Pragmatism and the Danger of Compromise

We are all in a position of influence; we could say that we are not leaders, but all of us have an opportunity to lead someone else - just by our Christian example. In the realm of lawmaking, we can be confident that the implementation of God's principles results in a more moral, ordered society. As Proverbs 29 reminds us:
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.
3 Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice, But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.
4 The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it.

Because we are Christians, our dependence on God should ideally govern the decisions we make and the way we conduct ourselves.  Christianity is not intended to be some sort of spiritual "add-on" and God does not desire to be an afterthought.  We are empowered by the Spirit of God to be wholehearted followers of Jesus Christ.

A public leader embraced this viewpoint, according to CBN News, which related he was in a position of “Praying for wisdom, and discernment, and judgment — for humility,” adding, “And just trying to find that sensible path, because … when you’re a Christian in politics, you’re not guiding some theocracy." He continued, "...you must serve everybody, and you must respect all of their interests and views — and including those that aren’t the same as yours.”

The man is the former Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, who has released a book about his Christian faith journey.  Regarding the issue of the so-called "separation of church and state," the article stated:

Some people argue politicians’ religious beliefs should be completely separate from their lives when they’re leading, that these sentiments should not be a part of any of an elected leader’s decision-making process. But Morrison disagrees.

“It’s a bogus joke; it’s ridiculous,” he said. “It’s a very convenient argument for those who don’t want to see the influence of Jesus Christ in their society. You know, lock them in a room, cancel them, mock them, dismiss them, say they have no right to express their faith.”

Morrison continued, “Freedom of religion, and, importantly, the separation of church and state was established to protect faith, not to silence it.”

But, earlier in the article, you can find these words:

He said the role was very much about “celebrating our democracy” and finding the balance of living out one’s faith while also operating in a way that allows others to practice their own beliefs.

“God doesn’t need the government to prove His case or impose it on anybody,” he said. “I’m sure God’s quite capable of witnessing through His church.”

The BBC described the "17-year political career" of Morrison, who was defeated in a 2022 re-election bid, as "defined by pragmatism, conservatism and numerous controversies." The article noted that the country's pandemic policies during his tenure: "incredibly tight border controls, movement restrictions and free vaccinations - earned it the nickname Fortress Australia."

Unfortunately, his pragmatism went into overdrive on the abortion issue.  He simply chose not to take a position.  The Sydney Morning-Herald stated, in an article written after the leak of the potential decision in the Dobbs case:

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he doesn’t want the national debate over abortion rights occurring in the US to take place in Australia, saying it was an issue that could “deeply divide this country.”

The article quotes Morrison as saying, “I don’t intend to bring it into the agenda, because I think it can be a very divisive and polarising issue, and I wouldn’t recommend it being part of our national debate.” The article said:

Morrison said it wasn’t a topic he wanted to visit during the election, as “it’s an issue that can deeply divide this country.”

Earlier in the week, Morrison fended off a similar question about his opinion of what was taking place in the US while defending the decision of his Assistant Minister for Women, Amanda Stoker, to speak at an anti-abortion rally. Of her actions, Morrison said, “it’s a free country.”

To describe former Prime Minister Morrison, you find words like pragmatism and balance.  He states that there should be no division between church and state, yet, he (like many) struggled to walk that line, perhaps erring in trying to keep the "state" out of issues that the Church speaks to.  He basically says the government should not "impose" God's case. 

OK - let's take that and apply it to our current climate.  Someone may be pro-life, but doesn't believe the government should be involved in legislating it.  Another person regards laws supporting life as government involvement, but will support laws that allow abortion.  If one is hesitant to defend life or any number of Biblical positions because of fear of "legislating morality," rest assured that the non-Biblical side will certainly fill the void. The anti-life, anti-traditional-marriage, anti-free-speech crowd that despises Christian viewpoints will certainly not back down. 

Pragmatism, while it can keep us grounded in how certain processes can be implemented, can also be an enemy of Biblical fidelity.  In the name of pragmatism and balance, we have to be careful that we don't compromise our faith beliefs.  If you are in a position to implement laws, then a Christian should ideally bring godly wisdom into the lawmaking process.  And, we're all in a position to influence laws - through our vote and our prayers and communication with elected officials. We can leverage that God-given influence to see real, lasting solutions in our communities.