“A Civics 101 Reminder for Christian Disciples”
Phil Miglioratti @ Reimagine.Network
{Scroll for “Now What? action steps}
Jesus spoke: “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom.
If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the leaders who oppose me.
No, my Kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36
WHY?…am I writing this?
The current dizzied and dis-eased state of our “union” has forced me to pursue a “Civics 101” refresher course.
And am I glad I did.
I am not sure if I am a liberal conservative or a conservative liberal. I usually see some element of good even on the side I’m not agreeing with. A liberal balance to a conservative perspective. A conservative insight to a liberal blindspot.
In my readings and ponderings I have discovered that a “Civics 101” core-truth has given me a framework from which to analyze the who-what-why of our times in America (and beyond).
Simple but not simplistic. The work of intellectual giants but not difficult to comprehend. Applicable to every citizen regardless of personal viewpoints.
In my voting lifetime, I’ve gone from being enthusiastically voting for, to reluctantly voting against, and now to simply being fearful of.
Both sides.
This is my sincere attempt at thinking politically without being partisan.
WHAT?…is my problem?
I am not a civics professor, but my recent research has challenged me to look behind/underneath current political issues to the philosophical ideas that I believe are driving our national parties toward undermining our delicate balance of systems and structures that define and protect our governance.
{I know you’ll agree with this; at least for the party you oppose…}
The civil clash our country is experiencing is not merely fueled by partisan differences over issues and strategy; it is a fight over political ideology.
On the surface Democrats and Republicans are disagreeing over the domestic economy and immigration; world-altering international issues such as climate change, nuclear armament, and intellectual property theft.
But the real battle is between pure liberalism (culture-driven democracy) and ultimate conservatism (essentially a political autocracy). Both parties, though moving in diametrically opposed directions, will ironically lead us into the same eventual result, the compromise or even dismantling of the United States of America as a Constitutional Republic.
Constitutional Republic:
- The core-truth that describes both what America is and what it is not.
- The fulcrum designed to connect and constrain two entities seeking to move our country in different directions (rather than forward together) (think teeter-totter)
- The iOS of the United States. Essentially, like the software that makes communication devices work, manage hardware, networking and security, our Constitutional Republic is the foundation and structure that drives national and local governance.
While debating differing perspectives on issues is essential to our society, we cannot afford to focus solely on the details of political party platforms. Understanding how underlying philosophies fuel agendas (whether left or right) is a “Civics 101” lesson we have forgotten or relegated to our history books. We do not understand the difference between a democracy and a constitutional republic. We are blind to elements of an autocracy even when we see it on the news.
The pull from the left toward an advocacy-democracy and the push from the right to become what looks and acts like an autocracy, draws U.S. away from the Constitutional Republic designed by the Founding Framers.
Adding to the problem is a constant labeling of the opposing party as an enemy; a self-edifying but destructive approach that takes cues from military battle rather than communication-conversation-cooperation. Refusing to listen to those we disagree with, reveals the objective is to control the narrative in order to win the debate rather than search for the best “win” for the citizens of our country.
SO WHAT?…do I suggest we do about this?
A liberal party elevates individual freedom as their ultimate objective which leads toward a people-ruled society, a democracy.
Democratic ideology “believes in democracy…the elementary liberal doctrine of a self-governing humanity.” (G. K. Chesterton)
A conservative party believes society needs to be based on a national identity of traditional values and patriotism which requires a government that defines/protects/controls history, culture, religion, and is best served by a consolidated power, an autocracy.
“The primary objective of an autocratic government is to maintain and consolidate absolute power in the hands of one person or a small group, often suppressing dissent and limiting political participation. This system prioritizes centralized control and efficiency over individual freedoms and democratic processes.” {AI}
Both systems include voting privileges but with very different outcomes.
- Left is all-for-one, individuality rules.
- Right is one-for-all; citizens pledge allegiance, yielding to the controlling culture.
- Left advocates unlimited power for the individual.
- Right submits to those who have the power to command and control a law-and-order society.
Instead … A Constitutional Republic entrusts power the people, personal freedoms, and voting privileges to elect representative leaders for local and national institutions that are accountable to the people. A form of government with a unique DNA: democracy of the people, by the people, and for the people as served by the Executive and Legislative and Judicial branches of government that share separate power and authority..
My “Civics 101” Lesson
The Democratic Party wants us to be a democracy while the Republican Party is pushing us toward an autocracy. The problem with that is America is a constitutional republic, which is a little bit of both, but neither one nor the other.
Our problem today is not conservatives who believe strongly in conservatism nor liberals who believe strongly in liberalism.
Our problem is an unCIVICed citizenry. An increasingly less homogeneous society of citizens who have not been educated in “Civics 101.”
The dictionary defines civics as:
the study of the rights, duties, and responsibilities of citizens in a society, particularly a democratic one. It encompasses the knowledge, skills, and values needed to be an informed and engaged participant in the political and social processes of a country.”
Without a civics-basis, individuals and parties simply want what’s best for them. (i.e., their breed, their class, their subculture, their religion, their gender…), unbridled by a comprehensive understanding of the principles and precepts of how our national system has been built and functions.
When the “isms” on the political spectrum mistrust and refuse to cooperate with each other, the balancing (like a fulcrum) middle shrinks and the ends drive further away from each other.
In this scenario, the left aims for increased freedom (advocating, liberating) while the right pursues greater law and order (conserving, controlling, seeking a homogenous culture) which results in each party moving further away from the center. In our nation, the center is a “constitutional republic.”
A constitutional republic is a form of government where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf, and the government's powers are limited by a written constitution. The constitution outlines the rules of governance and protects citizens' rights, ensuring that power is not concentrated in the hands of one person or group. It's a form of representative democracy, where the people ultimately hold the power but exercise it through elected representatives
In other words, the United States is not merely a democracy nor are we meant to be an autocracy; we are a republic (“of the people”) founded upon and guided by a constitution citizens submit to because we trust both sides to play fair and submit to the rules of the game.
While conservatism and liberalism are vastly different, one thing is true of both; to have their way (always and only) means many fellow citizens are ignored and treated unfairly. The controlling party viewpoint prevails in the decision-making and the direction of the nation. One party rule or dominance usurps “of the people” privileges, applies them to those who agree while at the expense of those they oppose.
In a republic, the opposite of a democracy is generally described as an autocracy or authoritarianism. These systems are characterized by the concentration of power in the hands of a single individual or a small group, with limited or no accountability to the people. While a republic is a system where power is vested in the people through elected representatives, autocracy and authoritarianism are systems where power is centralized and often ruled by one person or a select few. {AI}
Denying or defying constitutional precepts and procedures in order to protect or restore our nation to “one nation under God” is incompatible with a republic form of government those actions claim to rebuild.
Ironically, IMHO, radical leadership that spurs left to become more liberal and right to become more conservative, are zealous to replace, not rebuild, a constitutional republic. Radicals, left or right, are motivated by a similar perspective; they know best and deserve (by virtue of their superior intellect or culture) to command and control.
Result?
No democracy.
No constitution.
No republic.
NOW WHAT?. . .
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal:
- …your prejudices
- …where you are not applying Scripture correctly …and where the opposing philosophy does have a biblically valid viewpoint.
- …how to pray for your “enemy” (those who have a different philosophy)
- …when to be “quick to listen” and courage to “speak truth in love”
Live these 4-letter words:
- Pray - for discernment; ask for anything you unknowingly misbelieve to become clear to you
- Fear - not. Never be afraid of the changes truth might require.
- Read - thought-provoking content on the statement that has bothered you the most from this essay
- Vote - faithfully but not religiously
- Talk - to people about these concerns; ask questions…listen…rethink…keep praying and learning.
Ponder these Comments:
“Liberty and Justice for all”
- to the Right means righteousness
- to the Left means mercy
Which one can Christians do without?
“Jesus never stopped preaching the Kingdom of Heaven.
It was always his core message.
It’s what he picked up from John (the Baptizer)—and what he kept proclaiming until the end.
“What changed wasn’t the message, but what the message meant.
John saw the kingdom as judgment. Urgent. Apocalyptic.
Jesus took that same framework—and, without abandoning all of it, filled it with healing, grace, and inclusion.
From Joe Boyd -
“At times, Jesus even seemed to contradict himself:
“The kingdom of heaven is coming…”
“The kingdom of heaven is already here.”
Which is it?
Yes. Because Jesus didn’t see the kingdom as some far-off cataclysm.
He saw it breaking in through compassion. Through justice. Through him.
What began as a message of good news became a transactional system—where heaven was the reward for staying on script.”
“A half-century ago, when America had a large and growing middle class, those on the “left” wanted stronger social safety nets and more public investment in schools, roads, and research. Those on the “right” sought greater reliance on the free market.
“But as power and wealth have moved to the top, everyone else — whether on the old right or the old left — has become disempowered and less secure.
“Today, the great divide is not between left and right. It’s between (constitutional) democracy and oligarchy (government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes).” (Robert Reich)
“When the people fear their government, there is tyranny.
When the government fears the people, there is liberty.”
(Thomas Jefferson)
“During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.”
(George Orwell)
“The main difference between a democratic government and an autocratic government is who controls. In a democracy the government is controlled by the people either through elected representatives or directly by the people. In an autocracy one person, or a group of people have full control, without the participation or consent of the people.” Brainly.com
“Every authoritarian who successfully destroyed judicial independence did so because civil society failed to unite in time.”
(Political Scientist Adam Bonica)
“Christian Nationalism Is Neither Christian Nor Nationalistic” …an article by Shawn Paul Wood
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