BY BISHOP W. EARL BLEDSOE
“Bishop, now that the election is over, do you think things will settle down and get back to normalcy in the world again?” asked a dear layperson and friend.
I had to think about what was behind the question, but I decided to answer it head on. I said, “That really depends on each of us doing our part to ensure that democracy and freedom are living and active words in our lives.”
I remembered a quote by Aristotle which said: “If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost.”
We have experienced history in the making with the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America. Now we as citizens of a democracy will need to pull together to live out and make known to the world our ideals of freedom and democracy in society. The issues facing us as a nation are great; however, I believe our faith in God and the hope of a better world will rise above our political and social differences.
Those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ believe that our faith in God is much greater than the constraints of political affiliations and differences. I therefore call on all of us as United Methodists to do what we can to “share in the government to the utmost.” I believe we can!









