The Church of Jesus Christ is the conscience to the
State. That is, our Reformed heritage, both politically and theologically,
require us to speak truth to power, to shine light into the darkened corridors
of influence peddling. While Augustine and Luther’s doctrine of the “Two
Cities” – the City of God led by the Church and the City of Humankind led by
the State – is the basis of our American value of the separation of church and
state, it has always been the position of Presbyterians to claim that the
division implied by the doctrine of Two Cities is limited, provisional and
functional and that the Church reserves the right to act as conscience to both
the government and culture.
Politically, we can see the Church functioning as
conscience to the State in the way Presbyterians were so prominent during the
American Revolution, what King George III called “the Presbyterian Rebellion.”
Other of the better known examples include Lincoln’s use of biblical imagery in
his second inaugural address and Martin Luther King’s appropriation of
Christian theology during the civil rights movement. Theologically, we confess
that God is Sovereign over all of
creation, both Church and State. The functional authority of the State to
govern human affairs is limited, therefore, by the moral authority of God.
With this brief review of our theology of Church and
State, we must claim our moral authority at this time, for the list of
unacceptable behaviors witnessed in our communities since November 8th
grows ever longer. It is unacceptable, for instance, for people on social media
to write to Jews, “get ready for the oven.” It is unacceptable for an elected
mayor to refer to Michelle Obama as an “ape in high heels.” It is unacceptable
to paint swastikas on the side of a mosque. It is unacceptable for a political
protest to revert to violence, just as it is unacceptable to use violence in an
attempt to squelch protest.
As I write the above, I am hopeful and even
confident that no one reading this missive has personally participated in the
above activities! I am cognizant, however, that many of us have spoken with
refugees and people of color who fear for their safety; many of us are engaged
in open conversations with one another in which we are asking if a season of
violence might spread into wider reaches and plumb greater depths. In light of
these conversations, how can we speak to one another across our own divides?
What would Jesus have us do?
Last week I shared three principles from the
Mennonites, long known and respected as peacemakers, who in their document
entitled Agreeing and Disagreeing in Love
suggest ways to conduct ourselves in thought, in action and in life. This week
I share with you Mennonite wisdom about becoming peace-full congregations in
action:
1. Go to the other:
Go directly to those with whom we disagree; avoid behind-the-back criticism.
Matthew 5:23-24; 18:15-20
2. …in a spirit of humility:
Go in gentleness, patience and humility. Place the problem between us at
neither doorstep and own our part in the conflict instead of pointing out the
others’. Galatians 6:1-5
3. Be quick to listen:
Listen carefully, summarize and check out what is heard before responding. Seek
as much to understand as to be
understood. James 1:19; Proverbs 18:13
4. Be slow to judge:
Suspend judgments, avoid labeling, end name calling, discard threats and act in
a non-defensive, non-reactive way. Romans 2:1-4; Galatians 5:22-26
5. Be willing to negotiate:Work
through the disagreements constructively. Acts 15; Philippians 2:1-11
Embracing the wisdom of
the Mennonites,
Brad Munroe
