The Christian Challenge to
Empire – (Are we up to it? - CL)
Today
I feature the bionic mosquito – one of my favorite philosophers.
As
most of you are aware, a basic premise of mine is that Christians have
abandoned our commission as stated by Christ in Matt. 28:18-20. You can read
more at my website home.
What
bionic does so well is drawing together the various forces of history which
developed Western Civilization.............in the following 3 posts:
Althusius has done a commendable job of recreating
the governance model of the European Middle Ages within the reality that the
universal Church no longer existed as an institution of authority. I
can only return to my thought that this missing piece is the critical piece, as
without such a universal authority – one that had the respect of the kings and
nobles – there was no institution powerful enough to keep the tyrannical ruler
in check. Excommunication mattered.
The closest we can get today? Christian
leaders that start speaking as if they believe the Bible and Christ’s
message. Those who do will lose many, but from what’s left perhaps
an ethic can be restored.
I have been grappling with how to understand and articulate the
conclusion I seem to be reaching: liberty – even as the most devout
libertarian sees it – is not achievable or survivable absent the foundations on
which it was built in the west and absent the cultural foundations that
Christianity offered.
Tomorrow’s world will be
dominated by these confusions. And if the Christian gospel can bring not only
clarity but a fresh sense of direction we should all be grateful.
Is it possible that the
Christian gospels could be an antidote to the confusion of today’s world; as
Wright offers in the title of his book, speaking truth to power? If
one has liberty in mind, it might be worth finding some antidote
to our current condition.
After the resurrection, Jesus sent his disciples
out into the world. He did not call for them to pray for rapture and
Armageddon; urge unconditional support for Israel; cheer on perpetual war in
the Middle East; turn Sunday into a day of state-worship and
warmongering.
And if you want to learn more about our American
empire – a whole study in itself!
Keep mentoring!
