Life at the Crossroads: Perspectives on Some Areas of Public Life Politics Living at the Crossroads Chapter 9

Institution of Government o Part of God’s creational intention? o God’s response to fallen situation?

Government: Rooted in creation or fall? o Government as God’s creational intention: Ordering society justly o Government as God’s response to sin: Arbitrating conflict

Old Testament Israel and Today o God shaped Israel’s political authority to facilitate God’s rule over his people o Yet enormous difference between Israel and church o Israel was theocracy o Church scattered among nations o Nations among whom church lives are not theocracies

Romans 13:1-7 o God’s agent to punish and reward o God ordained institution for maintaining justice o Church is to have positive approach toward state o Church to be good tax-paying citizens

Honoring Unjust Government? o Does Romans 13 legitimate unjust political authority? o Often used in this way o Text speaks of government as “God’s servant” o Serve God’s justice

Civil Disobedience? o Exodus 1:17-22: Midwives honored for resisting Pharaoh’s unjust commands o Acts 4: We must obey God rather than man

We obey God first. We respect the authorities that rule, for they are established by God. We pray for our rulers, and we work to influence governments— resisting them only when Christ and conscience demand. ( Our World Belongs to God, 52)

We call on all governments to do public justice and to protect the rights and freedoms of individuals, groups, and institutions so that each may do their tasks. We urge governments and pledge ourselves to safeguard children and the elderly from abuse and exploitation, to bring justice to the poor and oppressed, and to promote the freedom to speak, work, worship, and associate. ( Contemporary Testimony, 53)

Biblical directives o Government has been instituted by God for our good and must conform to God’s design o Its role is to maintain public justice in society, and it is entitled to use force to do so o Yet governments can be corrupted by various idolatries and ideologies o Christians should be model citizens and should honor and respect government o They can never give uncritical allegiance to any human government, since their first loyalty is to Jesus, the Son of Man.

Two horizons: Biblical and contemporary o Indwell the biblical story o And relate that story to our very different situation today o Very difficult and complex

Key elements to faithful approach o Take biblical clues seriously o Become familiar with long Christian tradition of political reflection o Know the story of how our political institutions developed o Understand ideologies/idolatries that shape political authority

Political Ideologies: Reductionist and totalitarian Ideologies attempt to offer a total explanation for the world and its history and thus “all ideologies contain totalitarian elements.” They read the whole of reality through a single idea... It is a short step from ideology to totalitarianism, which not only interprets the world through a single idea but also attempts to mold it in accordance with its inexorable logic (Koyzis, Political Visions and Illusions, 20).

Political Ideologies: Insights and idolatries (Koyzis) o Liberalism: Sovereignty of the individual o Conservatism: History as source of norms o Nationalism: Nation deified o Democracy: Voice of the people is the voice of God o Socialism: Common ownership as salvific

Key elements to faithful approach o Take biblical clues seriously o Become familiar with long Christian tradition of political reflection o Know the story of how our political institutions developed o Understand ideologies/idolatries that shape political authority o Need Christians in politics, scholarship, and civic leaders