CHRISTIANS AND POLITICS:
Uneasy Partners
By Philip Yancey
Creative Trust Digital. 36 pages. £0.99
Kindle only. ASIN B00943UYD2
This little Kindle booklet is a most refreshing and thoughtful look at how we engage with the wider cultural scene. Although very short, and a few years old now, it’s one of the most helpful insights I’ve read on the subject!
Straightforward and always rooted in Scripture, Yancey is informed by the variety of world and historical situations. Christians in politics looks very different in a Muslim country, an atheistic state, a post-Christian society and a majority Christian country. New Testament times were different from Constantine’s Empire, Spain under the Inquisition, Reformation Europe and France post revolution, and today! He starts with Niebuhr’s five approaches: Christ above culture (e.g. the Holy Roman Empire), Christ against culture (e.g. early Anabaptists), Christ transforming culture (e.g. Calvin), Christ in paradox with culture (e.g. Luther), and Christ with culture (e.g. the Social Gospel). The booklet discusses the difficulties, and OT and NT examples that relate to each approach. Jesus mostly accepted the religious and political structures, but confronted them in specific instances. Paul worked with the state, but confronted culture with the message of Jesus while showing respect for political authority.
