The issue of political engagement is a divisive one within the Adventist church. For me, a political science and journalism major, it is deeply intriguing. Since the birth of the denomination in the late 19th century, politics has been a hot-button topic. But why?
Many might point to John 17:15-16 (“in the world, but not of the world”) or Matt. 22:21 (“to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s”) as Biblical evidence that religion and politics are and should remain heterogeneous. However, this long-held view has been flipped over in recent years as a growing number of young Adventists are becoming more politically aware. The Millennial generation is one of the most socially and politically active we’ve seen, perhaps because of the unprecedented sociopolitical climate, or simply the rapid spread of information social media has enabled.
When I helped organize a campus-wide voter registration and engagement initiative before the 2020 presidential election, I observed a noticeable interest in civic engagement from students. I couldn’t help but wonder if I would have seen the same thing in 1950 or 1890.