A Dangerous Intersection

This Sunday our “Walking in the Truth” sermon series will take us to the section of the Goshen Statement of Faith about church and state.  As we turn to Scripture together for God’s guidance on this complex matter (looking at 1 Peter 2:13-17), I also want to recommend several resources on faith and politics provided by various Christian leaders.

I’ve found these authors/teachers/pastors to be wise in handling the Word of God and applying it in relation to the delicate interplay of church and state.  Of course, I can’t endorse everything they say.  But I find that these leaders speak with discernment, humility, cour­age, and a Christ-exalting faith in the King of Kings as they address the tough issues of faith and politics.  If you access their materials  I think they’ll help you focus on key questions and steer away from simplistic and polarizing positions that would lead to demonizing “the other side.”

• Russell Moore’s book, Onward:  Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel. And see resources at russellmoore.com, including on marriage, family, human dignity, technology, religious freedom.  I’ve appreciated his thoughts about “Is America a Christian Nation,” and his handling of 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people…”
• Take time to peruse the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commis­sion’s topic index on “government.”
• Mark Dever’s 2010 sermon, “Jesus Paid Taxes.”  Dever is Senior Pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C.
• Bruce Ashford’s book, Letters to an American Christian. Note also his various materials at bruceashford.net, including on topics like politics, nationalism, polarization, gender, and media.  Consider his and others’ insights shared in a panel on “The Gospel and Politics,” on “The religious problem with nationalism” (which is not the same as patriotism).  You might also want to rummage through his index of resources on “politics and public life.”
• Explore materials at desiringgod.org, including the topic index for “government” and John Piper’s sermons on Romans 13.  See also Piper’s comments on the time for, as well as limits of, civil disobedience.
• Jonathan Leeman’s book, How the Nations Rage. And see also responses to the book posted at thegospelcoalition.org (e.g., here and here and here), and elsewhere.
• Trevin Wax’s book, This Is Our Time.  This work is not directly focused on church-state issues, but Wax helps us understand our peculiar and complicated cultural moment so we can be faithful to Jesus in the midst of upheaval.  I’d also encourage you to keep an eye on his blog where he offers some very thoughtful words of encouragement and challenge.

Remember, as you read, ask the Lord to grant to you, and to all of us, his Spirit’s leading to follow Jesus “in but not of the world.”