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Authority & Citizenship
What do Christians owe civil government, and how do we keep every earthly allegiance beneath the lordship of Jesus Christ?
A Pastoral Guide for a Defining Public Conversation
The Church’s Opportunity in a Time of Decision
Alberta’s future—including the question of independence—is not only a political issue. For pastors and church leaders, it is a discipleship opportunity.
The deeper question is: What is the role and responsibility of the Church in a time of major public decision?
The Pastoral Challenge
Silence can feel safe. Engagement can feel risky.
Public questions can divide congregations, distract from the Gospel, reopen wounds, or pull the Church toward partisanship. Those are real concerns. But silence is rarely neutral when public decisions are already shaping families, freedoms, conscience, education, stewardship, justice and the common good.
Pastors are not called to tell people how to vote.
They are called to form disciples who can think, speak, pray, vote and act faithfully under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Why should the Church care about the nation?
Not because Canada, Alberta, or any political arrangement is ultimate. Christ is ultimate.
But because public life affects real neighbours: families, children, work, worship, justice, freedom, community and future generations.
A Better Path
Not silence. Not partisan capture. Faithful witness.
Silence
Leaves other voices to shape the fears, loyalties, hopes and convictions of God’s people.
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Faithful Presence
Uses biblical categories, prayer, discernment, courage, humility and love of neighbour to help Christians engage responsibly.
Five Questions for the Church
A biblical framework for thinking before reacting.
The guide organizes the conversation around five major areas of discernment. These are not party positions. They are pastoral questions designed to help Christians judge public issues through biblical principles rather than political identity.
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Stewardship, Economics & the Common Good
How should Christians think about taxation, debt, regulation, work, provision, fairness and responsibility to future generations?
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Family, Community & Moral Formation
How do public decisions affect families, children, parental responsibility, conscience and the kind of society we pass on?
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Work, Resources & Alberta’s Vocation
What does faithful stewardship of Alberta’s work, enterprise, agriculture, energy, trades and natural resources look like?
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Public Witness Without Partisanship
How can the Church contribute moral clarity without becoming an arm of a political movement—or retreating into silence?
A Different Kind of Political Conversation
What if churches could discuss difficult questions without becoming divided by them?
Scripture before headlinesBegin with biblical foundations rather than political outrage.
Questions before slogansHelp people think carefully instead of reacting quickly.
Conviction without contemptSpeak with moral clarity while refusing to treat opponents as enemies.
Unity without avoidanceProtect the unity of the Church without pretending hard questions do not exist.
Courage without combativenessEngage public life boldly while reflecting the character of Christ.
Citizenship without idolatryTake civic responsibility seriously without making politics ultimate.
“The goal is not political mobilization. The aim is pastoral formation, biblical discernment, and faithful public witness.”
The guide repeatedly returns to this distinction: pastors do not need to manufacture political uniformity; they need to form mature Christian discernment.
The Practical Resource
Built for pastors, elders, boards, small groups and congregational conversations.
The guide combines biblical reflection with practical pastoral tools. It is designed to be used deliberately and prayerfully—one category, one discussion, one leadership setting at a time.
Inside the Guide
- A biblical framework for contested public questions
- Five major areas for pastoral discernment
- Scripture foundations and theological reflection
- Questions pastors can use with congregations
- Conversation guardrails and pastoral guidance
- A four-session small-group conversation guide
- Deeper material on Church, State, allegiance and public witness
- Public concerns raised by Canadian Christians
- Resources for further study and discernment
CALL TO ACTION
You can:
- Commit this to prayer and wait on Holy Spirit.
- Receive and review our 35 page document explaining this at a deeper level.
- Request a Zoom meeting to discuss the material and how it can be presented to your leadership team or congregation.