Generational Upheaval: Politics

**This is Part 3 of a series responding to "The Generation of Contrast," an article in the current issue of Relevant Magazine**

There is an undeniable shift going on in our culture today. Multiple generations are learning what it means to co-mingle and work together. The generation popularly termed "The Millennials" is increasingly gaining relevance and momentum in the world. We are in a very unique time period and I firmly believe that properly navigating this current balance and eventual complete shift between generations is the most important task we have on our plates today. Our goal is to continue to usher in the Kingdom of Heaven... a Kingdom whose citizens have no age or demographic. A Kingdom that invites all to join at the table, free from the weight of presupposition that we so often place around each others' necks. What I am trying to say is that in order for us to embrace a Kingdom of equality, we must learn about those presuppositions we all carry to the table. Here in this unique time period, a new generation is taking the helm and a distinct fear of the unknown has bubbled to the surface. As I mentioned at the start of this series, older generations are looking at these fresh faces and don't understand what they are seeing. As one of those fresh faces, beginning to take a role of leadership, I feel a certain responsibility to accurately represent my generation and help ease this transition. Fear of the unknown can be a powerful thing indeed, and so this series of articles is my attempt to shine light on just exactly who these twenty- and thirtysomethings are, with the intent of sowing seeds of trust among all who have been invited to the table.

The 2008 presidential election in the USA was like none that had come before. This generation, previously written off as apathetic towards politics, took an abrupt aboutface and engaged the process with more gusto than anyone could have predicted. While part of that was directly due to the success of the Obama campaign's embrace of social media and unconventional campaigning, the election nonetheless served as the coming out of a new type of voter that must be reckoned with: the young Christian. In my opinion, and from what I have observed from my friends and peers, the most important key to understanding our political beliefs is identifying the tension that exists on how Christians view the political process as a means to achieve moral or spiritual success in society. I think it is pretty safe to say that the tactics of the "Moral Majority" and the "Culture Wars" do not sit too well with young Christians. We see the intersection of religious views and political stances as a bit more complicated than perhaps previous generations of Christian voters did. To what extent should Christian beliefs influence public policy? That is a really good - and complicated - question to ask. While in the past, politicians pandered to the "Christian Right" and its rock hard stances on abortion and homosexuality, this new generation is coming out and saying that, well, it's a little more complicated than just a few issues can describe. Yes we are pro-life, but we are far less likely to have that issue be a deciding factor when it comes to choosing our candidate. Yes, we (for the most part) hold the belief that homosexuality is a sin, but we're not as certain that the government should legislate upon strictly religious beliefs. Personally, I believe my vote is precious and I will not give it away so easily to a politician that obviously panders to my religious beliefs. Instead, I want to give it to the candidate whose views I believe most align with the characteristics of the Kingdom of Heaven, because that is the reason I vote - to hasten its arrival.

Now, I must caution, especially in this series, against painting a broad brush. You simply cannot describe an entire generation using broad terminology and examples. There are exceptions to every rule. All I can do is interact with the facts and statistics (as presented in the Relevant article) and compare that with the picture of my generation that I see in my friends and peers. Having done that, this is what I have seen. Now there is an inherent danger of overcorrection here - running so far away from previous generations that we run right into the arms of the enemy. That is what happens when you choose to be reactionary in your politics. My hope is that instead of being reactionary to politicians and pundits, we may be reactionary to the gospel and objectively choose poltical candidates who will further the cause of Christ. That is our goal, and I'm excited to see where we go from here. 2012 will be a test for sure, but hopefully a test that is passed by all with flying colors.