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In the Small Catechism’s section on the Lord’s Prayer, Martin Luther listed good government as part of our prayer for “daily bread.”
Expanding on this in the Large Catechism, he wrote: “Indeed, the greatest need of all is to pray for the civil authorities and government, for it is chiefly through them that God provides us daily bread and all the comforts of this life” (The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church; Fortress, 2000).
With such words, Luther affirmed the important, God-given roles that political life and civic engagement play in our world. Just like God created families for support at home and the church to share the gospel, Luther believed that God created government to care for the secular communities in which we live.
Luther knew that receiving daily bread is not an abstract issue. Getting real food to real stomachs means having functional economic and legal systems. Good governments provide fair weights and measures, promote honest business practices and maintain environmental protection so people can receive healthy nourishment. For Luther, good political leadership also helps share God’s blessing of daily bread by supporting stability and peace: “For where dissension, strife, and war prevail, there daily bread is already taken away or at least reduced” (Book of Concord).
For this reason, Luther went on to say, “It would therefore be fitting if the coat of arms of every upright prince were emblazoned with a loaf of bread … or if a loaf of bread were stamped on coins, in order to remind both princes and subjects that it is through the princes’ office that we enjoy protection and peace and that without them we could neither eat nor preserve the precious gift of bread” (Book of Concord).
Imagine a loaf of bread being featured on our money, flags and courthouses! Imagine citizens knowing that the first and last job of our political leaders and civic institutions is to make sure that all people have what they need to be healthy and whole in daily life! How might those beliefs positively impact you and your community?
Truth, dialogue and thriving communities
This Lutheran political commitment makes a practical difference by giving everyone a role to play in how God answers our prayer for daily bread. Those who grow, prepare, transport, buy, sell, cook, serve and share food are part of God’s abundant blessings for the world. Politicians and civil servants who help maintain the peace, write and enforce fair policies, and oversee public safety are part of fulfilling this prayer too. Honest businesspeople, hardworking employees, thoughtful citizens, caring friends and loving family members all contribute to the nourishment of those around them. A politics of “daily bread” allows us to see how God’s abundance, good government and active citizenship come together all at once.
At the same time, the Lutheran Reformers knew that life in this world always includes sin and brokenness. But instead of trying to impose the kingdom of God through religious fervor or giving up on politics due to cynicism or despair, early Lutherans worked hard to make grassroots improvements to people’s lives. Luther and his colleagues emphasized caring for those in need in their sermons and books. They developed social policies that included basic healthcare and education. They established effective ways for people in need to receive direct assistance with food, housing and employment.
Luther’s own life shows how he both confronted unjust authority and remained passionate about serving others in religious and political settings. Yes, he challenged the most powerful leaders of his time: the pope and the Holy Roman emperor. However, in his famous “Here I stand” moment on trial before Emperor Charles V, Luther did not say that individuals should reject religious or political authorities. Instead, in his resistance, he said, “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason … I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 32; Fortress, 1958).
Luther wanted discussions and policies to be based on the clear, mutually accountable use of reason and faith for the sake of the common good.
Far from a call to disobey authority or reject political systems, Luther wanted discussions and policies to be based on the clear, mutually accountable use of reason and faith for the sake of the common good. Our politics today can continue to be enriched by this commitment to truth, dialogue and thriving communities.
Similarly, early Lutherans balanced their respect for political stability with a strong commitment to living in God’s love and truth. On June 25, 1530, presenting their faith to Charles V at an imperial gathering in Augsburg, the Lutherans said, “Christians owe obedience to their magistrates and laws except when commanded to sin. For then they owe greater obedience to God than to human beings (Acts 5[:29])” (Book of Concord). In this way, they affirmed that good government has a key role to play in our communal well-being, even though it is not the ultimate authority for us as people of faith.
These commitments to peace, truth, open dialogue, mutual accountability and effective political systems are strengths of the Lutheran tradition. In the United States, Lutherans can be proud that our history has included many dedicated politicians, from Frederick A.C. Muhlenberg (the first speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives) to countless others who have served in national, state and local offices since the founding of this country.
The Lutheran belief that daily bread includes good government means that all of us get to participate in God answering this prayer when we care for others through the political structures we live in.
