Willy Rice, president of the Southern Baptist Convention and pastor, is asking his fellow pastors to stop hiding from politics. Ahead of the midterm elections, Rice told pastors across the country to “step up” into the political process, arguing that religious leaders have a duty to engage with issues that hit at the core of what Americans believe.
Rice’s remarks come as evangelical Christians prepare for November’s vote. The pastor and convention leader is pushing back against a trend he says has silenced many believers in recent decades, urging clergy to reclaim the pulpit as a platform for political engagement.
Rice’s Call to Pastors
Rice opened his argument by framing the question directly. Should pastors engage in politics? His answer is a firm yes.
He pointed to the historical record. Throughout American history, pastors have had a strong voice at key moments in political history, he said. That tradition, he argued, gives clergy a moral obligation to speak now.
Rice also noted a shift in recent years. Many Christians have been encouraged, from both external and internal forces, to “be more quiet” and “withdraw from the political process.” He lamented that change, saying it has weakened the church’s influence at a moment when he believes the stakes are high.
The Left’s Engagement Problem
Rice’s central claim is that the political left is already doing exactly what he wants evangelicals to do. He said members of the theological and political left have shown no hesitation to mix religion with their politics, and he argues that evangelicals should not either.
He cited statistics showing that people on the political and theological left are actually more politically engaged than those on the right. That comparison is central to his appeal: if the left is willing to blend faith and politics, why should the right hold back?
Rice’s answer is simple. He believes Christians have a responsibility to vote based on what they believe, and he wants pastors to help their congregations see that connection.
The Issues He Named
Rice listed several issues where he believes Christians should feel compelled to vote in a certain way. He named abortion, the definition of marriage, gender identity and immigration.
On abortion, he said these issues are deeply, profoundly theological issues, going back to Genesis 1 and 2 and the understanding of what it means to be a human being.
On immigration, he argued Christians face “manipulative” arguments. He admitted the issue presents a “challenge” for Christians, acknowledging the tension between compassion and legal boundaries.
The immigration example is telling. Rice is not arguing for open borders. He is arguing against being manipulated into supporting them. He wants Christians to resist pressure from people in power who try to exploit their charitable instincts.
The Immigration Debate
Rice’s immigration argument is structured around a tension he calls “manipulative.” He said there is a value of compassion, a value of wanting to care for the least of these people who are poor and oppressed and wanting to help.
He noted that Christians do more of that charity than any other group in the U.S. That observation sets up his warning: the manipulation comes when politicians tie compassion to immigration policy.
“There is also the importance of the rule of law. The protection of people who are in this country. And what you’ve had is sometimes a very cynical use by some people in power of trying to manipulate Christians by saying, since you must demonstrate compassion, therefore you must embrace open immigration, or you must not insist on the enforcement of the the immigration laws,” he said.
He concluded with a vivid metaphor. “That is very, very manipulative. No one would say that because you love people or care for people, you should leave the doors of your house unlocked, or you should open up the jail cells in your own community.”
The Political Landscape
Rice’s timing matters. Midterm elections are coming, and the stakes are high for both parties.
Rice’s call to pastors is a reminder that religious leaders are not neutral observers. They have influence over their flocks, and they have a stake in the outcome.
The question is whether pastors are willing to use that influence. Rice is betting they are, and he is asking them to step up.
The Limits of Engagement
Rice’s argument rests on a distinction between mixing religion and politics and being silent. He wants evangelicals to engage, but he also warns against being manipulated.
That tension is worth holding. Christians can be politically engaged without becoming pawns of cynical politicians. Rice’s immigration example shows how to do both.
The Bottom Line
Rice’s message is clear. Pastors should engage in politics, and they should do so from a position of strength. He wants them to speak up, not to be pushed around.
The midterm elections are a chance to put that into practice. Rice’s call is a reminder that faith and politics are not separate categories for many Americans. They are connected, and he wants the pulpit to reflect that connection.
Whether pastors answer the call remains to be seen. But Rice has made his position clear. He wants them to step up.
Key Dates and Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Now | Rice’s remarks to pastors |
| Nov | Midterm elections |
| Recent decades | Christians encouraged to “be more quiet” and withdraw from politics |
| Recent decades | Statistics show left more politically engaged than right |
The midterm elections are a chance to put that into practice. Rice’s call is a reminder that faith and politics are not separate categories for many Americans. They are connected, and he wants the pulpit to reflect that connection.
Whether pastors answer the call remains to be seen. But Rice has made his position clear. He wants them to step up.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs neither Willy Rice’s call nor the trend he opposes, and instead supports living and letting live, keeping politics separate from the pulpit whenever possible. On abortion, the paper supports protecting life; on gender identity and immigration, it takes no side and says so. The paper backs medical cannabis for patients but is against cheering recreational legalization or the marijuana industry. It backs small business, maximizes individual freedom, and avoids concentrations of power in government or business.
What Rice describes as a “manipulative” use of compassion against Christians—politicians tying charity to immigration policy—is exactly the kind of cynical exploitation the paper warns against. When politicians say since you must demonstrate compassion, therefore you must embrace open immigration, they are treating the faithful as pawns rather than as free citizens. The paper agrees with Rice that this is wrong, but it also agrees with him that the solution is for Christians to resist it, not to join it.
The reader should watch for preachers who treat political loyalty as a test of faith, and for candidates who measure a congregation’s worth by its turnout. The paper wants voters to be informed, but it wants churches to stay out of the business of campaigning. The midterm elections are a chance to see which pastors heed Rice’s call and which keep politics where it belongs: outside the pulpit.
Source material: “Southern Baptist president calls on pastors to 'step up' ahead of midterm elections,” Fox News.
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