Which political party's worldview is incompatible with Christian history and doctrine?

[lees1975]

https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2023/01/which-partys-worldview-is-incompatible.html

Most criticism and rejection of Christianity is a rejection of the political movement. In most cases, what gets rejected isn't even genuine Christian faith, at least, not the kind of faith that comes out of a contextual, historical interpretation of the Bible. Evangelicals have a tendency to ignore history and context in favor of a fundamentalist brand of literalism, which distorts the message of the original authors of the Bible and which injects modern cultural bias into the practice of the faith. There's also an arrogance that has developed among conservative Christians, based on their belief that they've got it all right, and that those who don't see it their way are hell-bound liberals who have it wrong. They are blind to their presuppositions and incorrect assumptions.

Two of the church's early apostles, recognized leaders in the founding years of Christian faith, both write about the relationship between the church and the civil government. Recognizing that God is sovereign, they concluded that Christians are to recognize that all governments derive their power from God and obedience to the civil government, even if those involved did not share Christian beliefs, was an act of obedience to God. What is also clear is that the Christian church was given a mission and purpose based on the Christian gospel, and while it acknowledged the authority of the civil government, it was not instructed to use that power to advance its own mission and purpose, but was to see God's sense of direction.

Jefferson and Madison, noting that religion had been the cause behind centuries of European bloodshed and desiring that the kind of fighting Europe had endured would never find its way to American soil, took what I see as a Biblical model of the separation of church and state, and created a free church in a free state, so that both could thrive. For Christians, from my perspective, that makes the preservation of democracy and the freedoms guaranteed by it the highest priority for the church. Whether the church is empowered by the favor of the state, or persecuted by it, in neither situation is it free to be the church.

[Thomas Hurt]

1. Do your politics inform your religion or does your religion inform your politics...

[old as dirt]

2. If you need the National Guard and a Military escort...

...to invade St. Johns Church, you may not be a true Christain.

Two Corinthians told me this.

President Trump walks across Lafayette Park to St. John's Church

[Elessar Zappa]

3. Great article.

Thanks for posting.

[old as dirt]

4. Rev. Raphael Warnock talks about 2017 arrest at U.S. Capitol (2017 archive video)

Rev Warnock didn't ask for a National Guard escort when he was arrested for praying in the Rotunda.

[Karadeniz]

5. The article contains a common mistranslation of Paul. When Paul says there are many gods,

but only one at the top of the chain of command, he uses words that would translate as authorities. He doesn't use words like king, queen, prince or anything referring to earthly powers. His words, aeons and archons, I think, refer to spiritual powers, those in charge of the different levels of heaven, each reflecting standards closer and closer to perfection. These words were used by the Gnostics. Although most of what we know of Gnostics comes from later leaders of the movement, a sort of protoGnosticism can be found in Paul and much more so in the synoptic gospel parables.

[lees1975]

7. Romans was set in a political context, where Paul uses that language

And following his own trail through the Roman system of justice, appealing to Caesar, I'd disagree with that context. The terms related to governing authorities, for the Roman church, would have been a direct reference to Caesar. Likewise Peter, writing similar concepts, was also very likely referencing Roman authorities, based on his geographic location and the language he used.

[keithbvadu2]

6. But which kind of Christian?

Political Christians rather than Christians of faith.

They support Trump who says he is so perfect that he does not need Christ or his forgiveness.

Like today's evangelical/religious right supporters, Trump is a Political Christian, not a Christian of faith.

Evangelicals/religious right are easily able to spin their beliefs for political expediency.

The Donald who does not have to ask Jesus for forgiveness.

The Donald who ridicules Holy Communion.

Trump: Drink my little wine, have my little cracker