Of Church and State

From Peter Leithart's The Kingdom and the Power:

The church's main role in the world, and its main political role, is to produce a race of godly men and women through its teaching, worship, and discipline. The church also influences politics by offering prayers for all in authority. The church is most effective not by becoming a political lobbyist, but by being the church.

A church obedient to Christ's command to teach all of His commandments will, however, have a significant effect on political views of its members. One of the great deceptions of the modern world is the belief that the state can solve all social problems. Suppose a woman laboring under that deception is converted and joins a faithful church. She will learn that Christ alone is the Savior of the world. She will learn of the effects of sin on political life. She will learn that statism is ultimately a form of idolatry. She will, in short, begin to develop a very different perspective on politics in general, and this will lead her to change her positions on specific issues as well. If she was a radical feminist, she will begin to see that the Bible teaches something very different about womanhood. If she was pro-abortion, she will learn that the Bible teaches that abortion is murder.

Unfortunately, too many churches today do not teach their members that the Bible presents a comprehensive world view or that it provides wisdom on contemporary questions. Throughout American history, the Bible has been central to the political life of the nation. If it is no longer so, it is because the church long ago abandoned her calling to teaching all that Christ has commanded. It would be wrong, of course, for a pastor to preach on political issues every Sunday. But a pastor who never addresses the political issues of the day from the Word of God is unfaithful to the Lord of the church. (p. 201, emphasis mine)