paulvipond
|
Christians and PoliticsSo as parliamentarians think the dust is settling, for a while at least, on the issues of abortion and embryology church leaders, such as the Roman Catholic Archbishop, remind us that moral issues do not go away and a secular society cannot expect us to keep silent.
Why then do so few Christians steer clear of politics entirely? If "Jesus is Lord of All or Lord not at all" is true why do Christians seem not expect that be true in society? [The "darkness is getter darker " kind of theology.]
“That is the first and final assertion Christians make about all of reality, including politics. Believers now assert by faith what one day will be manifest to the sight of all: every earthly sovereignty is subordinate to the sovereignty of Jesus Christ..........The Church is the bearer of that claim. Because the Church is pledged to the Kingdom proclaimed by Jesus, it must maintain a critical distance from the all the kingdoms of the world, whether actual or proposed. Christians betray their Lord if, in theory or practice, they equate the Kingdom of God with any political, social or economic order of this passing time. At best, such orders permit the proclamation of the gospel of the Kingdom and approximate, in small part, the freedom, peace, and justice for which we hope.” [Neuhaus 1981]
Do we perhaps struggle with the Lordship of Christ so much in the Church that we have lost the first century hope that He is indeed Lord of All?
|