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Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues
Praying for kings
What does it really mean to pray for “all who are in high positions”? (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
Context
It’s no secret that many people feel disenchanted with political leaders, and with the whole political process. Sleaze and corruption, finger-pointing by politicians at vulnerable people, hypocrisy and outright lies will not increase anyone’s faith in the way political decisions are reached and implemented. Moreover, the publication through social, and too often mainstream media of distorted “news” stories and images is calculated to lead the susceptible up one political or social blind alley after another, despite the work of fact-checkers who are fully aware that “a lie can be halfway round the world before the truth has got its boots on”.
In July this year, the UK Government itself acknowledged that declining trust in our institutions and democracy itself has become critical… and set out its strategy for “futureproofing our democracy”. None of its proposals, however, address the abandonment of basic fairness by many politicians, as pointed out by Emeritus Professor Richard Murphy a few months earlier:
"For forty years, people have been abandonned by a form of politics that treats 90% of people with contempt, keeps 8% happy and massively favours 2%. Why should people be happy?"
If we dig deeper, we encounter a yet more fundamental problem, about the kinds of people we elect to lead us and why we choose them. Therapist, lawyer and mediator Bill Eddy observes that:
"Whether in dating, hiring, or electing people, narcissists and sociopaths are the two most seductive personalities on the planet... Yet most people miss the simple early warning signs of these high-conflict politicians (HCPs) i.e.
- Pre-occupation with blaming others;
- Lots of all-or-nothing thinking;
- Unmanaged or intense emotions;
- Extreme behavior or threats."
Looking around, we see billionaires playing with their spaceships, while conflict, poverty and global warming drive increasing death tolls, tides of refugees and rising oceans. Politicians wring their hands about unemployment, homelessness and their inability to “grow the economy”, and clamp down on our rights to freedom of speech and peaceful protest.
How can anyone still doubt that we are in deep trouble: locally, nationally and globally?
Ideas for sermons or interactive talks
In today’s reading from 1 Timothy, St Paul urges us that “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.”
If Jesus had presented his teachings in words only, rather than also in his behaviour and self-sacrifice, few people would have been impressed. He specifically challenges those who heap up pious words but do nothing towards the fulfilment of their prayers. "Be the change you want to see in the world" is a well-known saying, sometimes attributed to Mahatma Gandhi. Similarly, Christian writers have pointed out that praying “in Jesus’ name” means praying as he prayed. This means not only speaking words, singing hymns or meditating silently, but also offering ourselves – as he did – to be part of the answer to our own prayers.
When it comes to praying for those in high positions, Christians are called both to say our prayers, and also to offer ourselves, as individuals and communities, to persuade our leaders towards a Christ-like expression of unconditional love towards all people and the whole of creation. This may be done at the ballot-box, through participation in consultations, inquiries and campaigns, and every day by the way we live our lives.
Questions for discussion
- When we pray for our leaders, what should we pray for?
- How may we better unite our prayers with our lives?
- What issues should we prioritise today?
Robert Beard is an NHS worker and Church of England priest.
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Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people
Whatever your views on politics and on those in positions of authority and leadership across the world, Timothy’s urging in this week's passage to pray for everyone, especially for those in authority and leadership, seems to be more urgent now than ever.
When we think of people in positions of authority and leadership, our mind often goes to those who are famous and well known; whether that be well-known political leaders, social influencers or those whose names are in the news in any given week. And whilst it’s clearly important to be praying for those people, I wonder if we need to be praying for ourselves and those around us as we react and respond to those in positions of authority.
I’ve been struck this past week by how people on my social media feed have responded to the shooting of Charlie Kirk in America. Christians from across the theological spectrum – and people from across the political spectrum - responding to the shooting in so many different ways. They were often sharing their thoughts and reflections from very different theological or political viewpoints; sometimes falling out over those differences, whilst other times coming to a place of mutual respect and learning despite those very clear, deep different viewpoints and perspectives.
Chatting with a friend today, I reflected how easy it can be to disengage from fellow Christians who we disagree with on certain issues; and how we as a Church should be modelling a way to work out how to work in unity with each other, even when we appear to disagree over significant life issues. I don’t have any easy answers about how we get there – but I know that Paul’s urging to pray for each other, especially for those in a position of authority, is a good place to start.
Jonathan Buckley, Youth Development Worker at YMCA White Rose and Redevelopment Manager at St Paul’s, Parson Cross, Sheffield.
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