“We
pledge to act in allegiance to God alone, and to resist injustice with
goodness”
- I will be subject to civil authorities, unless they command actions which are unjust or protect injustice, or if they violate common human dignity.
This is a slippery vow to reflect on.
Not being a political theologian, I danced around having to write something for
this. I come from a Christian religious tradition historically wary of close Christian
relationships to—much less involvement in—the civil governing authorities (enigmatically
labeled “the State” in much contemporary theologizing).
As a called-out people (dwelling in the United
States of America) commissioned by God in Jesus to self-emptying, nonviolent service
to the least-of-these, how do we faithfully relate to civil systems and laws
and even individual leaders? Especially ones who demand the right of our country
to assassinate its own citizens abroad, that propagate poverty among already-disadvantaged
economic classes, that create giant profit out of incarcerating (and not
rehabilitating) a massive prison population, that call for enforced racial
profiling against our darker-skinned migrant brothers and sisters? “Be subject to governing authorities.” Really,
Paul? “Accept the authority of every human institution, whether of the emperor
as supreme, or of governors.” That’s not what I wanted to hear, Peter!
