The Universal Liturgy: Civic Duty as the Fruit of Faith
When we sit quietly in a sanctuary or meditate, it can seem like our spiritual journey is just a private conversation with the Divine. But for people of faith, the walls of the temple are not limits but starting points. Many wisdom traditions teach that true devotion is shown by how we live as citizens.
The Wesleyan Heart: Social Holiness in Action. For those within the Wesleyan tradition, this isn’t merely a suggestion; it is our DNA. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was famously insistent that “the gospel of Christ knows no religion but social; no holiness but social holiness.” To Wesley, the idea of a “solitary Christian” was an absurdity. Our “Method” was never intended to be a private checklist for heaven, but a collective discipline for transforming the earth.
The “General Rules” teach us to do no harm, do good in every way we can, and stay connected to God. In today’s democracy, doing good means being involved where decisions are made. Think of a family in a small town, struggling when a budget cut threatens their local health services. Their situation shows what can happen if we stay silent. If we say we care about the “least of these” but do nothing when policies hurt the poor, our faith is empty. In the United Methodist community, we know we are connected. Civic engagement is our social holiness in action, showing warmth that lights up the whole community, not just ourselves.
The Wesleyan passion for justice is rooted in the older Abrahamic traditions. From the Hebrew prophets calling for justice to the Islamic idea of Khilafah, or caring for the earth, the message is clear: we find God in how we treat those who are vulnerable.
The Prophet Amos did not call for more beautiful hymns; he called for “justice to roll down like waters.” This is the “Prophetic Mandate” that informs our civic duty. In the Jewish tradition of Tikkun Olam, we are called to be partners with the Creator in “repairing the world.” This repair work doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens in the messy, bureaucratic, and often frustrating work of city planning, advocacy, and legislation. For instance, engaging in city budgeting processes can help ensure equitable resource allocation to underserved communities, while zoning reforms can address systemic inequalities in housing and public services. Additionally, increasing voter turnout reinforces the democratic foundation necessary for just governance. One contemporary echo of Amos might be found in the ongoing protests against systemic inequality, where voices rise to decry the erosion of civil rights and demand accountability. When we engage civically, we participate in the ongoing Abrahamic story of liberation, moving our communities toward a “Promised Land” where the widow, the orphan, and the immigrant are not just tolerated but cherished.
The Eastern Thread: Dharma and the Great Whole. While the Western traditions often frame duty as a response to a Divine Command, Eastern philosophies offer a complementary perspective through the lens of Dharma and interconnectedness. In Hindu and Buddhist thought, Dharma is the inherent order of the universe and our duty to uphold it. To act according to one’s Dharma is to recognize that our individual well-being is inseparable from the well-being of the whole.
Buddhist “Engaged Spirituality” teaches that compassion is something we do, not just something we feel. If we see that all life is connected, then someone else’s suffering is also ours. Civic duty becomes a way to practice mindfulness. Voting is not just about our own preferences, but about doing what is right. Our local laws can either support or weaken the compassion we try to build in meditation.
The Synthesis: The Liturgy of the Square. When we combine these streams—the Wesleyan drive for social holiness, the Abrahamic hunger for justice, and the Eastern recognition of interconnectedness—we arrive at a powerful synthesis. Civic engagement is a universal liturgy. It is the ritual of the public square where we prove what we say we believe.
If faith becomes only personal or focused on beauty, it loses its strength. We are meant to be “stewards of the common good.” This means staying informed, showing up, and not giving up. It means going to school board meetings for all children, not just our own. It means speaking up for the environment because we see the earth as a gift. It also means treating the voting booth as a sacred place.
A Call to Persistent Presence.
We must return to the square, not as partisans seeking power, but as neighbors seeking peace.
We must return to the square, not as partisans seeking power, but as neighbors seeking peace. We bring with us the Wesleyan discipline of organized love, the Prophetic insistence on justice, and the Eastern wisdom of balance. When we do this, we transform civic duty from a chore into a spiritual practice. We prove that our sanctuaries are not fortresses where we hide from the world, but laboratories where we learn how to love it better.
I encourage you to take a real step this week. Go to a local council meeting or write to your representative about an issue that matters to you. Let this be your first move from belief to action, planting seeds that can grow into a community filled with justice and peace.
