Noise
It has been a while since I have provided any updates on my book here, and you may be wondering what is happening.
As you know, this book is about the Christian response to partisan politics, a relevant topic for this highly contentious election year in the United States. Would it not have been timely to get this book out this year to be part of the discussion?
I am certainly aware of the opportunities that 2024 provides me for this book. On the one hand, I have felt the pressure to get this done because of the election. On the other hand, however, upon deeper reflection I realized that this was not necessarily a deadline I should be working towards.
Apart from the reality that writing a book is a long process, I am increasingly aware that timing is critical for the message I wish to convey. As I see it, my book would have been lost in all the noise this year, despite the importance of what I am offering followers of Jesus as they try to live out their faith in a world of clashing Kingdoms. In some ways, people are tired of all the clanging banter, not only from politicians and political parties, but also from those who are attempting to offer sound advice. Over the past few years there have been a plethora of books and articles giving perspective and counsel to Christians as they try to make good decisions in the midst of a political hotbed. I have tried to read as many of these as I could, with the result that I am not sure any of these have really contributed to any major shifts in how people are thinking and behaving about partisanship.
In short, I do not want this book to get lost in the cacophony that is unsettling our hearts and minds this year. I have come to the conclusion that my ideas will make much more sense once we are through this election cycle and there is more time for sober reflection on how broken our system is, and how the way of Jesus is the only alternative. Regardless of what happens in this year’s American election, there will be a large proportion of people who will be disappointed, discouraged and even distraught. Most of us will also feel exhausted, wondering why we keep subjecting ourselves to this same dysfunctional process, despite our commitments to democracy overall. While political fury and division have always existed in this country, the last eight years in particular have been highly toxic, and it has impacted those of us who claim to follow Jesus.
My prayer and hope are that my book will come at a time, when in the grieving process, we are open for self-examination and repentance of the way we have continued to do things.
The writing continues. It is a slow work, especially to do it well. I do not want this to be a half-baked product pushed out quickly to take advantage of a publisher’s desire for quick financial return. My intent is that this will be thoughtful book that will prompt many people to think and act differently as citizens of two Kingdoms.
So, stayed tuned. I will be posting here on Substack more frequently in the coming months, and look forward to hearing some of your thoughts as well along the way.
