Here is the paradox of Christian political theology, a paradox which the western church has all but ignored for many years, assuming that the main object of the game was to forget earth and concentrate on heaven instead. Precisely because we believe that Jesus Christ has been exalted to heaven, into God’s space, so that he can be present to the whole earth simultaneously (not so that he can be absent from it – heaven forbid!), and so that he can be its rightful Lord, we believe that the church has a responsibility, not to usurp the proper and God-given functions of governments and authorities, of magistrates and officers, but to support them in prayer and to remind them of what they are there for – and to point out when they’re getting it wrong. God has established authorities in the world, as part of the goodness of creation, because without them the bullies and the malevolent would always get away with it. But the problem of evil includes the problem that the people who are supposed to be keeping evil in check may themselves become part of the problem instead of part of the solution.
That’s why, in early Christianity and Judaism, those who believe in God’s kingdom coming on earth as in heaven are not particularly concerned with how rulers get to be rulers. They are not going around campaigning for an early form of parliamentary democracy. They are extremely concerned with what rulers do once they become rulers, knowing that a bad ruler is worse than an ordinary bad person, because their evil is becoming part of the system. And so the church, at its most characteristic from that day to this, in hailing Jesus as the ascended Lord, doesn’t declare a plague on all other lords in the sense of advocating a kind of holy anarchy, or a straightforward theocracy. But the church claims the right, in invoking Jesus as Lord, to challenge the systems of corruption that dehumanize people and enslave them, and to remind the powers that be of what their duty actually is.
From “On Earth as in Heaven“
I agree with all that is said here, but still feel ill-equipped to confidently begin “to challenge the systems of corruption that dehumanize people and enslave them, and to remind the powers that be of what their duty actually is.” What shape this should take in our daily lives remains more than a little vague, I think. To what degree does it mean involvement in politics? To what degree does it mean commited activism? I know that my identity as Christian should fundamentally transcend my identity as American, or as a member of any organization, but to what degree should it preclude those other allegiances from even being part of my identity? As someone very concerned about the fact that “the people who are supposed to be keeping evil in check may themselves become part of the problem instead of part of the solution,” I am suspicious of my own ability to avoid becoming complicit with (and therefore one of) those people.
I think the Christian’s first resonsibility is to speak the gospel of the coming reign of God clearly and authentically, and to live as if it were true. This includes at minimum speaking – publically and privately – against any and all “systems of corruption” whether they are state-sponsored or informal social structures. We have to speak to geo-political issues, the use of torture, the waging of war, immigration policy, end-of-life issues, poverty, environmental policy, etc. And we should get involved – at the local level, with our neighbors – in changing these injustices where possible. But all the while we speak the message that God is going to put all to rights, and bring justice to those who’ve been wronged, as well as to those who’ve perpetrated the injustice. This is to remind ourselves that our good deeds still stand under the judgment of God, and that they, too, will need redemption.
It also includes refusing to participate in any activity/role that violates our identity as followers of Jesus. For instance, I don’t know how a Christian could serve in military combat, except, perhaps, as a medic. If a Christian is one who prays for and loves h/er enemies, who seeks to make peace among all, then what would good would s/he be as a soldier whose job it is to kill for the state?
For these reasons, I think a Christian may have patriotic feeling for h/er country, but only so long as they are kept in check by an ultimate love for God and a passion for the Kingdom.
As to your last point. Self-suspicion is good. But it must be taken up into and transformed by faith. You and I have to learn to trust the intimacy with the Father and the power of the Spirit that are ours in Christ, and trust that God is at work for good in our actions, even if those actions may be fraught with contradictions.
Again, I agree with most everything you’ve said, but still feel unsure about the same question regarding political involvement. You say, and I agree, that “we should get involved – at the local level, with our neighbors – in changing these injustices where possible.” This is clear. I still wonder how and if this translates into political activism that provisionally aligns itself with a candidate, or a party, or in support of a specific piece of legislation, etc. The title of the post “Christian Political Theology” makes me ask these questions. For instance, I know I am responsible for helping the poor in my city. Does this exclusively mean meeting their physical needs and empowering them to change their circumstances through efforts separate from those of our local Government and its leaders, or does it include working directly or indirectly through these channels, all the while doing so as a Christian first and foremost? If the latter, how is this possible and what cautions should be made. I am suspicious simply because I can’t say I’ve ever seen it done in an authentically Christian way. As Wright said about the early church, “They are not going around campaigning for an early form of parliamentary democracy. They are extremely concerned with what rulers do once they become rulers, knowing that a bad ruler is worse than an ordinary bad person, because their evil is becoming part of the system.” He also asserts that, “God has established authorities in the world.” Does this insinuate that we don’t care about elections, because God “chooses” them anyways; or, are we to play a part in God’s “choosing?” These are just a few of the things that remain less clear. That we are to be involved in bringing peace and justice goes without saying; how we do it vis-a-vis established power structures is something I am less clear about.
Thank you for thwe discussion. This is something I need to talk about.