The True Church is a Political One - Paul Tilley

8/14/2019 The True Church is a Political One - Paul Tilley

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The true church is a political one. Discuss

Paul Tilley


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be external to the Church. This would deal with how the church reacts to and

guides members to the society and world around it. Thirdly, is when the

church and government have a formal relationship and the churches

teachings and administration have practical effect on members of the society

whether they are members of the church or not. An example would be the

Church of England and its relationship with the British Government.6

The Bible and Politics

The biblical God is a God of politics; we see this evidenced throughout the

bible. If one were to remove the political portions of scripture we would be left

with a book full of holes7, the biblical narrative would be meaningless. Within

the OT we see God forming a nation that he favors over others. Egypt was

devastated because of the political act of liberating the Hebrew slaves to

become Gods chosen people. In fulfilling Gods promise, regarding the

conquest of Canaan, God commands the Israelites to not leave anything alive

that breathes and to completely destroy them (Deut 20:16), God commands

the Israelite people to commit genocide throughout Canaan for their

prosperity, this is a political act. However, we also see throughout the OT

political Justice, for example God commands the Israelites not to mistreat an

alien or oppress him because of their oppression suffered in Egypt (Ex 22:21).

Lev 25:10 and Due 15:2 commands the Year of Jubilee. The Year of Jubilee

was an exceptional year in family renewal in that an Israelite man who was

bound to another as a slave or indentured servant was set free and allowed to

return to his own family. If any members of his family were also bound, that

family member was also set free. Houses and lands could also be redeemed

in the Year of Jubilee.8 Youngblood suggests that part of the reason why God

established the Year of Jubilee was to prevent the Israelites from oppressing

one another (Lev 25:17). Therefore one effect of the Jubilee Year was to

6 Hexham, I. (1983). Christian Politics according to Abraham Kuyper. Available:http://www.ucalgary.ca/~nurelweb/papers/irving/kuyperp.html. Last accessed 9 June 2007.7 http://faith-theology.blogspot.com/2007/04/ten-propositions-on-political-theology.html8Youngblood, R. F. 1997, c1995. Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary : An authoritative one-volume reference

work on the Bible with full color illustrations (F. Bruce, Ed.) (electronic edition of the revised edition of Nelson'sillustrated Bible dictionary.). Thomas Nelson: Nashville.


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prevent a permanent system of economic classes, it had a levelling effect on

Israels culture; it gave everyone a chance to start over, both economically

and socially.9 The year of Jubilee is then an example of the ordination of

Gods political economics. Later in the OT as we see the Israelite nationforming, Judges and later Kings are appointed; again reflecting a God

intended political process.

As with the OT the NT is political. The NT was set in a political narrative; the

Hebrews had come from being an enslaved people, to an exiled people and

were now an occupied people. One of the most politically provocative

statements in the NT comes when Jesus states Render unto Caesar what is

Caesar's and unto God what is God's (Matt 22:21, Mark 12:16, Luke 20:25).

The gospels state that when Jesus gave his response, his interrogators

marveled, and left him, and went their way. They were unsuccessful in

forcing Jesus to unambiguously come out either in favor of paying the tribute

to Rome or in favor of tax resistance.10 With this simple yet profound

statement, even today people continue to interpret this passage to support

positions as diverse as separation of church and state, which advocates that

Jesus comment was stating that his religious teachings were separate from

earthly political activity. Through to the view of justification for obeying

authority, stating that the passage commands us to respect state authority

and to pay the taxes it demands of us. To the more radical interpretation

stating that the passage highlights the dangers of cooperating with the

state.11

Jesus statement has also led to Christian anarchists and tax

resisters. For example when the Christian social activist Ammon Hennacy

was on trial for civil disobedience, he was asked by the judge to reconcile his

tax resistance with Jesus statement in Matt 22:21. Hennacy response was I

told him Caesar was getting too much around here and some one had to

9Youngblood, R. F., 1997, c1995. Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary : An authoritative one-volume reference

work on the Bible with full color illustrations (F. Bruce, Ed.) (electronic edition of the revised edition of Nelson'sillustrated Bible dictionary.) Nashville, Thomas Nelson.

10 The Christian Education Committee. (1995). Ordained Servants. Available: http://opc.org/OS/pdf/OSV4N4.pdf. Lastaccessed 8 June 2007.11

The Christian Education Committee. (1995). Ordained Servants. Available: http://opc.org/OS/pdf/OSV4N4.pdf. Lastaccessed 8 June 2007.


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stand up for God.12 Dorothy Day of the Catholic Worker movement stated: If

we rendered unto God all the things that belong to God, there would be

nothing left for Caesar. She also advocated a life of voluntary poverty by

saying the less you have of Caesars, the less you have to give to Caesar.

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When read in the book of Acts that the early church held all of their

possessions in common, it seems to some that these verses indicate that the

ideal Christian society would be similar to the modern ideas of Socialism. The

book of Acts is part of the inspiration for political currents such as Christian

Socialism and Christian Communism.14 Christian socialism is considered to

have begun in the 19th century, though a commitment to socialist ideals in

Church history can be seen with the early fathers and the development of the

monastic movement.15

However, Christian Socialism as it is thought of today,

is commonly believed to have originated with Frederick Denison Maurice,

along with his friends J M Ludlow and Charles Kingsley, in the 1840s. Its

theological foundations begin with Maurice's work in The Kingdom of Christ,

published in 1837.16 In the 1870s a group of Anglo-Catholics formed the

Guild of St Matthew. This was a more radical expression of socialism then

the earlier Christian socialist movements. The guild would openly attack

injustice wherever it was found and partitioned parliament on better housing,

education and working conditions.17 One of the three objectives of the Guild

was To promote the Study of Social and Political Questions in the light of the

Incarnation.18 In 1889 a more respectable expression of Christian Socialism

emerged, calling itself The Christian Social Union. It was less concerned with

direct action then with establishing social principals for the Christian faith such

as organising study groups and writings.19 It was not until the end of the 19th

century that the influence of Christian Socialism started to take effect. To this

12 Hennacy, A (1970). The Book of Ammon . 5th ed. Baltimore, MD: Fortkamp Publishing Co.13 Staff of the Catholic Peace Fellowship. (2006). Counter-Recruitment and the Church. Available:http://www.catholicpeacefellowship.org/nextpage.asp?m=2500. Last accessed 8 June 2007.14 The Christian Education Committee. (1995). Ordained Servants. Available: http://opc.org/OS/pdf/OSV4N4.pdf. Lastaccessed 8 June 2007.15 Wright, D and Sinclair, F (1988). New Dictionary of Theology. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press. 134.16 Rea, R. (2007). Was Father Field a Christian Socialist?. Available:http://anglicanhistory.org/essays/field/field2.html. Last accessed 08 June 2007.17 Wright, D and Sinclair, F (1988). New Dictionary of Theology. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press. 134.18 Ted, M. (2007). The Guild of Saint Matthew. Available: http://www.anglocatholicsocialism.org/matthew.html. Last

accessed 08 June 2007.19 Wright, D and Sinclair, F (1988). New Dictionary of Theology. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press. 134.


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day Christian Socialism and the work of the Guild of St Matthew have

influenced movements such as the Jubilee group.20 Other strands of

Christian Socialism could include, amongst others, Liberation theology with its

emphasis on bring justice to the poor and oppressed through politicalactivism,21Feminist and Black Theology and the Social Gospel movement, as

with Christian Socialism, these are also concerned with justice and

emancipation, hence they also hold a strong political element.

The saying Jesus is Lord (Rom. 10:9; 1 Cor.12:3) would have been an

overtly political statement for the early church. The saying was a political

contrast to the popular greeting amongst Roman citizens- Caesar is Lord.22

This statement meant that Jesus himself and the early Christians were seen

as a political threat. In the Roman world Ceasar had come to view himself as

Lord and was not open to being challenged. So the statement that Jesus is

Lord in its context was a statement that was viewed as political subversion, a

direct challenge to the prevailing establishment and therefore meant that

politics and religion were inextricably linked.23

Paul also writes in several

passages, mostly Rom. 13:1-7, that it was the duty of the Church to submit

and obey earthly governments.24 Christians, according to Pauline theology

are not like the Jews, a political entity; Christians are subject to earthly

governments and powers because governments have a God-given role and

so if therefore entitled to respect and co-operation of its citizens, including

Christians.25

In his writing of The Book of Revelation, it is believed that John would have

had emperor worship as a main concern. The empire, or the city of Rome

itself, is identified by some scholars as the Whore of Babylon, and the

Roman emperor becomes the Beast or Antichrist. Both divine punishment

20 Wright, D and Sinclair, F (1988). New Dictionary of Theology. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press. 134.21 Mcgrath, A (2001). Christian Theology. Cambridge: Blackwell Publishing. 115.22 Wright, N.T. (2003). GOD AND CAESAR, THEN AND NOW. Available:http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_God_Caesar.pdf. Last accessed 8 June 2007.23 Wright, N.T. (2003). GOD AND CAESAR, THEN AND NOW. Available:http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_God_Caesar.pdf. Last accessed 8 June 2007.24 Grudem, W (1994). Systematic Theology. Leicester: Inter-Varsity. 661.25

Atkinson, D (1995). New Dictionary of Christian Ethics & Pastoral Theology. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press.669.


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and economic and military catastrophe are prophesied against Babylon,

which most scholars agree is John's code name for Rome.26

Theology

In regards to the Church and politics there has developed two main schools of

thought. The more mainstream traditional view takes a backwards-looking

perspective and states that governments are part of Gods order of Creation.27

This view holds that governments are a gift to humanity from God amongst

other purposes for bringing about justice by upholding law and a justice

system. Though it is acknowledged that governments are also fallible and

can therefore bring about injustice.28 This view strongly aligns itself with

Rom. 13:1-7 and favors conservative politics that uphold the God given good

in society. This view would make a sharp distinction between God's activity

through governments and redemptive activity of the church.29 The second

view in regards to the church and politics would see the government as

bringing about Gods eschatological purpose for the world. This view strongly

aligns itself with the Revelation of John that speaks of a time of justice and

peace, as well as Jesus proclamation of the kingdom. Therefore this view

sees the political and the spiritual as two aspects of Gods redemptive work in

establishing his kingdom. This view is often seen as a more radical view as it

has been influenced by Liberation Theology and would seem to favor a more

revolutionary outlook to political action.30

Political, The Church and Youth Work

In 1980 The Reverend Frederick William Milson, a key figure in the

development of youth and community work during the 1960s and 1970s,

26 Alexander, P and David, A (1999). The Lion Handbook to the Bible. Oxford: Lion. 766.27 Atkinson, D (1995). New Dictionary of Christian Ethics & Pastoral Theology. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press.670.28 Grudem, W (1994). Systematic Theology. Leicester: Inter-Varsity. 661.29 Atkinson, D (1995). New Dictionary of Christian Ethics & Pastoral Theology. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press.670.30

Atkinson, D (1995). New Dictionary of Christian Ethics & Pastoral Theology. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press.670.


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produced Political Education. A practical guide for Christian youth workers.

This book looked to the church and politics and the distinctive role that it could

take in the political education of young people. William stated, A local church

which tries to ignore the political dimension of our lives serves its members ill.

It issues moral exhortations in a vacuum. Churches may generate a power

which is always in neutral gear, never engaged with some of the major moral

tasks our time. To change the figure - they involve us in shadow boxing, not in

a real fight.31

Milson's argument was that the informal atmosphere of the small voluntary

group, common in Christian youth work at the time, could be a good vehicle

for political as well as other forms of education. Another important aspect for

Milson was the extent to which the church youth group embodied a more

holistic view of people - the political could be set in tension with the moral and

spiritual, for example. The book provided church workers with plenty of

practical advice. 'For the Christian political educator', Milson wrote, 'there are

always growth points in a continuing group'. He continued: If our essential

task is to learn together what the world is really like, to see it in a Christian

perspective and to have opportunities to engage in its political activities - then

there is a place to begin engaging in this process. It may be a conversation, a

new experience in life of the young person, a visit, a chance encounter. The

beginnings may be humble and the process should never be forced. But for

the discerning Christian worker the raw material of his trade is all around him

in the youth group.32

Since Milson, church based youth work in Britain has become more politically

aware. One of the factors that have contributed to this is the

professionalisation of youth work, and how it is becoming more holistic in its

outlook. This is evidenced by the 1999 occupational standards document that

identifies the key purpose of youth work: to work with young people to

facilitate their personal, social and educational development, and enable them

31 Milson 1980: 33-432

Smith, M. K. and Smith, M. (2003) 'Fred Milson: developing the practice of youth and community work', theencyclopedia of informal education, http://www.infed.org/thinkers/milson.htm.


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to gain a voice, influence and place in society.33 Furthermore, the four core

values of youth work were first defined at the 1991 Second Ministerial

Conference for the Youth Service. They were termed Voluntary Participation,

Informal education, Empowerment and Equality of opportunity.34 Church

based youth work; in its desire to become more professional by aligning itself

with the statutory sector, has inevitably found itself becoming more politically

active.

Currently Criticism

We can see social action expressed within the church today through with

organisations and campaigns such as 24-7 Prayer, who run the living

generously website. There campaigns include assisting the investigation of

the fate of the disappeared, human rights activists in Peru and supporting

with building childrens homes in Colombia.35 Another example is TEARfund.

On their website they state that relieving suffering and offering hope is at the

heart of Tearfunds vision.36

This type of action, though admirable, has been criticised as being social

action and falling short of social change.37 Chalk states, in an article in

Christianity Magazine, the work of social action is not enough. The challenge

now is to reconcile social justice with the gospel or in other words, to

reconnect the problems with their causes. Too often we have ended up

merely treating the symptoms of social degradation instead of working to

eliminate the causes, sticking on plasters to cover wounds, many of which

could be prevented in the first place. Were picking up the pieces of broken

lives instead of preventing the fall. This cant continue. Its time for the Church

33 Smith, H. (2002) 'Seeking out the gift of authenticity', Youth and Policy 77, pp. 19-32. Also available as an article inthe encyclopedia of informal education, http://www.infed.org/biblio/authenticity.htm. Last update: May 24, 200734

Brierly, D (2004). Joined up: an Introduction to Youthwork and Ministry. City: Gabriel Resources. 6.35 Living Generously. (2007). Living Generously: Justice and Reconciliation. Available:http://www.livinggenerously.com/pages/whatlg. Last accessed 9 June 2007.36 Tearfund. (2007).About Us. Available: http://www.tearfund.org/About+us/. Last accessed 9 June 2007.37

Chalke, S. (2001). Why the Church needs to get political. Available:http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/engine.cfm?i=92&id=129&arch=1. Last accessed 14 May 2007.


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to work for social justice; its time for the Church to get political!38 The article

goes on to state that both John Stott and Tony Campolo have suggested that

while it may be true that the Church is called to mirror the Samaritan and carry

our injured neighbour, we have an equal responsibility to ensure that theunderlying issues that lead to such injuries are also dealt with.

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Conclusion

Churches have a tendency to focus on guiding its flock in how to respond to

those things that are external to the gathered church, though the church often

shies away from addressing current political issues. This is often due to

churches holding a distinction between God's activity through governments

and the redemptive activity of the church. Churches therefore are in danger

of a dualist theology when it comes to its activity in the world. The Bible

contradicts any idea of a sacred/secular divide. Politics affects lives and so is

a concern of God and therefore must be the concern of the Church. As

Desmond Tutu, observed, If we are to say that religion cannot be concerned

with politics, then we are really saying that there is a substantial part of human

life in which Gods will does not run. If it is not Gods, then whose is it? For, If

as Ladd suggests, the true Church is the instrument as well as the custodian

of the kingdom40 then we are to reflect the activities of the King in working

towards the redemptive process of creation and in by doing so the church has

no choice but to be political. No area of life is outside our remit or beyond the

Kingdom. Education, the environment, poverty, crime, racism, working

conditions, immigration, taxation, health; for the church to be silent on these

issues is to withhold the redemptive process of God in society, and to deny

those affected by these issues the hope of his justice.41 A church can try to

38 Chalke, S. (2001). Why the Church needs to get political. Available:http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/engine.cfm?i=92&id=129&arch=1. Last accessed 14 May 2007.39 Chalke, S. (2001). Why the Church needs to get political. Available:http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/engine.cfm?i=92&id=129&arch=1. Last accessed 14 May 2007.40 Ladd, G, E (1994). Theology of the New Testament. Cambridge: Lutterworth Press. p 114.41

Chalke, S. (2001). Why the Church needs to get political. Available:http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/engine.cfm?i=92&id=129&arch=1. Last accessed 14 May 2007.


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be apolitical, but ultimately even by being silent is itself a vote for the status

quo, as German Christianity demonstrated in the 1930s and 1940's.42

As part of the Church, the very nature of Christian youth work is to bemissional, so to actively live, work and partake the in world of young people.

In that mission, as professionals we also work within the values of youth work;

voluntary participation, informal education, empowerment and equality of

opportunity. By there very nature youth work values are first of all inline with

biblical values but also can not be apolitical. True youth work, by its very

nature, like the church, cannot be politically silent, since the core values of

youth work are active, critical and ideally empower people to speak out and

ultimately to bring about change.

Though it could be potentially disastrous for society if the church and its youth

workers chooses to not actively partake in external politics, it could be just as

dangerous for a church to go to the other extreme and identify itself solely as

a political church. The church must not forget that Satan is called the prince

of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) and the God of this world (2 Cor

4:4). Furthermore, it was Satan himself that stated that he had been given

authority of the kingdoms of the world (Luke 4:5-7). Consequently, when

addressing political involvement, the church and youth workers must

continually hold this theological paradox in tension; Satan and his activity in

the world and the Pauline theology of the duty of the Church to submit and

obey earthly governments as outlined in Rom 13.

42 Cornwall, B. (2007). Ten Propositions on Political Theology. Available:

http://pastorbobcornwall.blogspot.com/2007/04/ten-propositions-on-political-theology.html. Last accessed 14 May2007.


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Bibliography

Alexander, P and David, A (1999). The Lion Handbook to the Bible. Oxford:Lion.

Alexander, T. and Brian, R (2000). New Dictionary of Biblical Theology.Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Atkinson, D (1995). New Dictionary of Christian Ethics & Pastoral Theology.Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press.

Brierly, D (2004). Joined up: an Introduction to Youthwork and Ministry. City:Gabriel Resources.

Grudem, W (1994). Systematic Theology. Leicester: Inter-Varsity.

Gutierrez, G (2005). We Drink from Our Own Wells. London: SCM Press.

Ladd, G, E (1994). Theology of the New Testament. Cambridge: LutterworthPress.

Mcgrath, A (2001). Christian Theology. Cambridge: Blackwell Publishing.

Wright, D and Sinclair, F (1988). New Dictionary of Theology. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Youngblood, R. F. 1997, c1995. Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary : Anauthoritative one-volume reference work on the Bible with full colorillustrations (F. Bruce, Ed.) (electronic edition of the revised edition ofNelson's illustrated Bible dictionary.). Thomas Nelson: Nashville.

The True Church is a Political One - Paul Tilley

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