Imitatio Christi (Chuck Gutenson): Constantinianism of the Left? (HT: God Blog, Jim Wallis)
One of the frequent critiques leveled against those of us in the progressive community is that, due to our engagement with the political process, we are simply engaging in a Constantinianism of the left. This critique invites a couple of questions. First, what exactly is “Constantinianism”? And, second, why is Constantinianism a problem? To answer the these questions, we need a very short brush up on church history.
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First, we need to be much more explicit on this point: from a Christian perspective, the hope of the world is in Jesus Christ, and he has chosen to center this hope in the church he established. Readers of our work should not have to figure out that we believe this by deducing it from our positions. …
Second, and closely related to the first point, we should see our work, both indirectly and directly, as serving the revitalization of Christ’s church. …
Third, we must become clearer about the difference between embracing political activism because it is the center of our misplaced trust and embracing political activism because we expect our public policies and institutions to live up to God’s intentions. Often, I fear, we put this question badly. The right question is not what is the biblical role for government. Instead, the question should be two-fold: 1) what would a society that lives in accord with God’s intentions look like? And 2) how does God intend public policies and institutions to serve the emergence of such a community? …
Fourth, we simply must improve our use of Scripture. The Christian Scriptures are not a collection of pithy wisdom sayings that are to be withdrawn from their context on an “as needed” basis. …
There is some really good stuff in this article and it encourages me that Jim Wallis is the one who highlighted the article. Tony Campolo and Ron Sider are people often considered to be in a similar league with Wallis. Campolo has always sought to be in conversation with a broad range of Evangelicalism. Ron Sider has a long history of constructively engaging Evangelicals who politically disagree with him. Two recent examples: Two years ago, Sider was co-editor of Toward an Evangelical Public Policy with the late Dianne Knippers, executive director of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, an organization many progressives revile (mainline types to the point of hysteria.) Last October, Sider visited Grand Rapids to debate Robert Sirico of the Acton Institute. I wish we would see more of this engagement from the Sojourners community.
I have been acquainted with Sojourners for almost three decades. I have read their materials off and on. In recent years (and especially in the last year), I have virtually quit reading their materials altogether (although I still get Sojo emails.) They attempt to position themselves as a "third way" for Evangelical politics. Frankly, I now see them more as the Christian Coalition or the Moral Majority arm of the Democrats.
I'm glad Jim Wallis highlighted this article, and maybe it indicates a different wind blowing from D.C. I hope so.
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