GE2024: Biblical priorities in voting
When it comes to matters of public policy, Christians have to assess biblical priorities. We can distinguish those political issues on which the Bible is absolutely clear from those on which it is not.
For instance, the Bible is not clear on how to improve access to GPs or the most appropriate level of university tuition fees. To decide on these issues involves a detailed assessment of the facts and the exercise of judgement based on experience. Many situations we encounter in ordinary life are at this level, and so are many political issues.
But at the other end of the spectrum the Bible is “clear, direct, and decisive” about a whole host of political issues. For example, a vote for abortion or euthanasia is a vote to break the sixth Commandment (Exodus 20:13). These are the kinds of issues that we mainly focus on in this briefing – straightforward matters of right or wrong.
For a very large proportion of political issues, making a Christian judgement depends on the wise assessment of several biblical principles. This can result in Christians arriving at different conclusions.
For example, we know that the state has a right to levy taxes (Romans 13:7). But Christians who hold to biblical truth can legitimately disagree on the level of individual taxes.
