An Attempt to Coordinate Church and State

Wednesdays are for bits and pieces.

2/8/17

What’s an appropriate level of activism? How do we get along with church and state? In this appendix, again, McKnight would have gained by working with the Lutheran two kingdom theology.

McKnight, Scot. Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Brazos Press, 2014. Kindle Electronic Edition.
Appendix 1, “The Constantinian Temptation.” pp. 209-224

McKnight now identifies the temptation we face to join forces between state and church in order to accomplish some vision of divine purpose. In this appendix he especially considers those temptations as seen in American history (McKnight 2014, 209).

1. “The Bible is for everyone, everywhere, forever” (McKnight 2014).
   

1. “We are tempted to use political power” (McKnight 2014) to coerce obedience to the Bible.
   

1. “We are often tempted to serve an ideology” (McKnight 2014, 211).
   

1. “We know political power does not work and freedom must be protected” (McKnight 2014, 212). Note that McKnight views the Anabaptists as those truly freed in the Reformation, with both Calvinists and Lutherans blending church and state (McKnight 2014).
   

1. “We have sought to change society through adaptation and influence” (McKnight 2014, 215). Adapting the Christian faith to society is not positive. Neither is trying to influence society at large.
   

1. “We are sometimes tempted to give up on society” (McKnight 2014, 217).
   

1. “We are tempted to see social progress as the kingdom’s mission” (McKnight 2014, 218).
   

1. “We sometimes have to awaken from our lack of engagement” (McKnight 2014).
   

1. “We are tempted to form coalitions that create civil religion” (McKnight 2014, 219).
   

1. “We know liberation from injustice is the heart of God” (McKnight 2014, 222).