Faith and Theology

The image of God grounds human dignity as inherent, equal, and nonnegotiable, not earned by ability, productivity, citizenship, or social approval. In policy ethics, this means government and institutions must treat people as persons, not as instruments, data points, or disposable burdens. Image based dignity supports strong protections for innocent life, especially for the most vulnerable, including the unborn, disabled, and elderly, while also affirming moral agency, accountability, and the possibility of restoration in areas like criminal justice. It shapes economic and social policy by valuing meaningful work, opposing exploitation, and seeking pathways that strengthen agency and family stability rather than degrading dependency. It calls for humane, just treatment of migrants while recognizing the state’s legitimate duty to maintain order.

Natural law, in Christian thought, refers to moral truths embedded in creation that human beings can perceive through reason and conscience because God made the world with order and purpose. Scripture supports this through creation theology, wisdom literature’s assumption of a morally structured universe, and God’s judgment of nations for injustices that transcend Israel’s covenant code. Paul is most explicit in Romans 1 and 2, arguing that people have real moral knowledge through general revelation and the work of the law written on the heart, even while sin distorts that knowledge and leaves humanity in need of grace. Historically, thinkers like Augustine and Aquinas developed natural law as participation in God’s eternal law, grounding ethics in human nature and its ends, while Reformers often affirmed moral knowledge through common grace, though emphasizing the fall’s effects on reason.

Scripture presents government as a real but limited authority that exists under God’s sovereignty. Because humans bear God’s image, political power must respect human dignity and cannot claim total ownership over conscience. Because of sin, government serves a necessary role in restraining evil, punishing wrongdoing, and preserving public order. The Bible affirms the legitimacy of civil authority in passages like Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2, while also setting clear boundaries, when rulers command disobedience to God, believers must obey God rather than men. Across Israel’s law, kingship, and prophetic witness, rulers are accountable to God’s moral standards and warned against pride and oppression. In Christ, ultimate allegiance belongs to God alone, and Revelation warns that the state can become idolatrous when it demands worship and persecutes the faithful.

The piece frames election season as a discipleship moment, not a chance for the church to become a partisan platform. It opens by emphasizing that the church should speak with clarity without losing unity, credibility, or mission.