Is There A Christian Duty To Vote?

Today is Election Day in America. On Sunday, my pastor encouraged the congregation to vote. Though he stopped short of calling voting a "Christian duty," it's a phrase I've heard before. And I wondered: Does such a duty exist?

As a Weslyan by background, I try to do theology by focusing on Wesley's elements of Tradition, Experience, Reason, and Scripture.

Church Tradition is perhaps the least helpful in this regard, as most of the history of the church has existed outside of democratic forms of government. Thus, as far as I'm aware, there has been little in the way of accepted tradition on the matter of participation in democracy. More broadly speaking, much church tradition has focused on the God-givenness of rulers (usually kings), and Christian participation in the government of states has been ongoing in one form or another since Constantine. So it seems that church tradition can at least be said not to forbid voting outright.

Experience is a bit more helpful, though only just. My personal experience is that voting has in no way harmed my ability to act in the world as a Christian. What's more, voting and other acts of participation in democracy have enriched my faith life, as it has given me an opportunity to act on behalf of others in the way that Jesus taught. Taking a wider view, we can see that, while the experience of Christians with democracy has been a mixed bag, direct participation in the democratic process has on occasion been the means for Christians to end great social injustices, American slavery being among the more noteworthy. Experience speaks in favor of voting.

Reason might point out that, in most cases, your vote is effectively worthless. In itself, it is highly unlikely to effect change one way or another. On the other hand, it can't do much harm, either. At worst, then, it is worthless, and at best, it's an opportunity to do some good in the world, to advocate for others, to at least attempt to enact justice. Reason tilts toward voting.

Scripture was written without contact with democratic forms of government, and so can only speak indirectly to this issue. As Christians, our focus in reading scripture must always be Christ. While Jesus was certainly a non-voter, one might point out that he was actively engaged with the governments of his own day in a couple key ways. Notably, he was against the idea of a violent revolution to overthrow the ruling power of his day, Rome, even going so far as to endorse paying its taxes. (He was rightly concerned that it would lead to the destruction of his country.) So at any rate, an explicitly anti-government stance is not the simplest reading, though it has its proponents. When it came to local rulers and authority figures, Jesus engaged in direct confrontation and even condemnation when it was called for. As one of our tools for communicating with those in power, voting is an appropriate, though modest, way for the Christian to imitate Christ in this regard.

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So there are plentiful reasons for Christians to vote, and few if any not to. But it a duty?

Perhaps not: after all, it's not a commandment straight from Jesus' lips, or carved in stone on Mount Sinai: Thou shalt vote.

On the other hand, voting is certainly a means of carrying out the commandments. It is a small, indirect, but important way to love one's neighbor, and even to "do for the least of these," if we vote for candidates whose policies will shelter, feed, clothe, and take care of the needy.

So, though it is not a central pillar of the faith, I believe there is such a thing as a Christian duty to vote. And regardless of whether that duty is real, I'll be voting today, as an American, as a Christian, and I invite you, dear reader, to join me.