The short answer for a Christian is: “Yes, of course Jesus influences my politics, the same way Jesus influences how I interact with family or my neighbors or my fellow workers.” Presumably, if I’m attempting to live as a follower of Christ, the teachings of Jesus guide me in all parts of my life. This would include my political life as well.

Thankfully, the U.S. Constitution gives me the right to worship God as I see fit, even to ignore religion if I so choose. It gives that same right to all Americans.

The Constitution’s protection of the right of Americans to believe and worship as they see fit, however, was revolutionary at the time. In the Europe from which most of the American founders descended, a state church was a given. Perhaps because they saw how religious wars had devastated large parts of Europe in the recent past, the founders wisely decided to avoid such conflict by opting out of a state religion.

The majority of early Americans were influenced by churches, however, even those not active in one. Certainly, the country’s day to day life was influenced by what people thought was Christian. (Surely, though, any country that was truly “Christian” would not have allowed slavery.)

The United States stayed more religiously attuned long after Europe had become more secular. Eventually, however, secular trends reached more and more Americans. Christian worship lessened, even though many who did not regularly worship would call themselves “Christian” in a cultural sense. Active church membership, however, has decidedly declined.

Any group who has been in a majority tend to be alarmed when their group diminishes, whether religious, political, or even believers in small town life. In addition, of course, political movements now concern fundamental issues like marriage and abortion. People who considered themselves Christian because of culture may not consider themselves as such in terms of traditional beliefs on these issues.

The question is not whether those actively involved in trying to live as Jesus taught should be concerned. Certainly they should be. The question is how they will respond to their concerns. America is not changing because it is no longer “Christian.” It is changing because those calling themselves Christians are being challenged to actually live as followers of Christ.