The Spiral of Silence – The Law of God and Public Policy

The Spiral of Silence
The Law of God and Public Policy

We contribute to public policy by our silence.

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deuteronomy 6:6, 7

What people talk about with one another beyond the home, as they discuss issues, candidates, and current events, also helps to shape public policy. As German sociologist Elizabeth Noelle-Neumann has shown, those who are the most active and outspoken regarding their views and demands are likely to carry the day in democratic societies such as ours. The more people talk about their issues, the bolder they become. The bolder and more outspoken they become, the more a “spiral of silence” begins to engulf those who think otherwise. Politicians not well-versed in the logic of public policy will follow the clamoring and act accordingly.

Christians cannot allow the outspoken voices of an age in flight from God to dominate conversations about matters of public policy. Whether in the workplace, among friends or neighbors, or in any of various social settings, Christians must be prepared to understand and talk about the issues of the day in a way that shows the goodness and wisdom of God. We must be ready to explain our views on all manner of public policy issues and to refute those views which serve only the interests of government or the people. If we do not feel ready for such conversations, the proper response is not to withdraw, but to prepare. We need to become like the sons of Issachar, those mighty men of King David’s army, who “understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (1 Chron. 12:32).

If we will not engage in conversations concerning matters of public policy, then it is all but certain that policies will be articulated and pushed up toward decision-makers without representation or input from the perspective of a Christian worldview.

So it is very important that believers in Jesus Christ make the best use of every opportunity to talk about what is good and pleasing to God, and to resist the pressure of the “spiral of silence” to keep us from airing our views. We must study to understand the issues of the day and to discover as much as we can concerning what the Scriptures teach about these matters. We must talk about these issues at home and with our children. Christians should insist that their churches assist them in this process, providing instruction in the broad applications of the salvation of Christ to every area of human life and interest. We must especially learn to think about the Law of God, and all His Word, with respect to matters of public policy. We must not fear to bring the Law into conversations about contemporary issues, and, when we do so, we should be prepared to show the wisdom of the Law and to explain the promise of blessing it contains.

Visit our website, www.ailbe.org, and sign up to receive our thrice-weekly devotional, Crosfigell, featuring writers from the period of the Celtic Revival and T. M.’s reflections on Scripture and the Celtic Christian tradition. Does the Law of God still apply today? Order a copy of T. M.’s book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, and study the question for yourself.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T. M. Moore, editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.