Politics are not the task of a Christian.

Hear, O children of faith and struggle, the solemn words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “Politics are not the task of a Christian.” These words, uttered by a man who lived and died under the shadow of tyranny, are not to be read as retreat from the world, but as a profound call to humility. For Bonhoeffer reminds us that the true task of a Christian is not the pursuit of power, but the pursuit of righteousness, mercy, and truth.

In his time, the Nazi regime twisted religion into a servant of politics, demanding that churches bless its banners and betray their God for loyalty to the state. Bonhoeffer, a pastor and theologian, refused. In declaring that politics is not the Christian’s task, he did not mean that believers must ignore the world, but that they must never confuse the kingdom of God with the kingdoms of men. For politics seeks victory, but faith seeks truth; politics divides, but Christ unites.

History shows us this conflict again and again. The early Christians of Rome did not seize the Senate nor raise armies. Instead, they lived in quiet defiance of Caesar, refusing to bow to idols, and in so doing they transformed the empire itself. Their power lay not in political maneuvering but in the radiant witness of lives lived for love, sacrifice, and holiness. So too Bonhoeffer believed that the Christian’s mission was not to rule, but to bear witness—even if that witness required martyrdom.

Yet his life reveals the tension of these words. For though he declared politics not the task of a Christian, Bonhoeffer himself was drawn into resistance against Hitler, even into a conspiracy that sought the tyrant’s death. His own path showed that while Christians may not seek politics for its own sake, there are moments when to remain silent is to betray Christ Himself. Thus, his saying is both warning and paradox: do not make politics your mission, yet do not forsake your conscience in the face of evil.

Therefore, O heirs of his legacy, let this be your wisdom: the Christian must not seek politics as an end, for their mission is higher than earthly crowns. Yet when politics becomes the mask of oppression and the weapon of lies, the Christian cannot remain idle, for to serve truth is to resist falsehood in whatever form it takes. Bonhoeffer’s words endure as a fire in the heart: seek first the kingdom of God, and let your witness, not ambition, be your answer to the powers of the age.