Many of us wonder what to do in the face of the current political chaos that threatens to upend the economy, erode democratic institutions and marry Christianity to a particular political ideology.
James Carville does not wonder. He is clear what he thinks the Democratic party should do: nothing! Instead, he argues that the best thing is to “let the Republicans crumble, let the American people see it, and wait until they need us to offer our support.”
David Brooks agrees with Carville that Trumpism will ultimately fail, but implies it will take a long time for that to happen. Even then, he cautions that rebuilding what has been lost will require “comprehensive reinvention at all levels of society.”
Brooks’ perspective intuitively seems right to me, but what can we do in the meantime? What should we do?
I suggest, though, that it is the wrong question to ask at this point. Since what we do is always informed by who we are, we should begin by reminding ourselves of our deepest and best convictions that define who we are. I find that H. Richard Niebuhr’s famous essay, “The Grace of Doing Nothing,” provides a fruitful place to start.
The essay was published in the March 23, 1932, issue of The Christian Century. Written in the aftermath of Japan’s invasion of Manchuria, Niebuhr counsels waiting rather than rushing to war. While this advice might sound like Carville’s, it is not.
Niebuhr distinguishes between different kinds of waiting before explaining what he means by “nothing.” One way of waiting is that of pessimists, who believe the world will fall apart regardless of what happens.
Another is that of those motivated by self-interest. They wait for the optimal time to take advantage of the situation so that they can maximize their interests.
Still another is that of the morally indignant, who, having renounced violence, don’t know what to do except become increasingly frustrated. Then there is the waiting of the communists, who see the present conflict as a precursor to radical, revolutionary change.
Niebuhr rejects all of these to say we need to wait like radical Christians. Most importantly for Niebuhr, this means trusting in a God who is active in time and history. His perspective reminds us that the fate of the universe rests not on us, but on the work of God.
I think Niebuhr would resonate with the perspective of Martin Luther, who supposedly once said: “While I sit here drinking my Wittenberg beer, the Gospel runs its course.”
But lest that perspective tempt us to do nothing, we should note that Niebuhr’s radical Christian waiting does not mean inactivity. For Niebuhr, it means preparing for the future God has for us. We do that by repenting of our complicity in the causes of conflict and forming communities now that foster loyalties that transcend human-made distinctions.
Interestingly, Brooks says at the end of his article that in his travels, he sees groups already working to build trust across class lines or promote versions of tolerance and pluralism that promise to bring us together. This seems to me to be congruent with what Niebuhr means.
Still, the question remains, what should I, myself, do—even as I trust in God? I suggest that the direction lies in a Protestant understanding of vocation, the idea that all Christians are called to participate in different ways in God’s providential care of the universe.
Frederick Buechner brings this idea to bear at a personal level when he defines vocation as the place where one’s great joy meets the world’s deep need.
The need to preserve and promote civility, democracy, and a faithful Christianity is significant. There are many ways to work towards those goals.
It might be working behind the scenes in small ways. It might be peaceful public protest. It might be nonviolent civil disobedience.
It might be voting. It might be lobbying representatives in local, state, and national governments.
It might be some combination of the above, or even something else.
Different people will find joy in various actions. But whatever it is that fits us individually, as Christians, we should act to address these deep needs in ways that bring us great joy. Whatever it is, we should do it trusting that God is redeeming this world and all that is in it.
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Professor of religion in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. He is the author of Wisdom Calls: The Moral Story of the Hebrew Bible (Nurturing Faith Books, 2017) and Faithful Innovation: The Rule of God and a Christian Practical Wisdom.
