Over the last couple of years I have made a huge effort to convince myself that the Lutheran view of government had some merit. I've read everything recommended by Lutherans on the subject but I just can't make myself believe it. I can't believe it because I am certain that it is, quite simply, wrong.
It is possible that I misunderstand the Lutheran position still, but I don't think that is the case. Lutherans teach that government is a blessing from God, a positive good. I think that this is wrong. In reality government is a curse and an evil. Even God warned Israel that a king (government) was a terrible idea that was against His will for them. (1 Samuel 8:4-19) We are certainly commanded in Romans 13:1-7 to obey and honor those in power over us, but in no place in the New Testament, at least no place that I'm aware of, is it even remotely implied that we ought to participate actively in any government, even less is it implied that we have some duty to participate in the actions of governments.
As Tolstoy said so eloquently "Government is Violence." Every law is backed by the armed might of government, resistance is met with violent force, always. Try it out if you don't believe it. If you remove violence from government, so that it is voluntary, you no longer have a government, instead you have a co-op. I'm all for co-ops of all sorts, they are a good way of getting things done that might be difficult to accomplish individually.
In my studies I've found a number of early church writings that imply or state outright that participation in government offices is incompatible with being a Christian. Some of that is related to the implicit idolatry that went with being a government official at the time, emperor worship was a big problem for them. In other places it was the act of killing for the government that was the stated problem. As far as I'm aware there are no writings, before Constantine, that express the idea that it is a good thing for a Christian to be a soldier or magistrate working for the government. It is only after Christianity was made the official religion of the Roman Empire that it was suddenly OK to be a soldier and magistrate. That is the conclusion I've come to in the reading I've done.
As always I'm open to new information or new arguments, though I have not encountered anything new so far, it's all pretty old stuff.
It is possible that I misunderstand the Lutheran position still, but I don't think that is the case. Lutherans teach that government is a blessing from God, a positive good. I think that this is wrong. In reality government is a curse and an evil. Even God warned Israel that a king (government) was a terrible idea that was against His will for them. (1 Samuel 8:4-19) We are certainly commanded in Romans 13:1-7 to obey and honor those in power over us, but in no place in the New Testament, at least no place that I'm aware of, is it even remotely implied that we ought to participate actively in any government, even less is it implied that we have some duty to participate in the actions of governments.
As Tolstoy said so eloquently "Government is Violence." Every law is backed by the armed might of government, resistance is met with violent force, always. Try it out if you don't believe it. If you remove violence from government, so that it is voluntary, you no longer have a government, instead you have a co-op. I'm all for co-ops of all sorts, they are a good way of getting things done that might be difficult to accomplish individually.
In my studies I've found a number of early church writings that imply or state outright that participation in government offices is incompatible with being a Christian. Some of that is related to the implicit idolatry that went with being a government official at the time, emperor worship was a big problem for them. In other places it was the act of killing for the government that was the stated problem. As far as I'm aware there are no writings, before Constantine, that express the idea that it is a good thing for a Christian to be a soldier or magistrate working for the government. It is only after Christianity was made the official religion of the Roman Empire that it was suddenly OK to be a soldier and magistrate. That is the conclusion I've come to in the reading I've done.
As always I'm open to new information or new arguments, though I have not encountered anything new so far, it's all pretty old stuff.
I have left this area open also for myself, with a few questions that you raise also. The part I question, is how long can we say we have to obey all forms of government as a Christian, but then harp and complain when the people vote on issues we protest, (abortion, gay marriage if it gets overturned, etc.)?
ReplyDeleteWhat if we have a mostly Islamic government at some point?
I believe Lutheranism and how we have government is a very weak area. Unfortunately.
As far as obeying bad government, we obey as long as they do not attempt to force us to do anything that is against the word of God. Even if it's a really bad government we are required to obey it, after all Paul was talking about the Roman Emperors, the same ones who persecuted and killed Christians. I guess I'm not sure what you'd call my opinion on it, obey but don't support or approve or participate...
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm not solid on everything around this either, pro or con. But not doing with your hands and doing with your taxes, for example, can cause me problems.
ReplyDeleteAnd can't help but think of Nazi Germany, not trying to be a straw man, or painting broadly, but it does cause one to think.
True, on the other extreme, a government will never be perfect. Very true.
I don't know, let's all think on it...;-)
While it makes no sense to me, it is commanded in Romans that we pay taxes to downright evil governments. I comfort myself with the thought that we don't control what they do with our taxes anyway so it's not our doing. Paul said to pay taxes, Jesus said to pay taxes... I wish they hadn't because it makes sense to me to resist evil in that way. But if Jesus says to pay Caesar and Paul says to pay Caesar when Caesar was actually killing Christians I don't see how we can get out of it. ;-/
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, here's my take on the question:
ReplyDeleteAngels Weep