Hearing God right

So it was God who told George to go to war? Hmmm ...this raises a whole host of issues. I spent an academic year thinking and writing about war and feel rather passionately that a theology which allows us to go to war in God's name is bad theology.

One of the issues here is the theology of politics which under-girds our view of such matters. Too many Christians work with an overly simplistic mindset that those in authority over us are who God wants. Thus these people end up with a form of the "divine right of Kings", and those who know their history of Henry VI and following know what a bloody period this was (and much of it in God's name).

Comments

[Mike]

Please say it ain't so! As a Christian and an American, I get all the usual remarks about President Bush but this doesn't help. I have a feeling there is more to this story than just what is reported. I find it equally plausible that he said some of this but equally plausable someone is looking for a story or some political fortune out of this. Only time will tell the outcome...

[brodie]

Yes there are lies, dammed lies and then what the reporter said. The quotes from President Bush are from a BBC Documentary, but the BBC has distanced themselves from the way the newspapers have picked this us.

I think it’s also important to say that this post is not a get at Americans.

[talkrhubarb]

Those who know their history may also remember Oliver Cromwell. He certainly didn't believe in the divine right of kings: he had Charles I summarily dispatched to meet his maker.

Never before his "reign" or since, has evangelical christianity had such political power and influence on this country. Unfortunately, imposing righteousness on those who would rather do what was right in their own eyes resulted in disaster.

My point, Brodie, is that what you call "an overly simplistic mindset that those in authority over us are who God wants" may simply be an expression of a deeply held conviction that politics can't provide the answers to all societies' ills because it can't change people's hearts. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. Our leaders may not be "who God wants" but they're certainly who God has allowed. As a result I'm going to pray for them because they're there, not because they're right.

I think fundamentally, I just don't believe in politics. Certainly not in the way Tony Blair and George W Bush believe. That's not to say we shouldn't do all we can politically to make sure the disadvantaged and less well off in society are cared for.
The Church has a view on many matters, and needs to make her voice heard, but it's transformed people that transform communities, not the other way round. And I don't care how much politicians try and change my mind.