Christian Citizenship in an Age of Trump: Participation without Illusions
Posted on January 23, 2025 by Peter J. Schuurman
Guest Blog:
Callum MacLeod is an undergraduate student at McMaster University graduating this spring with a BA in Economics and Political Science. He is especially interested in the intersection of politics with his Christian faith and will be working at the Bank of Canada in Ottawa following his graduation.
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary (USA) declared “polarization” to be the word of the year for 2024. For those wondering how to make a difference in an age of algorithms and culture war, Koyzis’ latest book is a welcome invitation to responsible citizenship. Starting from a solid base of Christian assumptions about human dignity and the God-given role of the state, Koyzis shows that Christians can be a constructive, faithful and winsome presence in a pluralistic society without exacerbating political divisions. (note from editor, Peter Schuurman)
The Economist heralded 2024 as the “biggest election year in history.” Within this context, David Koyzis’ new book, Citizenship Without Illusions: A Christian Guide to Political Engagement (IVP 2024), is a timely exploration of how Christians should view the intersection of faith and politics. Koyzis’ first book, Political Visions and Illusions (IVP 2003) , addressed similar questions. In it, he reveals how “political ideologies… are contemporary manifestations… of idolatry” (p. 7), emphasizing the inability of political movements to bring about social salvation. Despite his original book’s wide acclaim, it lacked a comprehensive guide for how lay Christians might actively participate in politics. Questions such as, “For whom should Christians vote?” or “Which party is the most righteous?” were left unanswered in his political philosophy. Koyzis’ recent publication is an effort to apply the principles he has established to these everyday political questions.
Koyzis is a political theorist and academic by training. After earning his PhD at Notre Dame, he spent 30 years as a professor at Redeemer University in Hamilton, Ontario. However, his impressive scholarship fails to reveal an integral part of his character. As someone who has benefited from his mentorship, I can attest to his love for teaching and his desire to help the body of Christ think through complex problems surrounding faith and politics. This pastoral motivation is the undoubted impetus for this book, and his passion for empowering lay people shines through in his writing style. Instead of the pithy statements that so often characterize political commentary today, Koyzis articulates complex ideas in a winsome and engaging manner. He skillfully blends personal experiences with historical rigour, making his work accessible and thought-provoking. His ability to blend these elements and bring lofty principles to bear on everyday events results in a short and practical book that appeals to laypeople and political enthusiasts alike.
While Koyzis’ writing style makes the book engaging and accessible, its substance is equally inspiring. Beginning with a discussion of what it means to be a citizen, Koyzis explains how citizenship entails both rights and responsibilities. These rights and responsibilities are especially important for Christians to understand, as they are citizens of both earthly and heavenly kingdoms. Koyzis grounds this tension between the two kingdoms by examining how Christians have understood the interplay of faith and politics throughout history. While Koyzis’ Reformed perspective is evident in his emphasis on Abraham Kuyper’s notion of sphere sovereignty, he also considers other perspectives, particularly the Catholic doctrine of subsidiarity. His commitment to holistically examining how Christians of various traditions have reasoned through these issues is a great strength of the book.
This is especially true in the book’s later chapters, where Koyzis devotes his time to specific questions on how to be both faithful and political. He addresses how Christians can decide whom to vote for and how to organize politically. He also examines the breakdown of local politics, acknowledging how societal and technological changes have altered how we engage with those geographically close to us. While advocating for a nuanced approach to addressing specific situations, Koyzis asserts that one of the key ways Christians can live out their earthly citizenship is through active participation in these local communities. If I could make one critique of the book, it is that these specific calls to action could be more pronounced in the book. Nonetheless, they are littered throughout and represent the sections of the book, which still had me thinking long after I had finished reading.
As an evangelical Christian living in the West who is interested in politics, I found this book to be an excellent resource for beginning a conversation on politics and faith. However, Koyzis ensures he uses examples from around the world in his writing. This, along with an emphasis on global citizenship, means that not only readers from Western democracies will find this book helpful. For example, Koyzis supplements chapters on voting in democratic systems with discussions on when Christians should resist authority. This ensures the potential for a global impact and the book’s use in countries that do not have the same freedoms as those in more democratic states.
The Economist article quoted at the beginning of this review also included the subtitle: “But there is more to democracy than voting.” This should remind Christians that a deep motivation for active political engagement, which is so evident in Koyzis’ work, should not be seen as something unique to the Church. Increasingly, political communities are polarized and polemical. Instead of shying away under these conditions, Koyzis’ call for localized political action from Christians should be seen as more than simply an opportunity to winsomely and faithfully represent the moral authority that comes from God’s law. It should also allow the Church to unite as a body and shine forth the transformative power of Christ’s gospel. Koyzis is clear that “our efforts to secure justice will always be incomplete this side of Christ’s return” (p. 122). Ultimately, God through Christ brings salvation; no political authority has that power, and as Christians interact in the public sphere, they should never lose sight of that.
