In 1961, during the trial of a notorious Nazi, a scientist set up a test to determine the morality of people in light of the many who participated in the Holocaust. His question was simple: “Was it that Eichmann and his accomplices in the Holocaust had mutual intent, in at least with regard to the goals of the Holocaust?” Rather “Was there a mutual sense of morality among those involved?” For me, simply, the Milgram Experiment and it’s results indicate that individuals will surrender their morality if they feel that another will take the responsibility of their actions.
In an effort to rid myself of confrontation on issues which I know others would never be persuaded, I deleted a whole host of friends on Facebook; however, I received an email from some one who I had deleted months ago asking me why I had not only removed her, but seemingly everyone else from our (former) Church organization. I responded that one of the reasons was that I simply did not appreciate the attacks – from questioning my membership in the Organization to questioning my salvation – on my use of Scripture in different translations. I didn’t mention the attacks by my brothers and sisters on my friends who came to my defense.
Many American Christians believe, as an article of faith, that we are to pray for the success of our leaders.
It has become a sort of conventional wisdom among soft-minded believers. The biblical proof-text for this misguided way of thinking is Romans 13:1-4:
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
“Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
“For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”
If we go but one verse further, we find something else,
Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. (Romans 13:5 NKJV)
One of the issues that Farah insists upon is that this biblical command is limited only to ‘good leaders.’ It must be remembered that as Paul wrote this, Rome was under the rule of Emperors who thought themselves gods and lords, who were bloodthirsty, and who were somewhat insane. Yet, Paul commanded us to be subject to them.
Yet there is another avenue to this as well – do we take the mark of the Beast? Or, if were were in China, would we accept an abortion mandated by the Government? The very simple answer is no. The more difficult answer is this:
For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. (Romans 13:6-7 NKJV)
And further,
Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money.”
So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”
And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:17-21 NKJV)
We then find our loyalty to the government limited to the area where it does not encroach upon our duty to God. What are the terrors that we are to allow? Taxes, fees, limits. We are to abide by the things that take our ‘natural freedoms.’
Consider: How does what we call ‘the authority of the Bible’ relate to the authority of God himself – and the authority of Jesus himself? When the risen Jesus commissions his followers for their worldwide mission, he does not say ‘all authority in heaven and earth is given to – the books you people are going to go and write.’ He says that all authority is given to him. When we say the closing words of the Lord’s prayer, we don’t say that the kingdom, the power and the glory belong to the Bible, but to God himself. And when Jesus commissions the disciples for mission in John 20, he doesn’t say ‘receive this book’ but ‘receive the Holy Spirit’. Authority, then, has a trinitarian shape and content. Read More
Peggy Campolo, is an advocate for civil rights and full inclusion in the church for her lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender sisters and brothers. She is the wife of Baptist author and Eastern University professor Tony Campolo.
I am a committed Baptist who has worked within the church of Jesus Christ for more than 20 years to foster the understanding and acceptance of my gay,lesbian, bisexual and transgender sisters and brothers – I’ll just say “gay” for shorthand. I can personally testify to the anguish gay people feel when rejected by church and family because of who they are. I have also witnessed the joy of the many gay people I know who have found church homes where they are loved and accepted…
…However, we must also find a way to end the exclusion and anguish of God’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender children NOW.
[At the just concluded meeting of the Catholic Biblical Association we] had a presentation from Marc Girard on Psalm 1, which he is contributing to the ‘demonstration volume ‘, also presentations from José E. Aguilar on a new proposal for translating Gal 2:6, from Michael Patella on the reception of the Bible in the Arts (with particular reference to the new St John’s Bible), from Martin Albl on the translation and reception history of James 5:13-18, and from Christian Brady on the Jewish interpretation of Lamentations. In the Fall the editorial board will be putting the finishing touches to the 12 contributions selected for the demonstration volume and writing the introductory material. We will hope to hand over the completed ms. to the French publisher, Les Editions du Cerf, by the end of the calendar year.
Archaeology Magazine is reporting that archaeologists have uncovered the head of the Roman empress Faustina, wife of the emperor Antoninus Pius, who ruled from A.D. 138 to 161.
Below is a picture of head. Read the article and see other pictures of the discovery by visiting the web page of Archaeology Magazine.
This is a great quote from William Willimon. Please take a moment and read it:
“We…seek to fill ourselves, cure our aches and pains, live forever. Too often, American Christianity presents the good news of Christ as the solution to all human problems, the fulfillment of all wants, and a good way to make basically good people even better. “
“The cross suggests that this good news is the beginning of problems we would gladly have avoided, the turning away from the quest for self-fulfillment, the ultimate mocking of our claims for goodness. The principalities and powers tremble only before the cross. Nothing less than death will do – painful, full-scale conversion, letting go, turning from ourselves and toward God.”
“This meal [the Lord's Supper] is not some magical mystery medicine we take to exempt ourselves from the hard facts of life in the world. It is a way of confronting those hard facts. No prayers of a TV evangelist, no prayer cloth from Arizona, no holy oil or water, no holy food, no technique for self-betterment, no sincere social program exempts us from this death.”
“But at the table, with cup in hand, even our most painful times are redeemed because this Savior saves through suffering. Without the cross, our faith wouldn’t be a comfort to anybody. What would you say to the terminal cancer victim? The mother of a starving child in an Ethiopian desert? The 80-year-old resident of a shoddy nursing home? ‘Smile, God loves you?’”
“No, you can say that our God has been there before…. Our God does not flinch in the face of evil. In a hurting world where injustice still sends good ones to the cross, we do have something to preach. We, like Paul before us, boldly lift up the cup and daringly preach Christ and him crucified. If we would follow this Lord, we must follow him down this narrow way of Passion.”
William Willimon, “The Cup of Death,” Christian Century, March (1982): 360.
