Even back when I was ordained to Christian ministry more than 40 years ago, churches would get comments that they “were too political” or sometimes they “were not political enough.” In today’s widely divided society, when other viewpoints are not just seen as different but in a derogatory fashion, the divide between America’s two main political parties seems an unfathomable chasm. Many churches and clergy try to stay out of the fray, trying not to offend members or anyone else in the community. However, claiming to “not be political” is itself a political stance.

Despite claims by Christian nationalists, America was not founded as a Christian nation. Separation of church and state has always been a basic principle in our country. The first clause in the Bill of Rights states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” Nonprofits like churches are not supposed to endorse any particular political candidate or party (or endanger their tax-exempt status). Despite this, there have been examples of churches and clergy, especially in the South, telling members how to vote.

I agree with those who object to churches and pastors who are openly partisan, declaring for or against a certain candidate for political office, or supporting one political party over another. Jesus was neither a Republican nor a Democrat. However, I believe our churches and clergy need to be political — just not partisan. Let me explain.

Our word “political” comes from the Greek word “polis,” which referred to a city-state like ancient Athens. In Plato’s Republic, the Greek philosopher determined that the best form of government was one leading for the common good. While the Bible does not declare any particular form of civil government to be superior to another, multiple passages show that the Almighty One cares about how the common people are treated — or mistreated.

Someone (not me) has counted more than 100 Bible verses about feeding the poor. Jesus was known not only for teaching the multitudes, but for feeding them. In Luke 3, when the crowds asked Jesus what to do to show their repentance and allegiance to God, Jesus instructed them that if they had extra clothes (tunics), to share them with someone who had none, and to do the same with food. Therefore, the church should be political and should care about promoting programs that feed the hungry. Governmental programs like free school lunches, Meals on Wheels, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) are examples of things churches should actively support.

One of the early instructional stories in the Hebrew Scriptures is the destruction of the city of Sodom, with the evacuation of Abraham’s nephew Lot. Ezekiel 16:49 explains why disaster was allowed to fall upon the city — for its failure to help the poor and needy. The church should be political in advocating for services that support the poor and needy … such as government subsidized and affordable housing, and Social Security and other benefits supporting the elderly.

Two of my three children were born in a Presbyterian hospital — one in Charlotte and the other in Dallas. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Presbyterians and other Christian denominations started up hospitals as part of their mission work to promote healing. Although large corporations ended up taking over church-affiliated hospitals and health clinics, the idea that churches and clergy should be involved in promoting health care remains an ideal.

The church should be political in advocating for accessible and affordable health care for all ages that is not dependent upon employee benefits. The church should be political in expecting government to not only fund medical access to those who otherwise wouldn’t have it, but to fund research into disease prevention and treatment. The church should be political in decrying budget cuts that impact the health and well-being of any group in the American population.

Cortland County in New York (my permanent home) is rural like much of Franklin County. In central New York, dairy, fruit and vegetable farms depend upon migrant labor to tend crops and harvest them. The Bible has a great deal to say about migrants (often translated as “sojourners”). Psalm 146:9 notes that God looks out after migrants, widows and orphans. Immigrants should not be oppressed (Ex. 23:9, Jer. 7:5-7, Zech. 7:9-10) and, in fact, should be treated as well as natives among you and even loved as you love yourselves (Deut. 10:19, Lev. 19:33-34). Churches should be political in advocating for and protecting immigrants, demanding that they be treated justly and accorded human dignity just as citizens would have.

When it comes to universal human rights and the common good, the church should be political but not partisan. The church should speak up about issues impacting everyday Americans. All churches should be putting words and actions into alleviating poverty and suffering, what Catholics call the “preferential option for the poor.” This is not only work for churches themselves, but to call for governmental strategies to address poverty and suffering. While not engaging in partisanship, the church needs to be political — advocating for the welfare of all people.

The Rev. Janet Adair Hansen is the interim pastor for the Charlemont Federated Church, which worships at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings. She was interim pastor in Somesville, Maine, and was a pastor in Texas, Wyoming, New Mexico and New York before first retiring in 2018. Ordained in Santa Fe in 1982 as a Presbyterian, she switched to the United Church of Christ in 2013. She has a bachelor’s degree in religious studies (University of California at Davis), a Master of Divinity (Duke Divinity School) and a Doctor of Ministry (San Francisco Theological Seminary), with her doctoral dissertation on wilderness spirituality.