January/February 2001

In the last desperate days before last year’s U.S. presidential election the campaigning took on an almost missionary aspect. The phenomenon transcended party. And whether the candidates and their running mates were holding forth from pulpit or high school auditorium stage, it seemed that talk of personal faith was obligatory. By ignoring the thankfully muted recitations of past indiscretion, one could almost drift into an ecclesiastical construct and think the goal was to find a holy man to sanctify the raw ambitions of politics. Such is the state of democracy in the U.S. as we move into the twenty-first century!

The Cuban Constitution, drafted in 1976, includes a clause on religion. It reads: “The state acknowledges, respects, and guarantees religious freedom.... In the Republic of Cuba, religious institutions are separate from the state.... Distinct beliefs and religions enjoy the same consideration.” Then in 1992 reforms to the 1976 constitution declared that Cuba is no longer an atheistic state. In reality, however, Cuban believers have faced multiple restrictions on religious expression over the years.

“My kingdom is not of this world,” Jesus of Nazareth, bound and captive, told Pilate, representative of the ancient world’s superpower.

I want you to answer a question for me. I am going to give you two options as answers. The question is: What is a Christian’s primary responsibility? Number one option: to evangelize. Number two option: to get involved in government.”
This question was asked by Peter Marshall, son of chaplain to the Senate Peter Marshall and author Katherine Marshall, at a 1996 Christian businessmen’s banquet in Norwich, Connecticut. A rumble of discussion followed, Marshall allowing a few moments for processing purposes. “The answer,” he finally broke in, “is that a Christian’s primary duty in this world is to get involved in government!”

The last decade of the twentieth century was a time of rapid change for my country. Communism simply vanished and a new set of norms was established. In 1989, precisely one year after the celebration of the 1,000-year anniversary of the Christianization of Russia, all citizens were invited for the first time to participate in relatively free parliamentary elections. A number of religious figures were elected in the parliament, announcing that they intended to change the laws concerning cults.

A common scene is replayed every day in cities and towns across the country. A single mother with three children loses her job. She turns to her local church for assistance. The church offers her money to help with the rent and food, day care for her children while she looks for a job, and maybe even job training and placement services. Along with the financial assistance, the church offers spiritual guidance to help the woman deal with the stress and frustration that inevitably accompanies unemployment. This guidance takes the form of prayer, readings from Scripture, and other forms of religious inspiration, all of which is intended to bolster the woman’s spirits while simultaneously reinforcing the woman’s faith and cultivating a deep and lasting connection between her and the church.

Is there reason to be afraid?