Today on the Washington Post’s ‘On Faith‘ section of their website, NT Wright and four other ‘panelists’ were asked what Jesus would be like if he ran for president All four were asked this question: “If the historical Jesus were running for president, what kind of candidate would he be? Republican or Democrat? For or against the death penalty, the Iraq war, abortion, etc.?”

In short, Jesus would challenge power, not run for it.

Here is the rest of his brilliant response:

This is of course an impossible question, like ‘If the sun were to rise in the west, would it be green or blue?’ In other words, by agreeing to the terms of the question you make it impossible to give an answer based on anything other than highly distorted speculation.

Jesus didn’t run for anything. He acted as if he were a different kind of ruler altogether, with a ‘kingdom’ that didn’t originate from the present world (otherwise, he said, his servants would fight to rescue him) but instead was meant FOR this present world, to transform and heal it. The present way we do politics and government is, alas, part of the problem, and he would have challenged it (its huge cost, its pretense of participation which is shamelessly manipulated by the media, its cult of personality, its ignoring, all too often, of the actual needs of the poor, etc. etc.) just as he challenged the power structures of his day.

The real question is, what sort of a cross would today’s system be intent on using to kill him?

Great words! I hope this election season Jesus’ Fiance (aka the Church) would follow this Jesus into shedding all political ambitions and pledge stop whoring herself to either political party…but I have a feeling my hopes will be butchered at the ballot box!

-jeremy