Christianity & Politics: A Memoir of Spiritual Formation and Field Guide for Christians

The gospel, graciously delivered, can change everything.

Even in politics.

Do you feel compelled to run for political office but aren't sure how or where to begin? Are you a pastor wondering how to address sensitive political issues with your church? Have you felt uncertain in the voting booth and wondered how to fulfill your civic duties without violating your conscience? Do you want to know how to speak to-and be heard by-your local city council or school board?

Sharing from decades of experience working to shape public policy, Richard Nelson offers this practical field guide for Christians who want guidance about how to engage in politics in a God-honoring and biblical manner. Christianity & Politics outlines Richard's work founding the Commonwealth Policy Center and ultimately changing the political landscape for generations of Kentuckians. If you are a Christian entering the public square at any level, or desire to see Christ-honoring policies framed into statute, this book is for you.

About the Commonwealth Policy Center

Founded in 2012 by Richard Nelson, the Commonwealth Policy Center's mission was to shore up the societal pillars of the sanctity of life, man/woman marriage, religious freedom, and fiscal integrity in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. There was no guarantee CPC would be able to move the political needle, much less make it past the first year. But by God's grace and through hard work, Nelson and CPC have been involved in public policy victories year after year.

CPC's vision to flip the Kentucky state House of Representatives in 2012 to a pro-life, principled conservative majority was achieved in just three election cycles. CPC helped pass significant pro-life laws and elect Kentucky's most conservative governor. Today, the unborn are protected by law, religious freedom is strengthened, and leftist indoctrination and gender confusion in our public schools have, in many cases, come to a halt. Today, Nelson and his team have an outsized impact on Kentucky's political and policy arenas. The Lexington Herald-Leader recognized CPC as one of the most impactful groups in the Kentucky General Assembly in 2024.