Conscience & Obedience_ the Politics of Romans 13 and 3 in Light of the Second Coming - William Stringfellow

8/14/2019 Conscience & Obedience_ the Politics of Romans 13 and 3 in Light of the Second Coming - William Stringfellow

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Conscience

&ObedienceIs the Church truly bove politics? Or is it ll too oten

gullible victim of the politicl ren?

The theme of ths prophetic work is that Chstans mustcomprehend politics f they ae to trnscend politics.

In Conscience nd Obedience, Willam Stingfellow reviewsthe long hstor of the chuch's intepretations and

msinterpetatons of Scptural texts relating to potcsThe most notorous abuses have come, he sas in inter-

pretations of Romans and Revelaton .

Stringfellow declaes that what s missng most is anunderstanding of eschatolog that can stand aganst an

political ideolog whether of the status quo or evolution

Conscience nd Obedience challenges the reader toexamne the sources of our faith and our freedom.

William Stringfellow is an attoney wdely recogzed for hsepesentato o unpopular o egected pesons. Kal Barth once

sad that Strngfeow was "the most conscetos ad thought

theoogca md he had met Ameica. Strgelow has wttenmore than a dozen books, ncudng A Private and Public Faith,My People Is the Enemy, ad An Ethic for Christians and

Other Aliens in a Strange Land.

Cat. No 84-

ISBN 084-84-


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Wh h w yg ..

" a eloquent a t provocatve It well worth

reang-Frankn Sherman The Christian entury

"Wam Strngfelow an Epcopal lawyer an theologan one of the mot vgorou Chrtan wrterof our tmeThe wrtng vntage Strngfelow

freh togh pngent an provocatve

A book torea poner an ak f n my chrch 'conence

an expreon of the encaton of baptze peoplewth the whole of humanty John A. Lapp Provident Bok Finder

"The author work wth the reaer n helpng to forma bblca hope whch both nertan a trancenpoltcRaymon McCallter Jr The Disciple

"Strngfeow gft to that he rae queton

whch are unenably bblca an whch perhapepecally n the Unte State receve pathetcallyttle crutny-Charle PLut Book News Letter

"The author attorney an ayman once agan hawrtten a book worth reang by thoe concerne a

to the proper roe of the Chrtan church Partcularyt houl be tued an carefully by that boyleaerFn a copy of th excellent publcatonan rea Strngfellow vewpont for yourelf Cecl B Currey The Tmpa Tribune-Times

"The ene of tranformng jutce may reeem notonly the book bt the reaer-Rchar F BoekeThe Churchman


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WILLIM STRINGFELLOW

Cnscience

&ObedienelRE POLITSOFOMANS13

AND EVETON 13

IN GHr OF lRESEOD OMING

Wod Book, Pulhe

Wco, Tex


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Firs Papeack Edition-September 1978

ISBN: 0849928435

ONSCECE AD BEENCE

Copygh 9 y Wo, nopo,Wao Txa 63

Al gh vd.No pa of h oo y e epoun ny fo whov ep o ef quoonn evw, whou he wien ponof he puh.

Sipu quoon fo heRvd n Von of he le,opygh 946, 9, , 93 y heDivon of Chn uon of he onlCoun of h Chuhe of Chn he USA n u y peon

SN 08634

Ly of Conge alog nu 63

nd in he Une of Amia


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forp ost-americans


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oes

p efae

bblal exs Te Leer of Pul o e Romns,

chapters and Te Revelion o Jon,chapter

hape o e 2Te Vocion of Poliicl Auoriy

The Vocation of the Word of GodCreation, Fal, and the Signcance of ocaton

The Lodshp of Christ in Fallen Creation

hape wo 5

Te Problem of Poliicl LegiicyThe Abiguity of LegtimacyThe Meanng of Political AuthorityThe Constantinian Status Quo

hapehee 55

Anrcy Apoclypic Reliy nd e AnicrisPoltical Authority and Emprcal AnarchyThe Scope of Human SinBombast and Blasphemy

hape fou 5Te Second Adven of e Lord

The Signcance of the Two Advents


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The Impendng Devastation of Poitca Authorty

The Immnece of the Second Advent

chapter fve 89The Vocation of the Church as the Holy Nation

Trusting the Judgmet of the Word of God

The Biblica Wtness as Advocacy

The Natonhood of the Church

epilogue 109

A Homily on the Sigicance of the Defeat of theSaints


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Prfa

e intentin in th bk i t arm a bibica hpewhich cmprehend pitic and which trancend pitic

Tha hope nofar a e gven o me o peak of

pecca grone n he ew Teamen whch expoe he ranence of he poc of h wor b whchforebear o renonce poca nvolvemen an whch be-leve he overegn of Go rng h pang age.Smaneol he bblcal wne ancpae wh exra-ornar eagerne an wh no le remarkable paence

he en of h wor poc e perhng of h agehe gmen of he naon an prncpale an allrler he nex aven of e Chr openl an r-mphanl o vncae h regn a Lor.

If m prpoe appear aacomore real an-nonce han accomplhe am Tha arbe how-

ever ha no nhbe he aemp whch varo evenhave agne o me of h book On he conrar he lgence reqre o be coheren abo he poca hope ofbblcal folk n he preen me ncae he ak cogen

I became perae of h whe I wa engage n wrngAn Ethc for Chrtn nd Othr Aln n Strng Lnd.

Tha eor rea he Bablon paage n The Revelaono ohn a parabe of he falenne of he naonbe Amerca or an oher naon or mlar prncpal InREEN he preaor characer of he naon o em-phac ha a I wel pon h rmenar reaonhpof he naon or prncpal o he power of eah nalconvnce me ha I wol have nex o ea bnl whoher par of he ew Teamen wne whch pmfc bepoke eren vew of he naon heoogcalo emprcall ence acqanance wh An Ethc o

9


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10 NENE N OEENE

Cht d Oth Al Stg Ld more orle preppoe here

I have choen to ea wth two bbca paage whch

repreent the tenon nternal to he ew Tetamen per-nent to polcal ahort: RN 13 an REEN 13.Thee are he mot famo ext pong tnghableperhap contractor attte towar the naton wthnthe Bble The are alo probabl the wo mo abectaon among an that mght be name Boh paageare pblhe n th volme n orer o prompt thoe who

rea what I have wrtten o have rect recore to hem

The htorca crcmance n whch each of hee partof he ew Tetament were tere are qe erent anaccont aen of hat fac n m own comprehenon ofRN on one han an REEN on the other I amnot one however nclne towar ng the contonng

of htor to explan awa crepanc or ncongrt n heBble A the ame tme I harbor no complon to neatlharmonze Scrpre a I have elewhere often remare.The whole noton that the Bble mt be homogenze orrenere conen a common acaemc mpoton ponhe bblcal lteratre bt t en often n an atempt o

eologze the Bble n a manner whch ene the motelementar rth of the bbcal wtne namel ha bepea the namc an vable partcpaton of the Worof Go n the common event of h worl. The mlantcharacter of the Wor of Go n htor refte an canonof mere conenc n the bblcal wtne. To rea heBble o hear of an behol event n whch the Wor ofGo concerne attene b the partclart an o hman beng the ambgt of acta happenng An eortto rea he Bble a a treate abtractl conrce or conforme rp he gen of he Bble a etamen of theWor of Go actve n hor. If he bblca wtne werenernall trctl cononant after the moe of eoog or

phlooph the mter of reveaton n h worl wolbe abolhe revelaton telf wol be caegorcall precle.

Wha o be expecte ntea of mpc contenc


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Prfc 11

in lisenng e Bble allwng r e vagaries and erlimans uman insig s cerence a basc inegiy e rd Gd r e dely e persnaliy Gd s crean

I d n mean exl ncnsisency I am glad enug nd ne ex e Bible wic seems my mnd in bvius armny wi aner passage bu I d mean cau-in agains makng a rubric cnssency a vlaes ems essenial caracersic e bblical winess andwic usually nurses vany in reading and using eBible and wic nvariably issues in manipulain rversg r suppressin cerain dimensins e Bble.

Ts is w I cme e exs rm RN and REEN I e w seem a ddsug varian isricalsiuains are be aken serusly and wile e paraly a persn's percepn a a given mmen as be acknwledgedpercance i is because ey a dds Ta me becmes primarly sgncan as a clue e vialy e rd Gd in e wrld Te revelan erd Gd is always mre manld and mre versalean uman cmpreensin. a I anicpae in e passages is n cnssency s muc as cerence I can live

and ac as a biblical persn wu e rmer bu wiue laer I cann live

S in e Bible and ere in RN and in REENI lk r syle n sereype r preceden n mdel rparable n prpsin r analgue n aprsm r paradx n sylgsm r sgns n saues Te encuner

wi e biblcal winess s empircal as disinguised rmsclasc and i is cnessnal raer an leralisc ineier case i ver and abve any er cnsiderain in-vlves e cmmn reader in arming e isrciy erd Gd rugu e presen age n e bibcalera and imminenly

y eseem r e biblcal winess and my apprac e Bible suld be enug dsclse my skepicsm abucurren ers cnsruc pliical elgy accrdng sme idelgical mdel. I reer r ne specc example


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C D OD

aemps aiclae a psedbiblical ainale classi-cal Maxism, wic ae laely becme pminen, ddlyeng, simlanesly in b sme psindsial scieies Ameica and pe and in sill pe-indsialied egins Asia Lain Ameica, and Aica.I is pesasie e idelgical bankpcy e mea anyne wld imagine a Maxism spnss a scialand ecnmic analysis elean e cndiins ad-anced ecnlgy and e ecncaic sae in e TidWld a leas e peailing sciey eains a semblance

se cndiins wic iginally ccasined Maxismme an a ceny ag Gien e analyical nae e eied inees in Maxism in a cny like e UniedSaes i may be a e penmenn is mainly eicalwi classical Maxism spplying a cnenien and amplelexicn wi wic dennce e egime. O in addiin

is belaed aenin Maxis ideas may expess e p-nd sains peple wg in e decadence andbslescence, Ameican capialism. O, is may als bean aspec e ge nsalgia a accmpanies eendemic appeensin Ameicans cncening e aile e sysem. a be e, i is qain and paeic sincensalgia signies an ineed escalgy as sc e ms

cinalized and fln pe all. Meanwile, een insecs e Tid Wld wee Maxism may emainanalyically cgen, e aemp elgize in biblicalems, idelgy is nenable en a ms eneableidenicain and adcacy e biblical winess edispssessed and ppessed is age des n ende e

biblical peple idelgically capiaed. Te e dis-ingis a biblical aplgeic Maxism is n dieenm se wic ae sg elgize capialismclnialism, wa, and pigae cnsmpin. Waee esbec idelgy plicy, aemps sc as ese iializee Bible

In e wds, biblical pliics never implies a paiclaelabaed pliical elgy wee i be ne ecing esas q ne wic aspies ew and displacee sas q Te gspel is n idelgy and caegically


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Prfc

e gspel cann be idelged. Biblical plics alwaysas a psue in ensn and ppsin e pevalensysem and any pspecive incpen saus qu and e idelgies eie egme evlun. Bblicalplics ae alienaed m e plics s age.

Le n ne ead n ese emaks gauus cm simplisic and unespnsve answes plical issues enmus cmplexy suc as all e nans sue aee manne insance se w ncan e name Jesus supesusly. I is lieally pagan, unbbcal sece Jesus is e answe. Te Bble s me denivee biblical amain s Jess s Ld Te Bible makesa pliical saemen e eign is peemping alle ules and all peendes nes and dminns subecing ncumbens and evluinaes supassing e dcine and pmises e idelges s wld.

is ee ee unised any peex waeve e neglec e p e unlbeaed abandnmen e bblical advcacy e ppessed and e impisned. On e cnay, e exemplcain edeemedumaniy in e Ldsp Jesus is in s age meansa esilien and ieless winess cnund ebuke and und

evey egme, and evey penal egime, un a mmenwen umankind is accuned ve e nains and pinci-paliies in e las udgmen e Wd Gd.

Te appac RN 3 and REVEN 13 ee iscnessinal a is say, a lvng cnac bewix eWd Gd expsed in e biblical exs and e same

Wd Gd acve nw n e siuain e cmmneade s a e encune n Bble sudy becmes, n i-sel an even caaceisically biblcal. As suc is bkis n exegeical in a ecncal sense, ug I d n implya ecnical wk n ese passages is unimpan ai is incmpable wi a cnessinal syle n Bible sudy

a i can be igned by laypesns. I am ae em-pasizing a s bk s pmaily a pasal endeav Iseeks lieally encuage a biblical lesyle in e pliics e age inas e suble saescnscence and be


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C D OD

dence n church and in naon whle awaing he prompness o he Lord

Similary hough he work s abou poliics, i is no a

echnical pece and does no ener he realm o olicalheory or employ he jargon o he discipline o poiicalscence Such polical erms as are menioned are uilizedin obious connoaons and no as words o ar or o ech-nical deniion

Perchance parcuar noce should be gien o he usage

n hs book o he phrase t Wo of o. I inend his obe undersood as a name Thereby I reer no only o heBible as he Word o God, bu simulaneously o he Wordo God incarnae n Jesus Chris and, aso o he Word oGod milan in he lie o he world as he Hoy Spri, and,urher o he Word o God inherng in he whole o creaion

To conron he issues o conscence and obedience inchurch and naion n he ime being wih reerence o heesamen in R and in R inoles reaingehics and eschaoogy simulaneousy nsead o as disncor separaed caegories. beliee ha i is he disabiliy

wihin Chrisendom o comprehend ehics and eschaologyas subecs encompassing one anoher which chiey accounsor he imairmen o he poical dscernmen o hechurch in Amerca as elsewhere n he presen as pre-iousy. I I dea n he same hough wih ehcs and eschaology, howeer i is no because I indulge eiher inaedehics or reaized eschaology (A popular curren empa-

ion s somewha derenha is he displacemen oehics by a realized apocalypicsm raher han anasizingeschaology.)

I us arm in his book he elemenary link beweenehics and eschaology, which is ha he opic o boh isop n t tonp o jugmnt. I I comprehend ehics

as eschaological anicipaion or as herald o he judgmeno he Word o God in hsory, and i I oresee he eschaonas he consummae ehcal een perinen o he poliicso his age I am sayng ha hopehope now or human


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Prefce 15

iehoe now or nations and rincialitieshoe nowor the whole o creationmeans the imminence o udg-ment That is the erasie bibical theme; it is what I hearin the assages at hand in RoN and RN. Inbiblical aith ethics and eschatology coincide because thecommon history o the world is behed as the redemtiehistory o this world.

Ths may exlain why I nd the amiliar reutations oRoN 13 and RN 13 curious The Book o Reela

tion including this citation is oten ignored or suressedbecause it is reuted to be sc a heay eschatologicalutterance that it suosedy has litte contemorary signicance The rst seen erses o RoN 13 are commonlyexemted rom context and commended as rudential guid-ance here and now without articlar cognizance o theimending distress to this world o the eschatological reality.

The more I hae lied with these two texts the more Ierceie them oositely. RoN 3 1 bears an exlicteschatological cotext; RN 13 ocuses uon the ol-tics o the assing age concretely exemliying the tacticso witness o the biblica eole

The timeliness o a study o both RoN 3 and RN 13 is I think seleident. ot only are the issues oconscience and obedience resecting the church and thenation in the oreront in America albeit in mighty conusion but mch the same is the case in other societies. InBrazil in Chile in Korea in China in Taiwan in the Philiines in South Arica in Kenya in Tanzania in Sain in

Italy in Poland in ast Germany in the Soiet Unionand most oignanty in Israelthese are immediate mat-ters That act shod caution American Christians not tobe oguish and not to be chauinistic as so oten they haebeen n the ast in attemting to coe with them.

Furthermore one mst kee in mind that the ruing

authorities as well as bibical eole are actie in trying todetermine these isses I hae mentioned earier that I became ersuaded to do this book while engaged in writingAn Ethc for Chrtn nd Other Alen n Strnge Lnd


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EE OEEE

Tha was o cocusion absracy reached. I was mailyoccasioed by he acua poiical siuaion i which AnEthc was wrie On he ery day ha aie Berrigan,SJ, hen a poiical ugiie because o his opposiion ohe war i Souheas Asia and his resisace o he warregime was seized a he home o Anhony Towne admysel o Block Isad by he ederal poice, I was ypighe manuscrip o ha book. Subseque o Berrigan's capure Towe and I were subeced o harrassmen ocialdeamaion ad sureiace by he auhoriies, incudig

a remarkabe inciden in which a goernme age onceagai inruding upon my work on An Eth sough o i-errogae me abou heology ad poliics. He bega heineriew his way r. Srigeow, youre a heoogian(I hough his iroi ainly sarcasic) oes he Biblesay you mus obey he mperor? His query sarled me

I admi o so much or is hrus as or he eidece igae o how miuey he ruig powers scruinize ciizes.I could o concede he simpisic premise abou he Biblewhich his quesio assumed and I rebuked him abou hisakig perhaps orye minues o do so. urig he dis-course he wiled isibly and, whe I paused momearilyhe abruply excused himse and depared. This was some

disappoinme o me, or I had oly us begun o respodo he muliarious impicaions o he issue he had raisedThe episode coribued o my coicion o wrie his book

Th Epphn 976Bock snd hod snd


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THE LETTER OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS

Chapte 2

l to ou thrfor brthr b th mrcs of odto rst our bods s lvg scrc, hol d cct

bl to od whch s our srtul worsh Do ot bcoformd to ths world but b tsformd b th rwlof o md tht ou m rov wht s th wll of odwht s good d cctbl d rfct.

Fo b th grc gv to m bd vr o mog ouot to thk of hmslf mor hghl th h ought to thk

but to thk wth sobr udgmt ch ccordg to thms of fth whch od hs ssgd hm

For s o bod w hv m mmbrs d ll thmmbrs do ot hv th sm fucto, so w, thoughm, r o bod Chrst, d dvdull mmbrs oof othr. 6Hvg gfts tht dr ccordg to th grc

gv to us lt us us thm f rohc roorto toour fth; 7f srvc our srvg; h who tchs hs tchg h who xhorts hs xhortto; h whocotrbuts lbrlt h who gvs d, wth zl hwho dos cts of mrc, wth chrfulss.

Lt lov b gu ht wht s vl, hold fst to wht

s good; 10lov o othr wth brothrl cto outdoo othr showg hoor 11Nvr g zl b glowwth th Srt srv th Lord. 1oc our ho btt trbulto b costt rr 1Cotrbut toth ds of th sts rctc hostlt

1Blss thos who rscut ou; blss d do ot cursthm 1oc wth thos who roc, w wth thos whow. 1Lv hrmo wth o othr do ot bhught, but ssoct wth th lowl; vr b coctd

7


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18 CNN ND ODN

1Repy n ne ev f ev bu ke hugh f wh nbe n he gh f . 18f pbe f dependupn yu ve peceby wh . 19Beved neve vengeyueve bu eve he wh f Gd; f wenVengence mne w epy y he Ld 20N fyu enemy hungy feed hm; f he hy gve hmdnk; f by dng yu w hep bunng c upn hhed" 21D n be vecme by ev bu vecme ev whgd

Chaper

Le evey pen be ubjec he gvenng uhe.F hee n uhy excep fm Gd nd he hex hve been nued by Gd 2Theefe he wh e

he uhe e wh Gd h ppned nd hewh e w ncu judgmen. F ue e n e gd cnduc bu bd Wud yu hve n fe f hmwh n uhy? Then d wh gd nd yu w

eceve h ppv 4f he Gd evn f yu gdBu f yu d wng be fd f he de n be hed n vn; he he evn f Gd execue h whn he wngde 5Theefe ne mu be ubjec n ny vd Gd wh bu f he ke f cncenceF he me en yu y xe f he uhee mne f Gd endng h vey hng. Py f hem he due xe whm xe e due evenue whm evenue due epec whm epec due hn whm hn due.

we n ne nyhng excep ve ne nhe; f hewh ve h neghb h fued he w 9The cmmnd-men Yu h n cmm duey Yu h n kYu h n e Yu h n cve" nd ny hecmmndmen e ummed up n h enence Yu hve yu neghb yuef" 0Lve de n wng neghb; heefe ve he fung f he w


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Pefce 9

Bede h yu kw wh hu hw fu me

w f yu wke fm eep F v ee u w h whe we beeved; 1he gh f ge,he dy hd Le u he c he wk f dk-e d pu he m f gh 1e u cduc uevebecmgy he dy, eveg d dukee, debuchey d ceue, queg djeuy 14Bu pu he Ld eu Ch, d mke pv f he eh, gfy dee.

THE REVELATION TO JOHN

Chape 13

d I w be g u f he e, wh e hd eve hed wh e ddem up h d bphemu me up hed. 2d he be h Iw w ke epd, fee wee ke be d muh w ke muh. d he dg gveh pwe d h he d ge uhy. e f

hed eemed hve m wud bu m wudw heed, d he whe eh fwed he be whwde. Me whped he dg, f he hd gve huhy he be, d hey whped he be, yg,Wh ke he be, d wh c gh g

d he be w gve muh ueg hughy d

bphemu wd, d w wed exece uhyf fyw mh; peed muh ue b-pheme g Gd, bphemg h me d h dwe-g, h , he wh dwe heve 7 w wed mke w he d cque hem d u


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CNN N ON

thority was given it over every tribe and people and tongueand nation, 8and all who dwell on earth will worship itevery one whose name has not been written before thefoundation of the world in he book of life of the Lamb thatwas slain 9If any one has an ear let him hear:

If any one is to be taken captive,to captivity he goes

if any one slays with the swordwith the sword must he be slain

Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints

1Then I saw another beast which rose out of the earth;it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dgon.Jt exercises all the authoity of the rst beast in itspresence and makes the earth and its inhabitants worshipthe rst beast whose mortal wound was healed 3It woks

great signs, even making re come down from heaven toearth in the sight of men and by the signs which it isallowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceivesthose who dwell on earth, bidding them make an image ofthe beast which was wounded by the sword and yet lived15and it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast

so that the image of the beast should even speak and tocause those who would not worship the image of the beastto be slain 16 Also it causes all both small and great, bothrich and poor both free and slave to be marked on the righthand or the forehead, 7so that no one can buy or sell unlesshe has the mark that is the name of the beast or the number of its name. 8This calls fo wisdom let him who has

understanding reckon the numbe of the beast for it is ahuman number, its number is six hundred and sixtysix


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chapter one

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except fro

God and those that exist have been instituted byGod. Thereore he who resists the authorities re-sists what God has appointed and those who resistwill incur judgent.

a 131

And saw a beast rising out of the sea, with tenhorns and seven heads with ten diades upon itshorns and a blaspheous nae upon its headsAnd the beast that saw was like a leopard itsfeet were like a bears and its outh was like alion's outh. And to it the dragon gave his powerand his thne and great authority One of its

heads seeed to have a ortal wound but itsortal wound was healed and the whole earthfollowed the beast with wonder Men worshipedthe dragon for he had given his authority to thebeast and they worshiped the beast saing Whois like the beast and who can ght against it?

eveat 131


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chapte ne

he

Voaonof PoalAuhoy

he elementay eason why issues o conscience andobedience in eation eithe to the naton o to thechuch ae attended by constenaton s a pesumption, implct o unstated that thee s a singua poposton in

tems o whch such questons can be esoled desptedspaate cicumstances in whch they ase

Commonly it s supposed that thee inhees somewheewithin the copus o the gospel a geat xed pinciplewhichonce tuly appehended and appopiately omu-lateds capable o applicaton and implementaton when

ee and wheee poblems o conscience o cams oobedience in naton o in chuch equie a stand by thoseaspiing to be aithul n the bblical tas in histoy

This notion, whch s patculaly, though by no meansuniquely, ensconced in Amecan Chistendom, and genthat ethos s cuiously chaacteistc o pietsts as well as

actists is bamewothy o ustaton conusion, mscheand tagedy equenty associated with that which puposto be the Chistian wtness n the wold

3


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24 OSCECE AD BEDECE

The peuppoton confoundng becaue t categocally fale. It a adcal dtoton of the goel whchwhen puued, dpate the genu of the bblcal lfe nth wold Thee no uch mpltc pncple n bblcalfath to be located, olated, appled, and mlemented nanwe to any, much le eey, queton of concence oobedence The gopel no ueethc.

The mpoton of th fale peumpton upon cap ofScptue account fo the fequent abue of ctaton fom

Roman 3:17 o 1 Pete 37 o Luke 05 o othepaage whch name poltcal authoty at the behet ofule o the coutean

o the poblem obated by eotng to ocalledpomate o oonal nom, a ome uppoe; t onlytheeby eaded.

Intead of popoton o pncple, the bblcal wtneoe pecedent and paable. The Bble doe not opoundgudelne but elate eent; the bblcal ethc doe not contuct yllogm but tell toe; the gopel not connedn ete but confee the ablty of the Wod of GodThe bblcal epone to ue of concence and obedence

ae empcal and htoc o ele they ae acamental andpotentou. In ethe tyle o ntance, they eemlfy andedfy decon and acton athe than pedetemnng oothewe abtactng them

he cati f the Wr f G

If th dtncton eem fatdou t becaue t bacand chaactetc and not becaue t ethe eotec opedantc. The concen t gne fo the bblcal cedblty of the ncanaton that , of the pmal tatu of thepatcpaton of the Wod of God n common htoy. It theeent of the Incanaton, at once mmnent tuth and ult-mate ealty appetanng to the whole of ceaton a human

beng pecee and encounte the ame, whch dentefo the bblcal wtne n th wold It the confeon ofthe mltance of the Wod of God n th tme and n thplace a much a conummately whch conttute the matue


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he Vocato of Poltcal Authoty 5

ehica knowedge o bibical people Thee no no noideal no gandoe pncpe om whch hypoheical peconceed o petentou anwe can be deed becaueto he bibical mindthee ae no diincanate iue; theeae only actual quetion equiing hitoc epone on hepa o peon and o pincipalte Thee ae only thoedecion and acion which ae judged, eely in the peence o the Wod o God in hitoy.

To peak o act coneionay coheently, biblicaly, inpobem o concence o obedience n naton o chucho hat ate, o dea n bblca tem wth ethc at alli, thu, an endeao at adical aiance o the way inwhch uch iue ae poited n the wod Contay owody conception o ehc the bbcal yle oweapeemption o the oce o God doe not egn concdencewih the mind o God paently aain o caim o

pecognion o he judgment o he Wod o God. Ineado being ain, pecociou o pemaue the ehical aciityo biblical people lieally k he udgment o the Wod oGod o iply ele upon God' gace o, a t mot eenial attibue eee the auonomy and eedo o God'will.

Some, I a awae ay cie hee pophec adiionepecialy a tha i known in the Old Teament. Wha ohoe who cononted the poeed people o God cynghus sath the Lod! ? I am nethe unmndul no ungaeul o the pophet, but I eceie and a he ewTetamen a he peection (that to ay, copleton o

ulllmen) o the Old Tetament, o that I do no lten othe pophe o od n a acuum a i n ignoance o heew Tetamen. I do no nd Ao o eeah o heipee inconguou to Jeu Chi o, uthe, to Pau o theautho o Reeaton and the pee I hea pophetic utte-ance, then and ao now, ebukng the impaence and idola-y o the people expong the eigiou anity and moa

legalim, and denouncing the ecacitance to the iabilityo the Wod o God I noce he pophet admonihing thepeope tha eey ceatuea naton no le than a huanbeingi ubec hee and now o God oeeigny e


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26 CNN ND ODN

ieraing ha eery thoght and ac or omssn is underudgmen, and calling or tha repenance in which he newie o the holy nation is constitted Biblicaly the mark oautheniciy, or prophetism is comprehension o he godliness o God and nbegrdged awe or he ocation o heWord o God in history. That reerence or the prerogatieso God is signied in he propheic attribtion which com-monly ollows he herald Thus sath the Lord! am heLord hy God!

In a comparable ein, he it o he law is requenlymentioned as i o ignore he way in which he law is transgured both in the minisry o Jess and in his direc addressto he subect in the Sermon on the Moun. (Matt. 5 78)

In he works o Jesus can be seen the ery lllmen ohe law while he Sermon shows how al persons sandunder the judgment o he aw o the Word o God as i isulled in Jesus Christ This is anticipated in he propheicwitness in its honor o the oce o the Word o God nhistory. And later i is the authoriy or Pals minisry asan Apostle and the passionate, reiterated heme o his teach-ing and nrure o the chrch and its members. (C Rom0 1 1 Gal 3

It is the recogniion o Gods armaion o himsel in themids o hisory in this word which becomes the introit orall issues o conscience and obedience raher han any deriation and ormlation, howeer solemn o any ethical proposiion or grea principle. It is tha acknowledgmen whichmakes ocation the subjec o ethics. It is that sensibiiy

o he integrity o God as God which undoes the prooundconsion concerning he ocation o humans and o naionsand o all other creatres Repeated, again doctrinally (iperhaps more qainly) he aemp o cope with qestionso conscience and obedience in nation and in church beginsin conession o the Incarnaion

A the ouset the ocus is pon he ocation o he Wordo God in his world. Yet, with that starting poin the realmo ehica actiity implicaes the ocaion o all o le


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The Vocaton o Potca Authort 27

trougout creation simultaneously tics as, essentiallyto do wit te exercise o ocationwit name and identcation seood and reationsip capability and unctionplace and purposeor institutions and autorities as wellas persons. Tis means, so ar as uman beings are con-cerned, tat decisions and actions o conscience and obedi-ence encompass and utilize te ull diersity o gits ortalents indigenous to uman lie, wie at te same timeescewing delusions o diinity wic exceed and corrupttose ery gits and resisting te comparable pretensions o

gody status insinuated incessantly by te nations or oterassorted principalities and powers.

Tat etical deiberation originates ocationally and orumans engages eery capacity pertinent to liing umanlyneiter more nor lesssoud, as it seems to me in itseloccasion suspicion o any etica metodology wic nar-

rows distorts suppresses or denies any uman capability orte diersity o gits witin uman lie. In oter words anyetical system wic is settled and stereotyped uniormand preclusie neat and predictable is bot deumanizingand pagantat is, literally, unbiblical Suc scemas mis-construe te signicance o ocation in creation inating

te role o te principalities wile itiating te umanocation tey issue in baspemy to use te word R-N cites so oten, in cursing and usurping te ocation ote Word o od in te present age.

reat, Fa a the gcace f cat

Te compreension o ocation as eementary to etics to

eery problem o conscience or obedience weter in nationor in curc recals expicitly te biblical stories o creationand o allen creation (en. 13 c. ietric Bonoeer,Creaton and Fa Y: Macillan 1959)

I reer to tese enesis narraties as stories deliberatelybecause te matter o teir istoricity is irreeant to te

trut wic tey coney. Te perennia controersies asso-ciated wit te question o te istorical status o tesetexts are it appears to me a dissipation wic wen


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28 OSCECE AD BEDECE

duged obscures what is most signicant about the Genesisstories o ceation and all namey the empirical credibilityo the description they urnish o lie in this world.

Furthermore those insistent upon literalistic interpreta-tions o these passages succumb to a temptation to beittethe Word o God in their ery attempt to uphold the dignityo the Word o God To suppose that these stories happenedin time denies the ranscendence o time characteristic othe relationship o the Word o God to this world which theGenesis tets bespeak.

Put another way time as humans perceie and suer itis itse an aspect o alen reaity a signa o the actiityo death a most amiliar and oppressie eature o the reigno death in the world. In the participation o the Word oGod in historyin timethe Word o God is not somehow

diminished or can not be conned but sti retains reedomrom the parameters o time transgures time abolishestime embodies eternity in time redeems time. To reer tothe Word o God in tempora terms (which is the ony lan-guage humans now hae) is always thereore quaint andstyistic a manner o speaking a metaphor a parable. Inthis way human beings can be spared the temptations to

possess or contro restrict or dene the Word o God themystery inherent in truth remains iabe and inehaustibeand the ecacy o the redemptie power o the presence othe Word o God in this world is respected.

So it is that I urge those who would unintentionallydemean or inadertenty deaden the Word o God by impos-

ing a literalistic rubric upon Scripture to be een oearnest than they now proess to be toward the Bibe andthence to behold these stories o creation and al in Genesisas descriptions the truth o which is not contingent upontheir mundane historicity but which ar more cogent thanthat is uniersally and repetitiously attested empiricaly

in common historyThe truth o the Genesis creation story is not that God

made human beings on the rst Saturday but that the ieo the whoe o creation originates in the utterance o the


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The Voton o Poltl Authoty 29

Word o God Le n the ncepton, a gt. In the eent ocreaton each and eery creature and each and eery apecto the totalty o creaton recee e n ntegrty and rela-tonhp n harmony and ulment wthn the cope oGod oeregnty. Peron and prncpalte all the creature al realte or element o creaton are named by theWord o God ach benecary o an dentty capactypurpoe and place n conjuncton wth that o eeryone andeerythng ele. In other word n creaton voton uerom the Word o God Stl more precey n the bblcal

decrpton o creaton the ocaton o God become den-te o the ocaton o human le and o that o nttutonand naton and other creature and o all thng whateer

epte the aregaton o e n creaton urpang thepartcularty and detal pecuar to the arete o creature-hood or the derte o created tatu there n the

bblcal nght a ngular eature hared throughout creaton. That hamark o the ocaton o the whole o creaton the glorcaton o the Word o God a the ource o lethe adoraton o the Creator the prae and grattude ocreaton or the generoty o God the ceebraton o le aa gt or mply the worhp o God. The worhp o God

the eemental and conummate connotaton o ocatonor the whole o creaton and or the arou pecc ormo e wthn creaton

In the bbcal tory the equaton o ocaton and worhp expreed n the preemnence attrbuted to human leThe Word o God betow upon human domnon oer the

ret o creaton omnon here not to be mtaken ordomnaton the rue or goernance to whch human le apponted n the creaton tory one n whch the dtncte human aculte are engaged and ulled n gnyng the acte oeregnty o the Word o God to the wholeo creaton o that eery other apect o the le o creaton related and realzed It not or the aggrandzement o

human le that domnon conerred but or the ake othe perect le o al o creaton whch exempled aworhp The erce to human beng the enhancement ohuman le n ocety rendered by the ret o creaton under


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30 CEE D OEDEE

uan doinion is appropraed in worspin e reeconscienious and glad conesson o uans a e lieo e wole o creaon is e gi o e Word o God.

All o is s spoiled and disored n allen creaion Tebiblcal sory o e all bespeaks e renuncaion o lie asa gi e rejecon o e even o e Word o God callinglie ino being and nang e creaures and everyingelse and vesing doinion in uan le; e abandoneno worsip and s displaceen w blaspey and idol-

ary and e radical oral conuson as o vocaion aecingeveryone and all ings n creaon I is e repudiaion ole as e grauiy o e Word o God wc describes sinin s essenal aribue e consequence o sin s consign-en o dea. In sn uan doinon is los; e vocaiono uan lie s prooundly dsorened e res o creaionincludng noably e prncipalies and powers) suers

siilar caos Te vocaion o creaion is usurped. In eal e reign o dea is pervasve and ilian i spares nolie waever every relaonsip s broken or corruped ordinsed o volence aniworsp s endeic or insiu-ions and naions as uc as persons ie eans conne-en o e power o dea nsead o possessing donion

over creaion uan le is enslaved o and donaed bye res o creaion In allen creaon e power o deaappears riupan over e esence o is world

Te allenness o e naions and powers is conuncivewi e allenness o uaniy bu i s no dependen orderivaive Te princpales are auonoous n relaion o

uans ey are creaed bengs or realiies in eir ownrig no sply projecions o collecive uan lie ander deonc caracer as allen powers is no ere conse-quence o uan sin eer personal or corporae. ee nEthic . . page 75)

o e ible reas e and so I observe ey are as

coon experience conrons e. I is sleadng ence,o speak o an insiuon or naon or polcal regie be-coing deonc as i s allen caacer wee soeowconingen upon uan acion or ossion wic precip


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The Vocaton o Political Authority 3

ae e corrupion or decadence o a prncipaiy. Furerore, uc a view wic a ad grea vogue in oraleology in Aerican Crendo no ony denie ecreaurely au o e principaliie and power, bu alodenie a e wole creaion orginae in e ord oGod. dengrae God a Creaor by exaggeraing epoency and cope o uan in.

he dhp f ht Falen eatn

Te biblical wine, a e Gopel according o Jon

rend, doe no end in e aga o e al Te biblicaeaen i copleed in Jeu Cri. Jeu Cri eana oug e all ruin creaion e all doe no diipae e grace o God. Jeu Cr ean a ouguan being and, indeed, e wole o creaion reec liea e g o e ord o God, e ord o God i noereby reraced or reued or revoked. Cri ean aaloug in allen creaion vocaion i dored and woripi candalized, e overeigny o God i neier dirupednor abored. Cri ean a n e all n e id oe reign o dea in ie win e coon iory oi world, e ord o God neveree ac o reore lieo e wole o creaion. Jeu Cr ean a e ree

do o God i no curaed by e al and no inidaedby e ral o dea, bu elec o redee creaion roe power o dea Jeu Cr ean e ebodien inuan lie now, in i world of e abundance o eord o God or alvaion ro in and redepion rodea or all creaion

Tu i a coe o pa a biblical peope eee JeuCri a Lord. T no, a i oeie erroneouly up-poed a ie deignang e dvny of Cri i, raerexplicily expain e uaniy o Jeu a e one woepioize e reoraon o doinion over e re ocreaion veed in uan lie by e overeigny of e

ord o God during e epoc o e all Jeu Cr aLord ignie e renewed vocaon o uan lie in recon-ciliaion wi e re o creaion.

ence oe wo live in Cri and wo onor Cri a


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32 oSCECE AD BEDECE

or, wo r mmr of t oy of t Cr of Crit,i in t prnt g nw rtion" 2 Cor 5 : 7)

It wil I op r tt to r n rmtion to

t nti rtr of t r in ti wy noi imirity to t wy of mn iim, t prtiof rligion or t ntrtinmnt of ption n iion.T im of t r tt it rprnt in itory rtorrtion i not ontingnt t l pon irt in t rt pon t from of t Wor of Go in ti wor. Iti tt I li wi i t rimntry n ontnt of tnion n fritiont w Ttmnt omtimrfr to twn t r n t wor, prtilrly twn t r n t ntion or t tt orotr ring prinipiti n powr

At t rx of tt innt onit i t otionl

i, n, onrtly, t irnmnt wi t r, t xmplr of rnw rtion, prti onrning totion of politil tority In tt witn t ronf on f of ry ntion or tt or rgim ttpolitil tority otion ry rtr o.T r, it wr, rmmr tt otion n onorit y y onfng tt poiti tority i orin

or ppoint y Go Yt imltnoy in t mit oft nry wi i t f, in ti priing g, wilpoiti tority rmin on to t powr of ttt onfion of t otion of poiti tority lwyspol t prminn of ominion rtor to mnlif or, in otr wor, lwys rm t Lorip of J

Crit Bt if t r i fitf to J Crit Lor,n t r r pport poitil tority in ttqo?


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chapter two

For rulers are ot a terror to good coduct butto bad W uld you have o fear of hi who is

i authority The do what is good ad you willreceive his approval, for he is Gods servat foryour good

man 133a

The I saw aother beast which rose out of theeath it had two hors like a lab ad it spokelike a drago It exercises all the authority of therst b east i its presece, ad akes the earth adits ihabitats worship the rst beast whoseortal woud was healed. It works great sigseve akig re coe dow fro heave to earthi the sight of e ad by the sigs which it is

allowed to work i the presece of the beast itdeceives those who dwell o earth biddig theake a iage for the beast which was woudedby the sword ad yet lived

evelatn 311


36/115


37/115

chape w

he

oblemof olalLegmay

Viwing pg onrning poiil ori inRoN nd in RN in onx of bibli

l ori of rion nd fl nd biblil win oGod rdmpi iniii in fn rion do no di-

ol nion or onr bwn x. I doonnr on i of oion of poliil or-i in of m I do mpiz orn of wo pg. T rfrn in RoN o poii ori inid b God nd God rn rl polii-l oriong wi r or rr n-

ii nd flmn of i own ingri nd pi inlif in worip wi i o in rogniion nd dorionof orign of Word of God wiin priw ofmn dominion. On or nd profond diorionog no obirion) of r oion for

fn poiil prinipii i dribd in RN in groq imgr of prdor b rownd wiblpmo nm ring Word of God nd ling o wo do prof nd r orign of Word of God in i word.

35


38/115

36 oSCECE AD BEDECE

Te repiion of e gif of life n e onignmen oe power of e wi i e reliy of e fl, een menione oe no er or or or eop reempionTe Wor of Go peri in fllen reionineren orreil ien or eree, en or iree myerion eeni f Rom 1 : 20 Jme 2 ) Hng eeye o eo preene of e Wor, or ing eer o lien o e Wor, ing e gif of iernmeni inee, e mo ignin wy in wi Criin reiingie from oer mn eing in i worl Ye

ere i lo ene in wi e Wor of Go pereernepie e fll i ee in e fliy of lpemy ine impoene of polii oriy gin e power ofe in e inpy of polii oriyno merow eneen or ow egiingo iee e renewof reion or o pproxime e ingom of Go or for

mer, o een implemen i own mnne ie nieoogie. I i i onfoning of e niworip inlgey poliil oriy n y flen prinipiie npower w proxiy onrm e ii inig e oeregny of e Wor of Go eome iorillynoorio in e rerreion of Cri n wi inerenly nie e ili fi Cr omin-

ion i rimpn in jgmen of poliil oriy n ofl rere n ll ng woeer Rom 12 19) .

So i i, Kr Br remine , Pile, epieimelf n i poii oe, n y e Gope on,irlly eie imef, wen onfrone y Cri nmeCri Lor Krl Br Chch and State Lonon

SCM Pre 1939)

Tog e i oerome y ppreenion n i e wiegrgemen, Ple erie e ion n, o it isthe truth Te ery wor y wi poliil oriy onemn Cri onfe Cri' oriy Te ril eforePile i no ionnee inen in e me ein re

e enoner eween Hero n Cr, or e eionerning Cer n Cri, or e epioe in wi eemoni er exorim, or e elegremen of Criin e wilerne y e inrne e eil.


39/115

The Problem of Polcl egtmcy 37

T t or ny fign rlr of prn g rogniz if ronilly, Lorip of Crit i no mrof prinrinim It i wonro ign of ow rolt Wor of Go in itory i of ow rnint n mpyfor l i gy on n tylpmy i, n loof ow t win of t ilil oity wi iv in tiworl in Crit i rogniz y poitil tority rii-l n r n wom monimnt

W I wri, r I rliz pr from t wi

om to g ritionl xgi of RNwr RN n trt in voi n pilywr RN 13 7 n xmin prtly nmnwil RN 3 n ignor or ppror m ori T ony poin to ow o pg,in rition g, v n too m iorilly oniion RN n intrprt in onformn wi

ppo niti to nion inmn poitil rgimwr of for ntry or of wntit; RN n imi prinn jt o rtin rtnry rgim or n ontr polyptifny witot itori rfrn to ny rgim Sti if myomprnion of RN in rion to RN vri

from mor prvnt or omry intrprion of irpg I o no oniv to mtr of ln oppoiion of iinion wi I on ignin wn my own nrtning n riionl viw

he mbiguity f egitimacy

Prominnt mong iinion i wy in wi votionl i for politil ority i nrrowomim to t gr t i mont to omiionto prolm of poiil lgiimy By tt rri t oin of Criin o poitil toriy i onition poni o lgitimy Bt wn i poitil toriygiimt? Wn o ntion v tt wi my

rm init or orin of Go? Or wn o t v fntion wi n onir rvnt-oo o Go? An wn r to wo rlmpror orprintprimnt or poi onor no lon


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8 ONSCIENCE AND BEDENCE

c of fr, c ty wil t wor c tycommn mn to intimit omint n corc mning t mttr of concinc?

Witin t Amricn to, it o not, t nr n trct qtion itr for to wo proft gopl or for to wo o not T foning prmiof t ntion n lgitimcy in gornmnt ot witrpct to r m o onoxio to mn if inocity tt it w to rit n ortrown in tclrtion of Inpnnc n trftr in t limittion pon poiticl tority n t intittionliztion ofpic ccontility pi in t Contittion Accoring to t clrtion n t Contittion politicl lgiti-mcy rt to ot ow politicl powr i n to owit i tli, incmncy in itf not ing cint tolit t xrci of poiticl tority.

T mttr prmt t Amricn xprinc n-tion n ocity wit it pcir mixtr of toogy npoitic n it lty mrg gin in t cri ttn-ing Wtrgt n t wr in Sott Ai Hnc wnt Bil of mpcmnt w ttr gint Ricr ixon,t New ork Tmes tt tt t ntion col loo

forwr wit connc to t frtr woring ot of itcontittion proc for t restoton of legtmcy int igt xcti oc. T New ork Tmes Agt 197 Sc E, p. 16, itic ) If lgitimcy of politicltority w t t t it mt ncrily wtr t orting of t ixon impcmnt y t

pron ipn y Gr For ftr or n ppoint to ccion y ixon t ntion pri oft rtortion of gitimcy in t igt xctioc. Or gin, t oppoition noty tt of confingCritin) to t wr n to t wr ntrpri in Sot-t Ai ring t t nintn ixti p t poi-tion tt t criminl poicy n ncontittion conct

of t wr xpo incmnt politicl tority rt tJonon minitrtion n tn tt of ixon) ilgiti-mt It i ti mnt wic occion t witn oft Brrign rotr coming fgiti t t tim ty


41/115

The roblem of oltcl Letmcy 39

n orr to mt to mpronmnt For tm to olntry rrnr to gtmt torty wo onon t. For t Brrgn wll otr

Crtn, tr ol no on to gtmt powr.It I tn fyng to rmmr t now , mongotr tng t mn tt mny of to wo rt o not owr or wro fr ot rl or mlontnttrtor or rl, t n ft, rt to po qttrton w of polt gtmy T ry tzn twr rgm w mot no to wt n py pon

fm n prt, mlt n otrz prot npn wr to wo t to rtor lgtmy n go-rnmnt o tt polt torty ol onntolyonor n t nton.

T ontrton of on to poltl torty ntrm of lgtmy fmr nog n t Amrn ontxt n t orgn of t nton n p to t prnt tmn tr om pport for t n t l txt t nT RN pg frn n t rfrn topolt torty trror to ont, ttmnt w wol nonnl f t not ppy to tont of poltl torty If RN my

to gnt lgtmt polt torty, RNmy to r gtmt poltl torty.

Commnttor wo mt rpt nrl nnntl onntrt pon ow lgtmy n trmn o to t fort t prmtr of poltlon for Crtn Grot wo w on

wt t mpl oton of RN wt gtmy nRN wt llgtmy, wrt T Apot trog-ot rfr ony to powr jtly r H o not ntrnto t jt of tyrnny n oppron"

T l ttmnt onrnng on ontn-gnt pon t lgtmy of pot torty om from

Jon Cln' ommentry on Romns T w woromplt t my gnnt to not, for Clnmlf m mgtrt n Gn Of RN 3 : 17


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oNSCIENCE AND EDIENCE

Understand further that powers are from God . .because he has appointed them for the legitimateand just government of the world For thoughtyrannies and unjust exercise of power as theyare full of disorder are not an ordained government; yet the right of government is ordained byGod for the wellbeing of mankind. As it is lawfulto repe wars and to seek remedies for other evilshence the Aposte commands us wilingy andcheerfuly to respect and honour the right and

authority of magstrates as useful to men . .

To require obedience to poitical authority where there islegitimacy and to relate legitimacy to just governmentseems straightforward enough until it is reaized that theambiguity associated with determining egitimacy has beentransmitted to the word "ust The quandry about the

indenite meaning of egitimacy is hardy resoved by therelativity of what may be deemed ust In practice of coursethe more specic connotations of just poitica rue arefurnished situationaly or existentially in spite of the rationalist pretenses that pure or abstract and immutabedenitions of poitica justice can be divined

At that there is some redundancy in the meaning of ustgovernment insofar as similar circumstances recur fromtime to time. For exampe a minister in New Englandsought to be concrete about this matter in a sermon hisremarks were informed by the immediate political situation in America which was that of 1770 when the revolu

tionary cause against the British crown was fermentingWith ittle amendment his homily would have beenappropos in 974 when the Watergate scandal unfolded:

[Rulers] are obliged to seek the wefare of thepeople and exert al their powers to promote thecommon interest This continual soicitude for the

common good however depressing it may appearis what rulers of every degree have taken uponthemselves and n ustice to the people in faithfulness to God they must either sustain it withdelity or resign their oce . . .


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he Poblem o Poltal Legtmay 1

Fdely o he pubic requires ha he aws beas plai ad expci as possibe ha he lessowig may udersad ad o be esared by

hm while he arfu evade heir force. Myseresof aw ad goverme may be a coa of urgheousess . .

The us ruler wi o fear o have his pubc coduc crcay ispeced bu wi choose o recommed himsef o he approbaio of every ma.

As he expecs o be obeyed for cosciece saehe wil require ohg cosise wh is dcaes . (Sermo of he Rev Samue CooeCambridge Mass May 30 770)

Somewha earlier i 750, aoher America cergymaJoaha Mayhew fe impeed because of he polica

siuaio i he coloies o exegee Ro 13. (He redered his ow rasao which some may coclude coveieced his exegesis) If oday hs vews soud famiiar s because he bespeas a berao heology smar oha ow aricuae hroughou he Third World

has ofe bee assered ha he Scripures

geeral ad he passage uder cosideraio iparicuar maes all ressace o prices a crme ay case whaever. f hey ur yras . .we mus o preed o righ ourseves uless ibe by prayers ad ears ad humble ereaies .

The duy of ulmed obedece wheher ac

ive or passive ca be argued eiher from hemaer of expressio here used or from hegeeral scope ad desg of he passage . .

If ruers are a error o good wors ad o ohe evil; if hey are o misers for good osocey bu for evl ad dsress by volece ad

oppresso; f hey execue wrah upo soberpeaceabe persos who do her duy as membersof sociey ad suer rich . aves o escapewh impuiy; f sead of aedig coiualypo he good wor of advacig he pblic


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NCENCE AN BEENCE

weare- h be he cae, pan ha heape' argmen r bmn de n reachhem he wh bear he e cv rerd n perrm he dy cv rer b acdrecy cner he e end and degn her ce hey njre and ppre her bjec nead deendng her rgh and dnghem gd hey have n he ea preene be hnred, beyed and rewarded accrdng he ape argmen . .

Even ne m k aca even dpe vagene and ppy peccy egmae and/r pcaahry ha de n enrey mee he ambge hee erm here nger r ne maer, he necey dnghng egmacy rm awne hee are nynnym, hgh hey are en cned, and ch cn

n becme crca when becme a acr n aempng nderand RoMANs 3 r REVELATION 3 . Cndera an exampe, he regme Gerge eem havebeen, a r gance a aw gvernmen n he ene ha ncmbency wa acheved by aw prce, by heprecrbed radn r cnn r ccen he

Brh hrne, raher han by revn r cp d ea Yeaw accen ce and pwer de n n e enreha he gvernmen reman aw. n ac, hgh prbaby n ne n Bran and ew, any, n Amerca wdhave chaenged he awne he enhrnemen Gerge me n Amerca and her n Bran dd cme qen wheher he re Gerge wh repec

he cne vaed he ritish cnn and herebybecame naw r wa ha exen naw, regarde he awne he ccen ha ndeed, wa ne he e raed n he Fr Cnnena Cngre and wa nrdced n by advcae Amercan ndependenceb by he wh gh a way reman ya he crwn.

Fr ha maer, wa debaed n ParamenMeanwhe he revnary cae, a Jnahan Mayhew

had rehadwed by a qarer a cenry wa ranazed by mpng egmacy-a dnc rm naw


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The Proble o Poltcal Legitiacy 3

ness-o he ue of Geoge Tha had moe o do wihheoogy han aw because i was asseed ha poiicaauhoiy is o ough o be imied by ighs sefevidenand basic o human beings sancioned by God ove andabove any boundaies of poiica auhoiy povided by heaw of a sociey As vigoousy as his docine was pomugaed in he Decaaion of ndependence in he aicesof some of he coonia assembies and in a pofusion ofacs i was by no measue acceped as obvious o sefvaidaing and many Ameicans coninued o submi o he

ue of Geoge as egiimae as we as awfu jus asof couse mos of he Biish peope did

ha do we have hee? e nd one hisoic egime whichcan be and which was in fac simuaneousy deemed egiimae and awfu and iegiimae bu awfu and egiimaebu unawfu and iegiimae and unawfu accoding o

which facion in which couny o which e egime peainsbehods i Simia aenaives coud be menioned if oneeamined he emegen govenmen in evouionay Ameica. On one hand he ebeion woud be unawfu ye ashe Ameican poemiss agued i was egiimae pesumaby Geoge found i boh unawfu and iegiimae

some Ameican Toies hough he cooniss gievances awfu bu he evouionay wa iegiimae if howeve heevouion be assessed as egiimae wheein did i asobecome awfu-hen he wa was won? hen ohe naions accoded ecogniion? hen he Consiuion wasaied? Afe he wa of 1812?

Manifesy egiimacy has ie subsanive deniionapa fom ha aibued o i hisoicay accoding ohe cicumsances of a specic egime o paicua ueand empiicay eaive o hose govened and whehehey bene o sue unde ha poiica auhoiy. Thishas been noaby he case in Ameica when he issue ofegiimacy has been conceived as uning upon he inciden

of suage The noion is ha he egiimacy of poiicaauhoiy is veied by he eisence of epesenaive govenmen eeced by he peope. Consen of he govened ouse a adiiona phase egiimaizes poiica auhoiy


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CS AD EDECE

This s an exension of Mayhews poson, save ha recourseo revouon s deemed obvaed by he capabiy forpolca change vesed n he franchse

s an appeang dea hough quesons lnger as owheher a regime mus hen be couned ilegimae f suffrage s eher precluded n pracice or neecua as ameans of poica change By hs es, for nsance, was heAmercan governmen illegmae hrough a he me hawomen were dened he rgh o voe? Or was i somewha

egimae, bu illegimae so far as women were concerned?Similar queries mus be asked respecng he rura and heurban poor backs ndans, Chicanos, ilieraes, ceranmmgransany who have ever been barred from enfranchsemen by aw or in fac. And, f he eecualiy of vong s consdered, a whoe range of oher quesons mus beconfroned which diue he sraghforward sound of hs

es of egimacy The prncipa issue of ha sor n Amercanow s wheher here remains a signcan relaonshpbeween he rgh o voe and governing powers. The answero ha s a he leas, very dubous f one realiscally observes he rulng niaive of exraconsuional nsuons lke he Penagon or he nernal poce or he Cenral

nelligence Agency whch usually operae ousde he ruleof law ofen n deance of he eleced governmen and spoces and seemingy, beyond accounabiliy o cizens

More han ha, he emergence now of mulinaional andransnaonal congomeraes conrolng he mos basc resources requse o lfe and her operaon beyond he

regulaory capaciies of naionsaes, may de faco represen he new naons of he word, he rung auhories ofhe words relpl supersedng he old naons lke heUned Saes regning uery in erms of heir ownaggrandzemen. f ha be he analyical ruh abou hepolcal domnaion of he word by hese remarkable prncipalies surage becomes meanngless because is uncon

neced caegorcay wh governmen

he eaning f Piica uthrity

Ths s enough o ndcae why nd he nerpreaon


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The Problem o Political Legitimacy 45

f bediene pliial auhiy a unin upn eaemen f leiimay-f all ha i i epeened a anbeive e-eemely elaive heavily ambiuu anaiial and unneeay impiin upn he biblial eand unedifyin ee he nen and inen i ine Chi a Ld.

N d he vaiable aein leiimay and illeiimayhe laful and he lale in venmen eau e diulie f i adiinal uae ih epe-pially

eihe RN 3 RN 3Te ambiuiy f plial auhiy ielf, and he em

mmnly aiaed ih i, ann be ined One dmenin f hi fue pblem i eped if he uein ipu-what is the reality o political authority? De pliialauiy neeaily imply efeene an aual eime

adminiain, a he ein f e Empe Caliula e ule f Gee he peideny f RihadNin? O may i imp be e yem- he iniuinal appaau f venmen anied puuan aniuin e hae e ae in a funinalene? O aain i he efeene a may be deinaede nain-he nellain f ehni eaphi uual, ideainal elemen in hi e adiin and ef a peple in iey i uh and hene anmied?Beynd a i hee a "pii f a nain i impineupn pliial auhiy in eah any f e nnainmenned? O f a mae hen pliial auiy inamed ae e pii f a nain and a nain e ad

i ba iniuinaliain and, al, hi a iieime all implied impliaed an een a i iimpaiable abiay aemp em u anddiinuih ne fm he e?

am inlined ad hi la nuin in ih muliple denain ae imulaneuly indiaed, uh in a

iven nnein ne ane may have eae pminene. d n uppe ne an peak f eample f apei peiden and hi adminiain iu me niune f he iniuin f he peideny in he Amei


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oNSCNC AND BEENCE

an gvrnmna sysm and f h Cnsuin and fh nans inhran sally and idlgaly and indd f suh a raly as h sp f h Amrian nainr d hnk i pssbl nam h spir f h nan asabsrus smgy whu sn havng mnn hwha spr s nvyd and rprsnd nry in h nans radiin and syl n harr and aw n plialnsuins n sp rgims and smims in prsn-ain n pia inumbns

Y f hs b s n mmn hugh and ak whn plial auhriy s h sub asns muh ambiguiy andpnial nfusin fr h mprhnsin f bibal passags lk hs in RoMANS and in RVLAN whih dalwih pliial auhriy Smims h nx r synaxf a passag wil furnsh nghnmn as h sns in whihrms dnng piial auhriy ar usd Bu a ims

dilign anin is n nugh larfy

By way f lusran h famus x n 1 Pr 1 hasbn rndrd n ppuar ransan Honor all men Lovethe brotherhood. Fear God Honor the emperor Tha ranslain has bn rpadly invkd (pariularly by m-prrs lii unria aqusn r unqusnng

bdin h mprr ha is a pariular inumbnrulr r rgm Hir and h lsass wh supprdh ai adminsrain in h 930s rlid haviy upnhs an hav rad arir n his bk hw h FBsugh inimida m by rsring h sam x Ynsinius sharship laly yids a ransan wh

sarngly dirn mplians han assrd mprrs rprai bishps r h FB impu Firs Pr n haransliran h phras honor the emperor rads honor tothe sovereign! (1 P 17b NEB.) f ha whih s duhnr is h svrign as disngushd frm ihr hprsn f an numbn r a pariular rgim n mighradly nd ha n rdr hnr h mprr i bms

nssary pps h mprr Tha was in fa as hav alrady nd h burdn f h Chrsian winssagains h war adminsrain n Amria: h ppsiin h rgim was a way f hnring h svrign


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48 SCECE AD BEDECE

Chistians and Othe Aiens in a Stnge and based upnhe Babyln parable n he Bk f Revelain (page 97

is suien nw say hwever ha he smlgial

insigh aribuable Paul when he wre he Leer he Rmans whih was as well ne whih his readers heldand ne mre r less publly aeped (incuding incumbent ues! ) preludes nerpreains f he rs sevenverses oMAS 13 as f hey nly had pernene bediene whaever regime happens upy e muhless an bligain f smplis r aumai bediene he persn f he ruler.

he ntantinian tatu Qu

Paradxially subsequen he wring he Leer he Rmans Chrisans have n ne hand frgen r rsaken a wrldvew r mre presely drnes reain

and allen rean similar Pauls in whih pliialauhry enmpasses and nns he angel pwers andhe numben rulers. On he her hand hey have adpedarbrary r nrived rieria suh as ha f legiimay rus rule n rder ammdae oMAS 13 1 andsill allw asinal preex fr disbediene plial

auhriy. The resul s deeply unsasfary and has enaled susan a nsenus wness n relan pli-al auhry. Tha ndaes ha here s need renew abblal apprehensn plial auhry in is manildallusns fus as have suggesed upn vain as helue nsiene and bediene n nan and in hurh.n ding s pariularly wih regard he nsiunala-

in f Chrsianiy in he Wes and in urn he exisene Chrisendm in Amera is neessary aun hemmenus impa he Cnsaninan Arrangemen.

By ha ammdan signaled by he nversin heemperr and he esablishmen f Chrisaniy as he alreligin he Rman empire a my beween hurh

and nan was spnsred whh in varius elabrains sillprevails in he wenieh enury. The nidens whih -asned he Cnsannan Arrangemen as suh ae nas signian r nemprary Chrsians r r eiher


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The Probem o Poltcal Legtac 49

hurh or sa oday as h hos spawnd and nourishdby ha omiy and h mnaiy hh has bn ngndrd and indorinad by ovr so ong a im s puplanly an hos whih vss h xisn o h hurh inh prsrvaon o h poiial saus quo. This inbrdsa mnaliy aing vruay al prossd Chrisians andmos iins whhr Chrisians or no whh rgards as normav or h hurh's l o b so vsd. And hahas ausd radia onusons in h rlaions o hurh andnaion hurh and sa hurh and rgim has nour

agd and ounnand supid allgian o polial auhoriy as i ha wr srvi o h hurh and a otori, oGod nrab hough b his aommodaion and hway o onving o h uaposion o hurh and poal auhoriy whih i as inuad or so vry longaouns mor han anyhng s or h proound su-

lariaion o h hurh in h Ws and or h inpiono Chrisndom as h worldy mbshmn o Chrisianiy

To pu h sam mar h ohr way around i is hConsaninian Arrangmn whih has osrd in numrous vrsions and drivaions hrough h nurs suh arigioning o h gospl ha is bblial ingriy is or-

rupd and suh an auluraion o h hurh ha iboms praialy indisinguishabl rom h worldlyprnipalis so ha boh gospl and hurh bom ad-uns or onvyans o ivil rligion and o a moksanid saus o poliial auhory n onsqunonmporary Chrsians nhri h havis possib pr-sumpion o lgiimay avoring inumbn poliia rulrs

and rgims and wh ha a supposd prmpiv duy oobdin o hm whih has bn hallngd only spas-modialy.

do no udg hav nihr voaion nor apabiliy orhah ompliaion o aors whh wighd on h sdo h hurh onuding his omiy wih h mpir On

may spula abou various inuns h arrangmnosnsbly brough an nd o h long ra o h hurh'sprsuion or on onsidraon Morovr h mission ovangli h world migh radily hav bn supposd


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CNENE ND OEDENE

implmnd by h onvrson of h mpror. A a,hr s som vdn n S. Pauls arr as an vanglisas arly as wn h wro RoNa h asprd hmslfo onfron and onvr mpror oug his apoogwas ard only by lssr oals lik Fix Fsus andAgrippa and s said o hav onvrd ony ran ofCasars soldrs s aiors no Casar msf.

T qury ours ndd, whhr Paul ad so srnuousan aspiraion o onvr h mpror ha hs drmind subsan of RN 3 1

Thr wr or nuns, oo, inludng or,pariuary in rs nury of h hurh o disngusislf from Jws ss and noably from h aloipars of Judasm n h ys of h rulng auoris.

Ts ar all somn onsidraions and do no ridul

hm insofar as hy may hav bn indumns arisingn arly and aposoi ras of h hurh sanionngvnualy Consannian Arrangmn Anyway, isoryanno b undon, hs omy whr misforun orwors or no s par of h inrian of onmporaryCrisiansan immnsy imporan happning w an-

no b rasd. Tha s wy ra i, hr, as a polial andhologia issu and why suggs ha, hough isoryanno b rrad, h inrd poia and hoogasan for hurh, signd n h Consaninan aommodaion, mus b ransndd onmporary Crisanpop an b manpad from ndorinaon of Consaninian mnaliy and a bba ingry an b r-

nwd n h ur

onsru Consannian omiy as h isori rvrsa of h prdn sabisd n h aposoi hurhrgarding raions wh poiial auory. n h rsnury, mprial auors prmd a omiy wihvarious rlgious ss (nuding hos of h Jws xp

for aos who advoad rbllon agains Romanrul wih safguardd h pra of rligion and rligious prmss and prrogavs of rlgious ladrs soong as hs wr poiiay nnouous and dd no disrup


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The Problem of Politicl Legitimcy 51

o esis poliia auhoiy he huh in he aposolipeiod oud have onomed and beome a beneiay ohis so o omiy and onovesy peouppied hehuh and he aposes o he huh abou his Oneomulaion o he dispue onened whehe he huhwas indeed a se o Judaism o whehe i was disinguished in a way whih equied he huhs aih andmessage o be dispesed houghou he wold. Muh o hedelibeaion o his issue evolved o ouse aound S Pauland he quesion o his auhoiy as an apose and his agu-

mens o peahing he gospe o he genies I is hepesuasion o Pau and he aepane o his aposoiauhoiy ogehe wih he vision whih S Pee suesonening he eumenia sope o he mission o he huhin his wold whih esabish ha he huh is no meese among many ses and ha he huh anno aodhe aommodaion wih poiial auhoiy whih he seaian omiy onveyed. Rome peeives he aling o hehuh o he eumenial mission auaey o be a heao is poliia hegemony and heeae he inimidaiondeamaion and haassmen o he huh esalaes inopeseuion

In his igh he pomugaion o he Consaninian Aangemen epesens a evesa boh poiially and heo-logialy o he aposoi peeden o he uxaposiion ohe huh and poliial auhoiy he issue eve sinehough boh he gloy and he agedy o he huh'spesene in he wold has been whehe he huh an beee o he Consaninian omiy and whehe he aposoli

peeden an be evived and ha no so muh o he sakeo he huh as o he sake o he wold


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chapte thee

ut if ou do wrong be afraid, for he does notbear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God

to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer Thereforeone must be subject, not onl to avoid Godswrath but also for the sake of conscience

man 3:b-5

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughtand blasphemous wods and it was allowed to exercise authorit for forttwo months; it openedits mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling that is, thosewho dwell in heaven

evelatn 35-6


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chapte thee

narhy

oal Ralyand hens

T h s anth atna f bdn t h pwsthat b whh has th wght f adtna sag andhas aqd mh pstg thght Chstndm b-

as s nvnns h mty f hh and paahty gnay pvant sn th CnstantnanAagmnt Lk th ta f gtmay t has vasvsns and ndd sm hav nvd f t as nt smpmntay paa t pta gmay bt as atansan f gtmay as a way f gvng spdntn t gtmay wtht nng nt assssmnts

abt th py ndt f a gm systm

Ths s th psn and agmnt hat bdn t pta ahty, patay dntd as an nmbnt admnstatn s qst f Chstans f h sak f thd whh pta athty mpss spvss andmantans Wtht sh bdn t s sad h wdb anahy Appa as n wd pt s typay mad th ptn f th RoN tt whh spaks f s asa bad nd Th Fst Lt f Pa t Tmhy


58/115

NCENCE AND BEDENCE

s nvkd n th sm vn Fst thn I ug thtsuppltns pys ntssns nd thnksgvngs bmd mn kngs nd l wh n hgh pstns tht w my d qut nd pbl l gdlynd sptul n vy wy (1 Tm Ttus s smtms smlly td (Tt 3

n pt ths suppt th ntnhy b plt bdn hs tn bn dnd t th xtnt suggstng tht th d nd by pt gm ntnly stps punshs m th bd ndut butdmnshs mnms sn Tht sms t hv bn nsdtn nuntl upn Luth wh h n b undpdxlyqung bdn th sk dvn n umstns wh tht mns ndun gvnmnts dmd wkd

A u t n tng th bbl pssgs n FstTmthy Ttus Rmns t gund th s bdn bus d s sntnd by pltl uthty shw ths txts my b thught s pudntl tth tm thy w wttn I thy w pmptd by pstl nn ths lvng und psutn ththt t mpb ndngmnt thn th mpt

s sgnntly td wh ths ndtns sks dnt xst It pps smwht nmus thus thsgumnt nnng d s th sn bdn tth pws tht b t ttn th pmnn t hs after thCnstntnn mdtn wth ts putd su th psutn th ly huh

Jnthn Myhw dt wth ths ssus nd sm hsmks nv th gtmy pt uthty ndth th tms bdn t vl uls t tunupn th gudnshp th publ p d s wls th dng ust H whth wttngy nt s vhmnt bltd nsw t Mtn Luths ppnt

ndntn ppssv gmsI t b u duty xmpl t by u kngmy ths sn tht h us th publw (whh s th ny gumnt th pstl


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Anarchy Apocalyptic Reality and he Antichrist 5

makes use llws by a pary reasna wen e urns yran and makes s subess prey devur and desry nsead sarge deend and ers we are bund rw ur alegane m and ressand a ardng e enr e apslesargumen n s passage dsnnueallegane n s ase wuld be n w esveregn n prmng e slavery and msery a sey . . .

Fr a nan us abused arse unanmuslyand ress er prne even e dernng m s n rmnal bu a reasnable way vndang er lberes and us rgs . . And wuld be gly rmnal n em n makeuse s means wud be supd ameness

and unaunable lly r we nans suer ne unreasnabe ambus and ruel man wann and r n er msery And n su aase wuld e w be mre ranal suppse a ey a dd n ress an eyw dd wuld reeve emselves damnan.

Te mplan Mayews sand s a as use sdeermnave legmay n pla aury s alsdenve rder A yranny r unus and llegmaeregme s n sel a rm dsrder plally. One sbund ne wever a even as e arbun Luer lerane ppressve r wked gvernmen re sake rder s paradxal s als paradx equv-

alen magnude s evden n Mayew sne e advaedrevun w su dsrder as revlun asns derne r verrw rulers deemed unus

Te anmales and rnes mulply prusey n e manyvarans w ave been prpunded exend e aser submssn e rung pwers beause ey preven

anary r deer rme r smew mnme sn Perapse ms elabrae exensn w as ad very manyadapans rug e enures sne e CnsannanArrangemen s a w supprs numben gvern


60/115

CoNENE ND OEDENE

mnt baus a supposd absn of anahy, whih politiaauthoity obtains nabls th huh to implmnt its mis-sion A lassia fomuation of this whih stil suvivs inth Bitish monahy styls th had of stat as dfndof th faith" Th basi ipoity by whih th huhsubmits to poitial authoity in its alm whil politialauthoity suppots o potts th huh in its sph wassubt to numous foms of politial oganiation andlsiastial stablishmnt in oonial Amia to allanoth pla and piod wh it has had pominn. Th

lat onstitutiona spaation of huh and stat in thUnitd tats, dspit its ostnsibl igious nutality, andits staint upon politia intfn with huhs ismo auaty admittd to invov th sam kind ofipoity sav that instad of aoding gal stabish-mnt to a patiula huh it nds a d fato plualisti

stablishmnt of many huhs and stst has povd ov and ov, to b but a shot stp fom

th notion of politia authoity to whih agian is givnbaus that os a suint o nssay od in soityfo th huh to pusu its mission to th ida that thhuhs own funtion though its visibl psn and its

indotination of popl, and, somtims, in its ptntionof bing th suogat of God, is to funish soital stabiityo to instill omplaisan and to tah ompian fo thpolitial gim It wasto mntion anoth instan atpointthis vsion of th antianahy agumnt whihliitd so muh sympathy among siastis and huhpopl fo th ai aus whn it am to pow in G-

many (I ommnd Athu Cohans The Church's Confession Under Hitler, Wstminst Pss, 95.

Pltcal uthrty and mpcal nachy

Th ational fo submission to poitial authoity as aduty of Chistians baus th stat as suh o a spi

gim, is said to guaant a udimntay o minimal opovisional od in soityontolling im o, vnstaining sin and, somtims, aso onsidd as failitating o abtting th mission of th huhfals shot of


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Anahy Apoalypti Reality and the Antihrist 59

being persuasive beause i is s histrially nditinedAdmitedly, he argument has he aura radiin, espeially that whih has arued during he Cnstantinian era,but as a general rubri t inrm and determine he sane Christians tward plitial authriy i is burdened wihsuh relativiy as t be mre a sure apstasy indulgene and mishie mst slemn han anyhing else Tremain wihin examples r allusins already ited thispsiin sanined endurane the rule Gerge III, but,at the same ime ustied the verhrw that same

regime Or, i it has supplied a basis r ivil allegiane the gvernment he Unied States, it must prmply berealled hat i was readily invked n behal he aiparty and adminisratin in Germany Suh ambivalene isnt exeptinal wih respet t the lng hisry and multi-arius adaptatins this prpsitin but is redundan In

Luher's time while it was emplyed enurage he re-bellin the German prines against he emperrand hepapayi was neverheless applied t suppress he peas-ans revlt against he prines.

Beynd all his hwever, is a mre thelgially signi-an atr whih seems ten be verlked ntably

when disussin the relatin plitial auhrity hemaintenane sial rder is pursued n an absra rpseuddtrinal level I spnsring rder in siey be thegrunds r bediene t rulers and regimes then i musbe demnsrable hat plitial auhrity des in a ahieveuntinal rder. I mus be n asin evident in anempirial sense tha plitial auhrity has the apabiliy

esablishing rder r preventing anarhy Let it benied parenhetially ha the erm anarhy is beingused hrughut this bk in a generi sense and n in heehnial meaning he wrd has in pliial siene as athery and system whi prets an ideal siey wihurganied gvernmenta view radial nly in its navet

whih laely returns t vgue amng yunger Ameriansms disenhanted with the system. By anarhy, I reer disrder, dysunin has nusin elemenalindeed primrdialdimensin.


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CNENE ND OEDENE

Jnahan Mayhew amng thers made the essenia bservain regarding he assiatin f plitial auhrity andempirial anarhy in his nlusin tha yranny represenssial disrder but that insight has elabrae and detailedampliain as ne srutinies dierent pliial systemsand adminisratins f there is any singular feaure amnghe diversiies in gvernmens in the urse f many en-uries it is tha he saled rder whih pliia authriybains has referene t the enfred preservatin f astaus qu r he enrenhmen f inumben regimes r

rulers Within suh rderquite as mmnydisrdereigns.

Lk a Ameria nw The experiene frm a humanpint f view is ne f intense unremiting ruthless tumulstrife and vilene. The empirial realiy is nt rder buanarhy

Thus if rder in siety be the vaue f gvern-ment the ms nrius fat abut ntempraryAmeria is ial lawessness evidened n nlyin he riminaiy knavery frauduent enerpriseillegal and unauthried ndut f persns inpubi enspiuus in presidents and attr-

neys genera and seretaries f state as well as inhe lwer ehens f pliisbut als in theunnsituina unauntable utlaw and ftennspirarial perain f he ruling institutinsike he CA r the FB r the Pentagn r frthat mater he eparmen f Agriuture r thePs Oe r he nternal Revenue ervie.

Lawess auhriy whih in the Amerian experi-ene has always furnished the eetual rule verblaks and ndians and sme thers is nwexpsed as endemi in he paramiliariain andver deplymen f the pie pwer thrughut siety and in ia prurement f rime

ampanied as it is by a reentless austipervasive ridiule f nstitutina rights and safeguards and f he rue f aw per se as bsruiver innvenient t pie eieny


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Anarhy Apoalypt Relty and the Anthrst 61

Ye ere eiss n subsni prf f pleeeuiy in prsi lw enfremen n e n-rl nvennl e unil rime mngny lsses f e ppun nd in eier urbnr suburbn ursdins. Mre n edumenn rm ple nd dmnisrivesures sws f nying, rdi dysfunin inplie wrk in ur dminisrn nd in epen sysem.

Menwile, n er, bu reled frns, en-ry ilies n inversin nd debsemen nguge s bemes unsued fr eduinr er umn mmunn nd is insed uized mnpule, ndin prgrm, ere,prpgndze, nd resre umn lfe. Persnsre lef sled bere, nd vulnerble in si

el nd ulurl envrnmen ngesed wirgn lsed, eupemism deepin, ner-ene, fnsy nd er bbel.

n n enmy bsed upn win plies indene nsumpin nd inerminble wr r mmere wr, ere s grss verdependene upn

verprduin f se gds nd servieswepns nd sysems w re les needed res usefu umn beings r wi pse ems rmful r f penl fr umn le.

Sill emplybly s nngen upn s verkill pbiy in b nsumpin nd wr nd,

geer w e pern f redi sruures rgle s speulve bu s essible ieves impversmen r ndebed depen-deny r prly everybdy w is emplyedTs viimes nd enslves umn beings by sdeerminin f erms f mere survvl wi

re ne ms prige nd ms megerFurermre, e envirnmen s rruped ndpllued e mens f rnsprin wrkspsmdly nd re nywy gered e


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62 NSCIENCE AND EDIENCE

nvnin f mpus; was dmnas hdpin f sus; buaua un haspmpiv py v human nd; nsiuina suviva dminas sia piy wh hsad naina suiy is assd nsisf a baan f

And pia auhy ih in h sns f hsysm in ha f a paua admnisanis pady psd as impn amids dsds ubiquius

I biv hs b ais bsvans as h ndn f nmpay Ama If h ahivmn f db und h viu f gvnmn and n un h ndn pdn f Chisan bdin pia auhyI am impd by h vwhmng vdn f h absnf d nw n Ama nud h pqus faisTh apppia ms haai h Amian snday a n hs f saby pa h u f aw d bu hs f disd awssnss anahy has

If ha nusin is mpiay vid hn und-

ss h suggsn mnnd a ha h nnainf d in h adina agumn f submissn hpws ha b uy is h sasfain f h saus qu

I s ia f us h psn I am h bhpiay and hgay ha h psn Amanhas is not nvn wugh by h mpa f advand

hngy n asind by hmnua vki npuia Ama's mpa gandu n smpy aunab wihn Amian hsia umsans Thdisd in Ama nw psns nn h han apaiua vsn f h ssna dsaay f fan an Th mpia dspin f h Amian suain isin uh a sp ia f h bibia sy f h fa f

h unding f ain; f h upu f a anships;f h usupain f h pa and ngy f pinipaisand psns and a ad hings; f h pvsiv ni-dn f vin; f h ss f van; f h nsignmn


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Aarchy, Apocalyptic Reality ad the Atichrist 63

f th whl f ratin t th ativ pwr f dath inthis ag

f th hati raity f ntmprary Amrian sity

rrspnds t th hav f falln ratin and is nt intrdud by th mrgn f an advand thnrati statin th Unitd Stats and if it is ny inidnta t andinidntal with th partiular prvaiing rgim thn nan lk as it wr bakward and disrn th sam lmntal disrdr in ay sity and its pitial systm whil

t lk frward wuld r n ssntialy dirnt prp-tin f xptany stagia ds nt riv r altr thinsight baus thr hav bn n pristin pisds f natins xmptd frm th fal r spard frm aptivatinwith th pwr and purps f dath at wrk in histryThat is signid in th w stamnt witnss by th bluntidntiatin f th pwr f dath inarnat as th dvil

as th rulr f th natins and prinipalitis in th tmpta-tin f Christ in th wildrnss. By th sam tkn idaismnrning th futur f this ag whih mtivats rvlutinary auss an nt diminish r urtail falln ratinbut wud ny dispa n status qu with anthr prhaps rdistributing vitims in th prss but withut dis-

ldging th rign f dath. n this pint thlgialy thris vry littl distintin t b mad btwn ths wh ngt rstabish an ld status qu and s indulg nstalgisntimnts and ths wh aspir fr a nw status qu ands bm rvlutinary idaists r idlgus. As t ithrth biblia witnss apprhnds thm in th sam way as aninumbnt rgim that is in trms f th disrdring f thlif f th wh f ratin during th ph f th fal.

he cpe f Human n

nt nfus this stadfastnss f th biblial witnsstward plitia authrity past prsnt r prsptiv withindirn t th pprssins f partiuar systms r ad-

ministratins r with vrsight f any thr distintinswhih may hav signian as amng varius atua andvarius pssib rgims r with alfnss t mpirialnds fr hanginluding hang f rvlutinary mag


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OSENE AND EDENE

nud. Th hrn f h bblal apprhnn f plal auhry ds n mpy any f hs bu aly hnrary Bu ha sam hrn s rs f a nssnupn nfrnng and psng h fulnss h awsmnss h prvasvnss h vrsay and h manyf dahs rgn n hsry.

Th nrduly f prfssd Chrsans n Amra spaly nrnng h vray f h bba sry ffaln ran and h nsgnmn f hs ag h lamf dah as a dsrpn f h mpral ray f hswrd's sn sms hwvr b nrrgbl. Iadaps many psns r ampls frm ndvduas p-ss nnrang sunly upn a pah suppsd prva usan sa avss pursung vanly smplal dlgy assumd b mp n h gsp andapplabl h alvan f hs wrld. I d n nr hr

an analyal rfun f any f hs svral abrranvws sn hs bk as a wh s a nfssna samnwhh sands n rqu f h. Hwvr n hs samnnn s nssary n a bas drna asbwn my wn mprhnsn and ha f many hrsas h sgnan f h falnnss f human lf and

ha f h prnpals nudng pal auhry rhr rung nsuns.

Pu bdy ha ssu nrns whhr n h fall humansnr h human rn f f as a gf f h Wrd fGds prmnn and whhr hrfr h falnnssf h nans and hr nsuns and h rs f ra-

n s nngn upn and drvav frm human snTh rbun f suh an rardnary ay sn nhuman f s b fund n h prahng f By Grahamas wl as n h hugh f Rnhd buhr hugh rndrd n qu drn syna and vn hugh prndngurly nrary pal nsquns My wn prsnundrsandng n dsnn frm bh Graham and -

buhr s ha h fal mpas h whl f ran nhuman f an and n human bngs unquly andfurhr ha ah and vry raur r ra hng suf-frs fallnnss n s wn rgh Thus spak nry


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Anachy Apocayptc Reay and the Antcht

when he has f pla auhy s evden as say, sn he exsene and dysfunn f he Penagn eh-nay ha nsues a sgn f he falenness f hepnpay as suh ahe han meey he nsequene fhuman dep

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