Politics and Christianity, then and now

It’s impossible to miss the fact we’re in a Presidential election cycle. News, advertisements, speeches, and water-cooler discussion is everywhere, and will only get more intense.

Does the Christian faith have anything to say about this? Is our faith public? Is it distinctly political? I for one confess no small amount of confusion and ambivalence about the whole thing this time around. So over the next months I’m going to try to process Election Year 2012 and the questions surrounding whether or not our faith is political. My blogging friend Kurt Willems recently posted a blog called, “Why I voted for Jesus instead of Obama in the primary” that I thought was helpful. And I’ll soon be posting a review and dialogue with author Tim Suttle, who authored Public Jesus.

But today I want to wrestle not so much with the content of theology, but with it’s particular early church expression.

To do so, let’s visit Collossae, where Paul visited and was the city to which he wrote the letter of Colossians. Through inscriptions and writing we know that in Collosae Caesar was considered to be Lord. He was even called “the image of the invisible god.” If you want to know who god was as an ancient citizen of Collosae, you don’t have to guess, but look to the man Caesar!

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Joel Hatcher

Your politics as an individual are but an external manifestation of your inward beliefs and opinions. It was common in early American churches after the war for independence for politics to be discussed from the pulpit.
Hocus_Pocus

Christian politics is based on a consistency of their interpretation of the divine, but has no consistency when it comes to logic, rights, or policies. Furthermore, how can "Christians" agree on policies if they all have different interpretations and can't prove any of them? Our nation was founded by some Christians, but that is not to be confused as a theocracy where all christian morals are enshrined into law. The founding documents are very clear that individual liberty trumps all else. Liberty is simply the ability to do as I please so long as I don't infringe on anothers liberty (his ability to do as he pleases). So polygamy, which is immoral in my view, is not infringing on anyones liberty except your own desire to purify everyone. It should not be enshrined in law.
- Frank Clark
  
  apparently you have not done much reading of the original writings of the Founding Fathers, all but 3 of whom can be established as born again Christians from their own statements. In addition, the origin of American law was based on Blackstone's Commentaries. It would be worth your time to read them, as well. Blackstone quotes the Bible repeatedly as the basis for his law commentary.
  - Hocus_Pocus
    
    I care not for what was written, but I care for what was in the constitution.. I think you better go and read it again.
    
    Maybe we should criminalize adultery too? How about criminalizing disobeying the 4th commandment? How about criminalizing the old ridiculous Old Testament laws? Oh wait, those no longer apply..
    
    You forget, this is a constitutional republic. Not a theocracy.
    
    American law was built on english common law: and even if there was a biblical law, if it contradicts the constitution, too bad for you puritans.
    - aceituna
      
      You apparently don't remember when adultry and desertion were the only reasons for getting a divorce, when if a child got into trouble at school, he was disciplined again at home, how Old TEstament stories were studied as a guide in how to live.
      - Hocus_Pocus
        
        Your point?
    - M Green
      
      Did I just read right? You care not for what was written, but what's in the Constitution? Well, at least you're honest about your preference for ignorance.
      - Hocus_Pocus
        
        I'm saying I care not for what the founders wrote in their own personal lives. I care about what was in the constitution. Thit "christian nation" notion is predicated on the fact that the founders wrote things or acted in a certain way in their PERSONAL life. Christians like to project that onto society as a whole and say "Look, we were a Christian nation!"…
        
        My preference is logic, yours is ignorance.
Evermyrtle

CHRISTIAN FAITH, IS OF GOD. GOD is the MASTER. In the world today and always. HE will allow the evil to continue in this nation, where mankind has allowed Satan to take over. WE, as Cristian have sat back and not stood up for our rights as Christians and GOD has allowed it, because HE gives us a right to choose. If we don't stand for HIM, HE will allow evil to take over and that is what has happened. HE will allow it to go JUST SO FAR, then HE will take the reins and just you, who comes up with these weird questions, WATCH HIS FIRE, IT IS COMING

I hope this post will not be deleted.
- daves
  
  Don't worry Myrtle, the ACLU and I are working everyday to stand for Jesus.
  - Evermyrtle
    
    you too, Daves will meet the Savior, face to face, you too will bow you knee and confess that HE IS LORD. I hate ot know where you are going if you wait until then to confess, because that will be to late. GOD will send you with HIS arch enemy.
    - Betz
      
      Evermyrtle,
      You would be a dangerous person to have too much power.
      - Evermyrtle
        
        My only power is given to me and limited by GOD and I try to use what HE gives me wisely by teaching HIS WORD according to HIS WILL. It is bad that you are offended by HIS WORD. You too, will along with me and every other person ever to live will COME FACE TO FACE WITH HIM AND ANSWER TO ALL THINGS WE SAY OR DO UNLESS WE REPENT AND LIVE ACCORDING TO HIS COMMANDMENTS.
        
        There is not one speck of danger in me., with or without power.
wesley

the early church put their faith into deeds while today's church puts their faith into words. the early church went around collecting the infants that were left out to die in the alleys of the Roman Empire. the early church did the small things like taking care of the sick, poor, widows, orphans, and dying. today if the church would truly put their faith into action the foster care system would be so swamped with christian families will to take kids that are abused and neglected and there would be no waiting list for children looking for adoption for the day they go up is the same day they have a new family to love them and care for them. there would be no food stamps or welfare. our nation would still be the light of a shining hill that it was for much of the first century of American history as well as some of the colonial times as well.