Last Sunday, NBC aired an interview with sportscaster Bob Costas that caught my attention. Costas and Meet the Press host Kristen Welker discussed how sports can function as a unifier, before considering the intersections between sports and politics and the tendency for things to get ‘tribal,’ especially in this polarized climate.
As Costas described the intersection of sports with politics as inevitable and not new, he shared a quote that, with a word change or two, could have been uttered by many United Methodist pastors I know.
“[W]hen people say, ‘Stick to sports,’ I think what they actually mean most often is, ‘Stick to sports—unless you’re saying something that I want to hear and I agree with.’”
Politics is infused in many different areas of life because it relates, fundamentally, to how we live together in community. On any given day, we each make political decisions as we respond to the needs and requests of others and seek to have ours addressed within the communities we operate in, including the church.
Just because we can’t avoid politics doesn’t mean we’re powerless in how we engage. In fact, how we engage often reveals what we truly value—and how deeply our discipleship runs.
In a court filing this week, the IRS updated its position on clergy and religious non-profits endorsing specific candidates, saying that each should be able to do so without endangering their tax-exempt status. They argued that the long-standing restriction violates the First Amendment, a position that has circulated in religiously conservative circles for several years now.
As a denomination, The United Methodist Church has a long history of clearly defining its positions on many ‘political’ and social topics. The most recent General Conference affirmed a major revision of the Church’s Social Principles. Still, we have generally avoided endorsing specific candidates or parties, and I believe that remains wise.
While I believe that Costas nails the faux criticism of the politicization of sports (and religion), endorsing specific politicians or parties is a bridge too far. Imagine for a moment that your favorite sports team or league now endorses the political party you oppose. How would that impact your interest in watching a game, buying tickets or paraphernalia?
Imagine the same thing for your church. Would you visit a church with signs out in front endorsing a political party or candidate you disagreed with? In a time of heightened polarization, the church loses its witness when it becomes another silo of like-minded souls.
Now, some of you reading this may be asking, ‘Aren’t you, Patrick, being disingenuous?’ After all, members of and leaders in PNW Conference have taken positions on all sorts of ‘political’ matters over the years. This brings us back to Costas and the reality that politics reside wherever people reside. Again, we can’t avoid politics, but we have agency in how we approach them and model for others our values and discipleship.
Of course, as disciples of Jesus, we can and should look to his example. With even a basic understanding of the world Jesus was operating within, it is hard to miss the myriad ways Jesus’ message addressed the political and social matters of the day.
Still, even as Jesus addressed political realities, he did so by breaking down barriers and challenging norms as had the great prophets before him, with a heart and mind for the poor and marginalized; the same people often overlooked by those in power today.
It’s difficult to bring people together while challenging them to think differently. It’s even harder when we adopt the tactics of the culture wars—treating faith as a platform for scoring points or ‘owning’ the other side.
But the Church is not called to win culture wars. We are called to bear witness—to speak truth in love, to embody grace, and to build beloved community across lines the world insists must divide us.
So no, we can’t avoid politics. Nor should we pretend our faith exists in a vacuum, untouched by the realities people face. But we can be thoughtful in how we engage—centered in Christ, guided by compassion, and always mindful that our ultimate allegiance is not to a party or policy but to One who calls us to love God and neighbor alike.
As United Methodists, we know that faith without action is hollow. Our calling isn’t to avoid the messiness of the world, but to engage it with compassion, courage, and care.
So let us not stick to silence or safety. Let us stick to Christ—and go where love leads.
