Christians’ civic engagement is a right and duty

Recent calls for Christians to avoid political involvement in the name of humility may sound spiritual, but they risk promoting passivity. In America, our rights weren’t granted by government; they were recognized as God-given and protected through sacrifice. Civic engagement is not worldly ambition; it’s stewardship.

The pastors of the Black Robed Regiment understood this. During the American Revolution, they preached liberty, opposed tyranny, and even led men into battle. Their courage helped secure religious freedom for generations.

Pastor Ross Johnston’s recent stand in Seattle reflects that same conviction. He didn’t act with anger or pride; he acted with courage. Yet many Christians shy away, fearing labels like “Christian nationalist.” But faithfulness isn’t defined by public approval. Jesus didn’t call us to cultural comfort; he called us to truth, even when it costs.

Scripture is filled with examples of godly people confronting corrupt authority. Moses defied Pharaoh. Esther risked her life. John the Baptist rebuked Herod. Paul stood on his legal rights. These weren’t culture warriors; they were faithful witnesses.

Humility doesn’t mean silence in the face of evil. It means boldness under control; truth spoken in love. We are in a war between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we’re in it.

The church must not retreat. We must worship faithfully and contend boldly. Not for power’s sake; but because righteousness still matters.

That, too, is the way of Christ.

Eric Mathson

Auburn

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THis is an editorial cartoon by Michael de Adder . Michael de Adder was born in Moncton, New Brunswick. He studied art at Mount Allison University where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drawing and painting. He began his career working for The Coast, a Halifax-based alternative weekly, drawing a popular comic strip called Walterworld which lampooned the then-current mayor of Halifax, Walter Fitzgerald. This led to freelance jobs at The Chronicle-Herald and The Hill Times in Ottawa, Ontario.

 

After freelancing for a few years, de Adder landed his first full time cartooning job at the Halifax Daily News. After the Daily News folded in 2008, he became the full-time freelance cartoonist at New Brunswick Publishing. He was let go for political views expressed through his work including a cartoon depicting U.S. President Donald Trump’s border policies. He now freelances for the Halifax Chronicle Herald, the Toronto Star, Ottawa Hill Times and Counterpoint in the USA. He has over a million readers per day and is considered the most read cartoonist in Canada.

 

Michael de Adder has won numerous awards for his work, including seven Atlantic Journalism Awards plus a Gold Innovation Award for news animation in 2008. He won the Association of Editorial Cartoonists' 2002 Golden Spike Award for best editorial cartoon spiked by an editor and the Association of Canadian Cartoonists 2014 Townsend Award. The National Cartoonists Society for the Reuben Award has shortlisted him in the Editorial Cartooning category. He is a past president of the Association of Canadian Editorial Cartoonists and spent 10 years on the board of the Cartoonists Rights Network.
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