Review of Michael P. Jensen, Subjects and Citizens, Matthias Media, 2024
The preface explains the author’s motivation in writing this book. It is founded on his experiences from his public ‘moderate’ stance on supporting the Australian Voice Referendum of 2024.
Michael Jensen mentions in appreciation at the beginning and at the end of the book his major academic influencers. It should be noted that none can be described as ‘conservative’ and at least in one case is clearly theologically liberal. I am not suggesting Michael Jensen himself is such. Nevertheless, this is not a politically neutral book. Although the author would probably prefer you to think otherwise.
The declared purpose of the book is to help Christians think biblically about politics via an exposition of chapters 12-15 of Romans. But readers might experience some frustration as they hop between exposition and a personal viewpoint dressed up as application. It becomes more a broad sweeping commentary on the passage rather than a thorough exposition. That is not to say that many worthwhile issues are not raised.
He lays out a background of an anxious political environment divided by extremism on both sides leading to a sense of personal alienation from government. He goes on throughout the book to score points against both extreme ends which is not very helpful for ‘Christian realpolitik’, if there is a such a thing.
Jensen states early: “it is the Christian church’s hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ that makes it able to be a non-anxious – and even life-giving – presence amid the despair and turmoil that often surrounds human politics.” He sums up Romans 12-15 by reminding us that Jesus is Lord – no one else is Lord, and that is a political statement. Furthermore, this crucified Jesus rules his kingdom by humble service. These are a worthwhile key takeaways for every Christian reader.
He says: “Our mission is not the pursuit of earthly power”, which he labels ‘politics 1.0’. Christians are to live differently, in a different kind of community with a different kind of politics. Jensen calls this ‘politics 2.0’.
He describes three classic Christian reactions to the political environment as deficient. They can be paraphrased as (a) get involved in the political party system (b) take radical action for perceived social justice (c) stay uninvolved with politics and just preach the Gospel. However, this is a bit simplistic as there does exist nuanced versions of all of these through Christian wisdom.
Michael Jensen then proceeds to lay out his version of ‘politics 2.0’ and it deserves to be stated in full:
“The other kind of politics, however, is that of living together as the people of God as we worship and revere Jesus Christ as Lord, and call others to join us: Politics 2.0. Just being the church of Jesus Christ is a political act. When we do that, we testify to a different way of doing politics, a way shaped by faith in Jesus Christ, love of our neighbour, and hope in Christ’s eternal reign. We do not take power in the name of Jesus. Instead, we are to be witnesses to the truth and the goodness of his power.”
Some time is spent in describing Christian living, our church life, in sacrificial love and mercy to others (this is our ‘political’ power), as our witness to the age, while at the same time not being conformed to it.
He says: “The harmony of the Christian community is somewhat like that of a jazz ensemble. The Christian community is diverse. It consists of different notes, it is not playing simply in unison, but it is playing out the agreed theme, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ – and it seeks to play out this theme harmoniously.” This is finding the harmony between each other. In other words, Christians are to be the ‘salt of the earth’, although he never uses those words anywhere.
Jensen is right when he says that “democratic government at its best is founded on the twin theological principles of the profound equal dignity of all human beings and their inherent corruptibility” (made in the image of God, yet now sinful).
But about halfway through his book Jensen starts to throw in his own preferences and foibles not closely tied to the exposition of Scripture. I was disturbed at the proposal not to vote for the Christian political candidate if we think there is a better candidate. We must have genuine defenders of The Faith in the corridors of power – even incompetent ones. He trips up when he says that under the Australian preferential system of voting he does not have the option of voting for no one. The practical reality is that we do not have mandatory voting in Australia. We have mandatory turning up at a polling booth and having our name marked off and putting some kind of mark on a piece of paper. We are not forced to vote for anyone.
The stereotyping of conservatives and progressives is unhelpful to the average Christian. What does it mean to say that “conservatives prefer a strong social order” while “progressives seek to look after those on the fringes”? He is feeding the fake dichotomy that progressives care more (like Jesus) than conservatives do (or worse). This kind of generalised rhetoric is what has led to projecting the notion that the different tribes are not just right and wrong but rather, good and bad. Christians should not accept this ‘straw man’ comparison. It will not lead to the loving non-conformist Christian communities that Michael Jensen seeks to promote.
At one point he seems to suggest that civil laws based on the ten commandments could be hard-hearted, and cause “many evils”. Also, that redistribution of wealth to reduce a ‘desperate underclass forced into crime’ may be preferable to a ‘getting tough on crime’ policy. He argues that Paul is not advocating for small government (upholding justice and restraining evil). I don’t see any of these assertions coming out of a solid exposition of Romans 12-15.
Regarding civil disobedience, Jensen provides simplistic and one-sided support for the Covid era lockdown of churches. The whole of chapter 4 is a bit of a rollercoaster ride riddled with ‘on this hand but then on the other hand’ examples, and while not in error, does not add much new insight or fresh application.
While the cultural Marxist concept of seeing the world only through the dichotomy of the ‘oppressed’ and the ‘oppressor’ is never actually mentioned in those terms, the power struggle between the haves and the have nots as the core societal driver is always present. He raises a handful of favourite ‘progressive’ chestnuts including colonisation, the treatment of indigenous people, asylum seekers, social welfare and the like. He frequently describes these issues in the same language as the political left. All of these deserve a much rounder discussion in the context of Christian love.
In the end, this book does not deliver any profound revelatory, let alone revolutionary, political answers for Christians who feel a need to engage in, or at least respond to, their political environment, other than what we already glean from Scripture. Yet, the book does remain a helpful encouragement of what we hold dear and how we should live as Christians in challenging times, as Christians have always had to do. This becomes paramount in Chapter 5: The Politics of Love. The book reaches its highwater mark here and this chapter is possibly worthy of a bible study series of its own, devoid of the rest.
The book contains a crystal-clear explanation of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It also presents an accurate and motivating picture of what a Christian community – a church – can look like in being a godly non-conforming witness to the world. But Politics 2.0 it is not, yet.
– Wayne Richards