I am reading Myth of a Christian Nation by Gregory Boyd. The book contains truths that are radical notions to some Christians and non-Christians alike. The core point in the book is expressed below:
"Not everything about the kingdom of the world is bad. Insofar as versions of the the kingdom of the world use their power of the sword to preserve and promote law, order and justice, they are good (or, in dju's words, better by comparison than oppressive kingdoms of the world). But the kingdom of the world, by definition, can never be the kingdom of God. It doesn't matter that we judge it good because it stands for the principles we deem important--"liberty and justice for all," for example. No version of the kingdom of the world, however comparably good it may be, can protect its self interest by loving its enemies, turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, or blessing those that persecute it. Yet loving our enemies and blessing those who persecute us is precisely what kingdom-of-God citizens are called to do. It's what it means to be a Christian. By definition, therefore, you can no more have a Christian worldly government than you can have a Christian petunia or aardvark. A nation may have noble ideals and be committed to just principles, but it not for this reason Christian." (emphasis added)
(more posts from this book sure to follow)
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