Holiness in Politics and Society

Discuss some practical ways Wesley and early Methodists sought holiness in society and politics. Are any of these surprising? How is this practiced in your church today?

I particularly liked the explanation from the video: if people are invisible to the world, and the person who brings them good news is content to leave them that way, then the good news isn’t very fruitful (my paraphrase). For Wesley, living a Christian life was inseparably intertwined with serving others.  That service extended from bringing the good news of grace, to bringing food, clothing, and other tangible support, to brining causes of injustice and suffering to those who could make changes.  Per the video, for Wesley, evangelism and activism were not separate ministries. How could you bring good news and food to someone who is a slave but do nothing to change their circumstances?

 

My local church, and most church, I think, work hard to provide food and clothing to people, and with more complicated outreach efforts, to help those who need assistance with rent and utilities.  I’m not sure we are very effective at trying to change the systems that cause the issues in the first place. 

 

I’m going to brag on the Foundation where I work for a minute (I can do that because the work I am discussing is other people’s work).  We are currently raising funds to grow and implement a Reparations Account and a Clean Water Account (for the southern part of our state, where clean water is an issue). We invest funds in in a socially responsible manner by both excluding companies that make money in ways that are not acceptable to the church and by fostering good investment practices and providing for good works through the investment funds.  I think changing the world is one of the ways a connectional church is beneficial because we sometimes need more than a local church.