Belief and Change

As one who has been interested in the nature of “belief” from theological and social-scientific perspectives, I was quite taken with one of the slogans of the Obama presidential campaign: Change We Can Believe In. There can be no serious doubt that many people who were caught up in the campaign in support of Obama were also energized by the prospect of change. He declared, “I’m asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington … I’m asking you to believe in yours.” Apparently, enough voters chose to “believe” in change as expressed by his vision for America and our recent politics that he is now our President-elect—and many have considerable energy built up and pent up.

But apparently, a vast array of these supporters also believe in their own ability to bring change, just as President-elect Obama declared. Now, what to do? It is not likely that the change envisioned by Candidate Obama can be achieved without the help—and continued activity—of those who “believe” in his ability and their own.

One sure way to release pent-up energy and enthusiasm is to stay in the struggle; it’s not simply a matter of taking up new activities but continuing to work on behalf of the policy issues that remain most important to us. One thing we can do, then, is focus our continuing activity in an area where we have vested interest.

It might be working for health care because we know someone who can’t afford treatment or drugs, or immersing ourselves in advocacy for realistic and sustainable energy policy because we think current policy is not good stewardship of creation, or networking with others who are working to reform state funding for education because our school district has (or does not have) advantages and programs others don’t, or organizing a group of people in our community to do something about promoting multicultural understanding and relations because racist expressions have appeared in town.

There are issues so large and complex and national in scope—like health care and energy, housing and immigration—that it can be paralyzing to think about working for change. Fortunately, there are others who feel and think the same. Connection with them is desirable and possible with networks and coalitions that transcend state boundaries. But many of these issues have local policy implications; they are issues that have a very “local face” and can be engaged at the local level. One thing we can do is find out who is putting the make-up on the local face of an issue, and what is being expressed or hidden as a result.

Not sure where to start? Try pointing your browser to Google and doing a search on the policy area you are concerned about and the name of your community (e.g., “health care” and “Clarendon Hills”) and see what comes up!

The soon-to-be President Obama believes in us, in our ability to bring about change. This belief is important enough to him to confess it and campaign on it. If we want change, change we can believe in, we have to believe in our own ability to bring it about. And here is where the theology and social science sneak in. Beliefs are invisible in themselves. The evidence of belief is conduct, behavior, activity, and so belief in change and our ability to bring it about is absent unless we express it in our work.

Belief and change, when brought together with focus and work, can be measured. So what can one do? Believe, really.

Peace,
Douglas Sharp

Belief and Change