What was the early Christian attitude toward government, voting, and political involvement? Discover the historical perspective on how the first believers related to worldly powers and authorities.

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Course Content

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What Was the Early Christian Attitude Towards Serving in the Army and Voting?
Does the Prohibition on Voting Extend to Shareholder Voting for Corporations?
Is it Legitimate for Christians to Vote in Local Elections but Not for Politicians?
How Should Significant Theological Issues Be Handled in the Unity Movement?
Would the Apostle Paul Vote If He Were a US Citizen Today?
Can Kingdom Christians Lobby or Petition for Rights and Privileges?
Should Christians Pray for Specific Election Outcomes or Legislation?
Free Course Guide

What This Free Course Covers

Christians and Politics is a free course that works through practical questions about Christian involvement in political life. The lessons are framed around student questions and responses from The Historic Faith, with attention to early Christian attitudes, the kingdom of God, voting, military service, public office, prayer for rulers, and respectful engagement with government.

The course does not treat voting as a simple isolated act, but asks how political participation can affect Christian allegiance, witness, priorities, and confidence in the kingdom of God. Several lessons distinguish between political power and other forms of civic action, such as petitioning the government, asking for legal protection, or respectfully explaining one’s convictions.

The course also considers how Christians can care about issues such as abortion, immigration, healthcare, war, and justice without being absorbed into party loyalty or contempt for leaders.

Kingdom citizenship Two kingdoms Early Christian witness Voting and allegiance Military service Respect for rulers Petition and conscience Prayer for leaders Party loyalty Prophetic speech

What You Will Study

  • Early Christian attitudes toward military service, war, public office, and the affairs of state
  • Why the speakers connect political nonparticipation with citizenship in the kingdom of God
  • The difference between voting in politics and giving input in non-government settings, such as church or corporate decisions
  • Questions about local elections, referendums, public offices, taxes, and gradual involvement in politics
  • How Paul’s Roman citizenship is used in discussions about rights, courts, and political participation
  • Distinctions between voting, petitioning, lobbying, and respectfully asking government for protection or exemption
  • How Christians can pray for leaders without becoming aligned with a political party or desired election outcome
  • The need to honor rulers, avoid belittling speech, and keep a prophetic voice about sin and public issues

Questions This Course Helps Answer

  • Did the early Christians serve in the army or participate in war?
  • Can the early church be described as politically uninvolved, even though voting was not available in the Roman Empire?
  • Is voting wrong in every setting, or is the concern specifically about participation in earthly government?
  • How should Christians think about shareholder voting or voting within the church?
  • Is there a meaningful difference between voting on a local referendum and voting for a president or public official?
  • Why might local voting still draw Christians into the priorities and habits of political life?
  • How can a Christian explain political nonparticipation without seeming uncaring or disconnected?
  • Does Paul’s use of Roman citizenship justify voting, suing, or broader political involvement today?
  • Is petitioning the government different from voting as part of the government?
  • Can kingdom Christians ask for conscientious objector status or other legal protections?
  • How can Christians speak prophetically about sin while still honoring rulers?
  • Should Christians pray for a specific candidate or political party to win?

Lesson-by-Lesson Guide

What Was the Early Christian Attitude Towards Serving in the Army and Voting?

This opening lesson addresses a question from a Christian serving in the Army and asks how the early Christians approached war, politics, and citizenship. The speakers distinguish early Christian nonparticipation in war from the question of voting, noting that voting was not a feature of the Roman Empire while political affairs still existed.

  • Did early Christians participate in war?
  • How did early Christians view the affairs of state?
  • Why is voting difficult to compare directly with the early church setting?
  • How does kingdom citizenship shape political involvement?

Does the Prohibition on Voting Extend to Shareholder Voting for Corporations?

This short lesson asks whether all voting is morally wrong or whether the concern is participation in earthly kingdoms. The response says the act of giving a vote is not treated as evil in itself, while warning that political involvement can reveal misplaced confidence in earthly systems.

  • Is every act of voting wrong?
  • Is shareholder voting the same kind of issue as political voting?
  • Can Christians vote in church decisions?
  • What does political involvement reveal about kingdom priorities?

Is it Legitimate for Christians to Vote in Local Elections but Not for Politicians?

This lesson examines whether local referendums or lower offices should be separated from voting for national leaders or officials who carry coercive authority. The speakers do not present voting as a simple commandment issue, but they warn that even limited participation can become a doorway into political identity and party thinking.

  • Is voting for a local referendum different from voting for a president?
  • Should Christians vote on local tax, bridge, school, or hospital questions?
  • Can a small amount of political involvement become a slippery slope?
  • Why do the speakers connect voting with another kingdom’s concerns?

How Should Significant Theological Issues Be Handled in the Unity Movement?

The transcript sample centers on how to explain political nonparticipation in conversation with Christians and unbelievers. The response emphasizes honoring government, avoiding contempt for leaders, and redirecting political questions toward the way of Christ and the kingdom of God.

  • How can Christians explain why they do not engage in politics?
  • How can this be done without sounding uncaring or disconnected?
  • How should Christians speak about presidents and public leaders?
  • How can political issues become openings for discussing the kingdom of God?

Would the Apostle Paul Vote If He Were a US Citizen Today?

This lesson considers whether Paul’s appeal to Roman citizenship supports voting or political involvement today. The speakers argue that asking officials to follow the law is different from trying to elect rulers or direct the political order.

  • Does Paul’s use of Roman citizenship justify voting today?
  • Is appealing to legal protection the same as political participation?
  • How did Paul treat Rome’s authority while focusing on the kingdom of God?
  • What does Romans 13 suggest about respecting governing authority?

Can Kingdom Christians Lobby or Petition for Rights and Privileges?

This lesson distinguishes voting from petitioning the government as a third party. It considers examples such as conscientious objector status and flag-salute exemptions, while also warning against crossing into political lobbying and belittling public officials.

  • Is petitioning the government different from voting?
  • Can Christians ask for conscientious objector status?
  • Where might petitioning become political lobbying?
  • How can Christians speak prophetically while honoring rulers?

Should Christians Pray for Specific Election Outcomes or Legislation?

The final lesson addresses prayer for leaders, candidates, legislation, and nations. It warns against party-shaped prayer, uses historical examples of Christians being drawn toward political movements, and calls for confidence in the kingdom of God rather than the left or the right.

  • Should Christians pray for a specific candidate to win an election?
  • What is wrong with saying Christians do not vote but pray Republican?
  • How should Christians pray for rulers and nations?
  • Why can both left and right political movements appear attractive to Christians?

First student reviews

1 review so far
Daniel Segura May 12, 2026
★★★★★
Thank you, David and Dean, for the balanced direction. I especially appreciate the affirmative commitment to pursuing the Kingdom of God wholeheartedly as implying a disengagement from worldly politics. As Paul says "all things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial."
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Christians and Politics

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Course Includes

  • 7 Lessons
  • 0 Quizzes
  • Course Certificate