Christianity and Political Participation
In ancient Rome, before Christianity became the religion of the Empire, politics was seen as a noble endeavor and politicians who dedicated their lives to the service of the state were regarded as the noblest of all men. In fact, ancient Roman glorified the Aristotelian dictum that saw man as a political animal such that for them, you are never really seen as human until you were able to participate in the political life of your city-state.
However, when Christianity appeared with its teaching on the other worldliness, this understanding was corrupted and with the rise of Christianity as the official religion of the Rome, Christians began to see politics as a mundane affair practiced only by those who are worldly minded. Although the rise of Emperor Constantine, the Reformation and Counter-reformations had many positive impacts on the relationship between Christianity and the State, the attitude of Christians who saw politics as a dirty mundane affair never really changed.
When liberal democracy came with its emphasis on number and individual participation in politics, Christians in many Western nations, especially in the US started to appreciate the role of politics in building a good society. These Christians compared Christian participation in politics as Christianity’s moral and spiritual obligations. They even went as far as forming or supporting political parties that promote Christian outlooks about life. In the US for instance, most Christian groups, especially Catholics and Evangelicals support more of Republican candidates in elections because of the moral positions of such candidates on especially abortion issues.
Nigerian Christians and Political Participation
In Nigeria, Christianity and Christian leaders have a lot of influence. Politicians who understand the importance of this influence are usually seen around gatherings during electioneering periods to canvas for supports. Nevertheless, Christianity in Nigeria has never fully utilized the power and influence it has in elections. The beneficiaries of the visits by politicians to churches and Christian gathering are usually pastors and priests who usually receive fat envelops at the end of such visits. The average Christian got nothing and year in year out, greedy politicians are elected or selected to inflict hardship and pains on the people. They return every four years to give fat envelops to priests and pastors.
Nigeria at a Critical Juncture
This lack of interest in politics by Nigerian Christians is about to change. In the past few weeks, priests and pastors have been mobilizing their parishioners to go out en mass to register and get their voters cards. In some parishes, especially in Southeast Nigeria, some priests have gone as fast as insisting that no PVC no communion or no admission into the church. Few days ago, a friend in Enugu told me that their priest told them that from next week no parishioners without voters’ card would be allowed into Eucharistic celebrations. She spent the two days queuing up to get her PVC without much success. But she didn’t give up because she didn’t want to be asked out of Eucharistic celebrations. Fortunately, she was eventually able to get it on the third day and you can’t imagine how happy she was. She told me she didn’t care much about Nigerian elections but would do whatever she has to do to be a part of the Holy Mass in her parish.
Many commentators have greeted this new development with mixed feelings. On the one hand are those who praise it as a step in the right direction. Their position is that Christians constitute the largest population in this country and the only way to use that population to their advantage is to use their numerical number to vote in political leaders who will rule the nation with the fear of God. On the other hand are those who feel that religion is a matter of conscience and that those who come to worship God should not be coerced into making choices that should be left to conscience alone.
What’s Changed?
Why taking side in this argument as many have done is the normal thing to do but one would not be able to address the question objectively without understanding why the sudden change in Christian attitude towards politics in Nigeria. In normal circumstance, individuals and their consciences should be allowed to decide whether to take part in elections or not but the Nigerian situation is no longer normal.
Nigeria has never enjoyed good leadership but the state of leadership in the country in the past seven years has worsened. The cost of living has skyrocketed and become unbearable, there is suffering and hunger in the land but the worst of it all is insecurity. Currently, more people are killed on daily basis in Nigeria than in countries in active wars.
There is fire on the mountain in Nigeria and as an Igbo adage says, extraordinary situations demand extraordinary interventions. Nigeria’s general election is next year and if nothing is done to ensure that good leadership is enthrone, an administration worse than what is currently in place will accede to power and the suffering and killing would continue. God forbid, but if this happens, we may eventually come to a point when the country would be forced into another civil war. A stitch they say saves nine. Being deprived of Holy Communion as a way of encouraging you to get you PVC is always better than becoming a refugee in your country.
Overall, in my opinion, the current enforcement of PVC by churches is a step in the right direction that needs to be encouraged. Every Christian has both the moral and civic responsibility to join hand in building a just and peaceful society. To refuse to do this is a sin against God and society. Even if you are not interested in politics, do it for others and the future generation. Making sacrifices for others have always been the hallmark of Christianity. Jesus died for the sins of all. In imitation of Christ, let’s die a little by queuing up and going through the little stress and discomfort required to get our PVC in other to make Nigeria better for everybody.
