--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A final irony has to do with the idea of…" description: "\"“A final irony has to do with the idea of political responsibility. Christians are urged to vote and become involved in politics as an expression of th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/james-davison-hunter-19534_christianity_a-final-irony-has-to-do-with-the-idea-of_1150885.jpg" --- # A final irony has to do with the idea of political… ![“A final irony has to do with the idea of political responsibility. Christians are urged to vote and become involved in politics as an expression of their civic duty and public responsibility. This is a credible argument and good advice up to a point. Yet in our day, given the size of the state and…” quote by James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/james-davison-hunter-19534_christianity_a-final-irony-has-to-do-with-the-idea-of_1150885.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/james-davison-hunter-19534_christianity_a-final-irony-has-to-do-with-the-idea-of_1150885.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/james-davison-hunter-19534_christianity_a-final-irony-has-to-do-with-the-idea-of_1150885.jpg) > ““A final irony has to do with the idea of political responsibility. Christians are urged to vote and become involved in politics as an expression of their civic duty and public responsibility. This is a credible argument and good advice up to a point. Yet in our day, given the size of the state and the expectations that people place on it to solve so many problems, politics can also be a way of saying, in effect, that the problems should be solved by others besides myself and by institutions other than the church. It is, after all, much easier to vote for a politician who champions child welfare than to adopt a baby born in poverty, to vote for a referendum that would expand health care benefits for seniors than to care for an elderly and infirmed parent, and to rally for racial harmony than to get to know someone of a different race than yours. True responsibility invariably costs. Political participation, then, can and often does amount to an avoidance of responsibility.”” [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political involvement can become a substitute for personal responsibility, allowing individuals to delegate moral duties to institutions rather than acting directly. **In simple terms:** Voting may replace personal action. Key Takeaway Take personal responsibility, not just vote. Themes politics responsibility morality action Mood critical provocative Type analytical ethical When to use this quote - voting - volunteering - direct aid - community service Key Concepts civic duty ethical theory Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance civic participation with personal deeds? - What actions reflect true responsibility beyond voting? A Different Perspective Systemic change may be needed beyond individual actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Church and state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-and-state/) [Civic duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civic-duty/) [Good advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-advice/) [Health care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-care/) [Political participation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-participation/) [Political responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-responsibility/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Social programs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-programs/) ## Related quotes > [Our responsibility as Christians makes us tremble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-romero/our-responsibility-as-christians-makes-us-tremble/) [Oscar Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-romero/) > [Our responsibility as Christians makes us tremble. The northern hemisphere, the developed area of the world, the 20% who possess 80% of the world's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-lder-c-mara/our-responsibility-as-christians-makes-us-tremble-the-northern/) [Hélder Câmara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-lder-c-mara/) > [In the Constitution, there is no idea of a political party. It is representatives of every constituency because it is so vibrant and varied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prakash-raj/in-the-constitution-there-is-no-idea-of-a-political-party-it-is/) [Prakash Raj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prakash-raj/) > [The idea of political content is irrelevant. Content is irrelevant. I always tell my students, "Never forget you're writing words! You know, word one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hickey/the-idea-of-political-content-is-irrelevant-content-is-irrelevant-i/) [Dave Hickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hickey/) > [Despite the evidence that we already have too many students in higher education, the hot new idea among the political class is to double…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/despite-the-evidence-that-we-already-have-too-many-students-in-higher/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [It makes me nuts, the idea that if you put a political struggle at the heart of your book, then it has to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ozeki/it-makes-me-nuts-the-idea-that-if-you-put-a-political-struggle-at-the/) [Ruth Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ozeki/) > [If I had political responsibility, I would want to prepare for a plan B that would foresee that the European currency union, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peer-steinbruck/if-i-had-political-responsibility-i-would-want-to-prepare-for-a-plan/) [Peer Steinbruck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peer-steinbruck/) > [Citizenship in the 21st century requires more than paying your taxes and voting and occasionally running for office. That even if you're never in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/citizenship-in-the-21st-century-requires-more-than-paying-your-taxes/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The institution of representative government to us seems an essential part of democracy, but the ancients never thought of it. Its immense merit was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-institution-of-representative-government-to-us-seems-an-essential/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Can companies just claim a total lack of political responsibility in how their technology is used in all instances? It's something that companies should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/can-companies-just-claim-a-total-lack-of-political-responsibility-in/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [I think it's one thing to be part of a very important group called the Senate of the United States and cast a vote.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ridge/i-think-it-s-one-thing-to-be-part-of-a-very-important-group-called/) [Tom Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ridge/) > [In Europe it is particularly important that we build good relations to everyone who holds political responsibility because Europe can only be build together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/in-europe-it-is-particularly-important-that-we-build-good-relations/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [Autonomy is the capacity to act on principles that are one's own and one will exercise this capacity by means of a process of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-assiter/autonomy-is-the-capacity-to-act-on-principles-that-are-one-s-own-and/) [Alison Assiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-assiter/) > [I ask everyone with political responsibility to remember two things: human dignity and the common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-ask-everyone-with-political-responsibility-to-remember-two-things/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I felt we must separate political responsibility. The Dalai Lama should not carry that burden. So that is my selfish reason - to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-felt-we-must-separate-political-responsibility-the-dalai-lama/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) ## More by James Davison Hunter > [“pluralism today—at least in America—exists without a dominant culture,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/pluralism-today-at-least-in-america-exists-without-a-dominant-culture/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“ideas are not free-floating in consciousness but are grounded in the social world in the most concrete ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/ideas-are-not-free-floating-in-consciousness-but-are-grounded-in-the/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“We want character but without unyielding conviction; we want strong morality, but without the emotional burden of guilt or shame; we want virtue but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/we-want-character-but-without-unyielding-conviction-we-want-strong/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“idealism ignores the way culture is generated,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/idealism-ignores-the-way-culture-is-generated/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“There is little taste for 'high culture' especially in Evangelicalism, where the tendency has long been toward translation - making things accessible to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/there-is-little-taste-for-high-culture-especially-in-evangelicalism/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“the character of American civilization is a bundle of contradictions,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/the-character-of-american-civilization-is-a-bundle-of-contradictions/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“faithfulness works itself out in the context of complex social, political, economic, and cultural forces that prevail at a particular time and place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/faithfulness-works-itself-out-in-the-context-of-complex-social/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“idealism mistakenly imputes a logic and rationality to culture”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/idealism-mistakenly-imputes-a-logic-and-rationality-to-culture/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [The contemporary quarrel over church and state is not really about whether a wall of separation of church and state should exist or not...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/the-contemporary-quarrel-over-church-and-state-is-not-really-about/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“idealism misconstrues agency, implying the capacity to bring about influence where that capacity may not exist or where it may only be weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/idealism-misconstrues-agency-implying-the-capacity-to-bring-about/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“In the seeker-church movement the emphasis away from the use and explication of creedal confession is obvious, since the whole point is to focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/in-the-seeker-church-movement-the-emphasis-away-from-the-use-and/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [If Christians cannot extend grace through faithful presence within the body of believers, they will not be able to extend grace to those outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/if-christians-cannot-extend-grace-through-faithful-presence-within/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“culture is as much an infrastructure as it is ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/culture-is-as-much-an-infrastructure-as-it-is-ideas/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“What is even more striking than the negational character of this political culture is the absence of robust and constructive affirmations. Vibrant cultures make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/what-is-even-more-striking-than-the-negational-character-of-this/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“culture is not neutral in relation to power but a form of power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/culture-is-not-neutral-in-relation-to-power-but-a-form-of-power/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) [Explore all 32 James Davison Hunter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) ## More Christianity quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“some of my good Baptist brethren in Georgia had done a little preaching from the pulpit against the KKK, I would have a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-moss/some-of-my-good-baptist-brethren-in-georgia-had-done-a-little/) [Norman Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-moss/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“every church can treat each discipleship class and each worship service as an opportunity for continual rehearsal of what the words, stories, symbols, rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/every-church-can-treat-each-discipleship-class-and-each-worship/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/) [David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/) > [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) [Browse all 14,385 Christianity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A final irony has to do with the idea of political responsibility. Christians are urged to vote and become involved in politics as an expression of their civic duty and public responsibility. This is a credible argument and good advice up to a point. Yet in our day, given the size of the state and the expectations that people place on it to solve so many problems, politics can also be a way of saying, in effect, that the problems should be solved by others besides myself and by institutions other than the church. It is, after all, much easier to vote for a politician who champions child welfare than to adopt a baby born in poverty, to vote for a referendum that would expand health care benefits for seniors than to care for an elderly and infirmed parent, and to rally for racial harmony than to get to know someone of a different race than yours. True responsibility invariably costs. Political participation, then, can and often does amount to an avoidance of responsibility.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Davison Hunter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/a-final-irony-has-to-do-with-the-idea-of-political-responsibility/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christianity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/a-final-irony-has-to-do-with-the-idea-of-political-responsibility/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/james-davison-hunter-19534_christianity_a-final-irony-has-to-do-with-the-idea-of_1150885.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/james-davison-hunter-19534_christianity_a-final-irony-has-to-do-with-the-idea-of_1150885.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/james-davison-hunter-19534_christianity_a-final-irony-has-to-do-with-the-idea-of_1150885.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A final irony has to do with the idea of political responsibility. Christians are urged to vote and become…” — James Davison Hunter", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Davison Hunter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A final irony has to do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/a-final-irony-has-to-do-with-the-idea-of-political-responsibility/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/a-final-irony-has-to-do-with-the-idea-of-political-responsibility/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```