppression for the same reasons we should care about inequity in general – if we believe we are all children of God created in the image of God, then no part of how we have been created – race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity – should be used to make us less than anyone else. As the writers at Sojourners put it, “We believe all human beings are made in the “imago dei,” the image and likeness of God — it’s a core tenet of ours and many other faiths. So any strategy that would negate people’s votes because of the color of their skin is not just a partisan tactic, but rather a denial of their imago dei, a theological, biblical, and spiritual offense to God. Protecting the right to vote affirms the divine imprint and inherent value of all of God’s children.”
This does not mean we will all necessarily choose to vote the same way on every issue. While we might each have strong opinions about how we believe people, and especially people of faith, should vote on an issue, others may arrive at different conclusions when standing in the voting booth. But, as the Sojourner writers say, “regardless of how Christians vote by their biblical examination on the issues, all Christians must stand and speak out against voter suppression — an offense to the image of God and the democratic rights of citizenship.”
The Justice Team encourages you to fully participate in the democratic process as we head more deeply into this year’s election season:
· Make sure you are registered to vote,
· Educate yourself on the candidates and the issues,
· Check that you have the necessary i.d. to vote, and
· Familiarize yourself with the date, times, and methods you can vote.
Over the next two months, we will be sharing important information about voting so that we can all cast our votes for the world we want to see.
We are calling this effort My Prayer/My Vote, and there is a special way you can be a part of it (in addition to voting!). You are invited to submit art pieces on the prompt “My Prayer/My Vote.” This can include art of any kind – painting, sculpture, poetry, essays, music, textiles, whatever! Art from all ages is welcome and encouraged. Please submit your pieces by September 21. Written pieces may be emailed to justice@glennumc.org. Physical pieces may be dropped off at the church office. Please ensure that pieces submitted are nonpartisan. If you have any questions, email Carol Allums at theallums5@gmail.com.