But, we need to learn how to engage in politics and talk about politics in ways that encourage people and don’t turn them off. So, where better to practice these skills and to learn how to talk well about politics than within our churches, within our small groups, so that when we interact with our Christian or our non-Christian neighbor we can be acting in a way that is a much more positive Christian witness.

Christians need to do a better job of honoring God in their political activism, argues Amy Black, associate professor of political science at Wheaton College, in her new book, Honoring God in Red or Blue: Approaching Politics with Humility, Grace, and Reason.

The book could be used as a resource for small groups, or for Christians wishing to learn more about the U.S. political system and how to get involved in politics in a way that honors God. In an interview with The Christian Post, Black talks about the origins of her book, what she thinks about compromise in politics, and how Christians honoring God in their political activism could change American politics.

The following is an edited transcript of that interview:

CP: Why did you write this book?

Black: My book came out of an adult education class I taught at my church and from my work teaching at a Christian college. I recognized that many thoughtful Christians didn’t know as much about the political process as they thought they needed to be active participants and a lot of folks wanted a basic primer about how it all worked.

I’m also concerned about the tone of contemporary politics. There’s so much attack, so much exaggeration and distortions, sometimes even done in the name of Christ. I want to call Christians to a different approach. I want to encourage them to be humble instead of arrogant, and to show that we can disagree and still be gracious. In other words, I want us to be humble and thoughtful witnesses for Christ.

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CP: At the end of each chapter you have review questions. How did you intend for this book to be used?

Black: I see it working in multiple ways. My first audience would be Christians who are interested in politics and want to understand how it works better. Another audience is the Christian who is so frustrated in what they see in contemporary politics that they don’t want to have anything to do with it. Either of those readers, the person who is interested in politics and the person who is disgusted with politics, I hope can read the book and get some insight into a little bit about how our process works, but also some ways to get beyond the negativity that is so common in our discussion.

I also see the book as something that is useful for small groups. As I said, the idea for the book came out of teaching an adult education class and I saw how it worked to spur conversation. So, I wanted to book to be a resource for adult education classes, small groups, even pastors who might want to work in groups reading through and thinking about some of the concepts. I included the discussion questions to help people who want to read through it together, to move them into a stimulating and, hopefully, constructive discussion about both their differences as well as their commonalities when they think about politics.

CP: Oftentimes, small group leaders, pastors and other church leaders avoid discussing politics for fear of turning people off. What would your advice be to these leaders?

Black: My first response would be, you’re right to be concerned. So many times our discussions of politics get so heated so quickly and people aren’t really interested in listening, talking with one another and learning from one another as much as they’re hoping to score points and win arguments.

As much as it can be discouraging to talk about politics in our current environment, as much as it might make sense to stay away, I would encourage pastors and small group leaders and others to delve into it anyway, aware of the peril but also trying to redirect the conversation in positive ways.

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