The Parish Must Outlast the Election

In America, the general election is held on Tuesday, after the first Monday of November. Every two years, this date becomes a national flashpoint. Even when it is not a presidential election, two-thirds of the states elect a senator (more, in the case of special elections) and every congressional seat is up for grabs. The vast majority of gubernatorial races (36 of 50) are also held in these midterm election years.

The midterm elections are a chance for some voters to voice their discontent with the party in office, and for others to rally around policies they support. For many, it is little more than an annoyance. A fellow subdeacon wrote me, “Can this election cycle just be over, so I can stop getting bombarded by political spam calls, e-mails, and being told I’m a horrible person if I don’t vote for candidate X? Or that I’m not a Christian if I don’t vote at all?” This question cuts to the heart of the often fierce political climate that can reign in our society. It never really ends: I wryly replied to him that we will get a few months’ (or maybe just weeks’) respite before the next campaign season begins.