SUMMARY:

In speaking about the the God’s people as citizens of heaven and of a physical nation, Augustine said this: “Difference of nations [gentium] or condition or sex is indeed taken away by the unity of faith, but it remains in the conduct (or manner) of mortal life, and this order must be preserved in the journey of this life." Augustine, Epistle to the Galatians (on 3:28 ,29).”

Calvin added: "Regarding the kingdom of God (which is spiritual) there is no distinction or difference between man and woman, servant and master, poor and rich, great and small. Nevertheless, there does have to be some order among us, and Jesus Christ did not mean to eliminate it, as some flighty and scatterbrained dreamers believe." Calvin, sermon on 1 Cor. 11:2-3

GUEST INFORMATION:

Stephen studied politics at Louisiana State University. His writing has appeared in Modern Reformation, Mere Orthodoxy, Chronicles Magazine, Sovereign Nations, and History of Political Thought. He and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). And currently Stephen is a postdoctoral fellow in the James Madison Program at Princeton University. Stephen, welcome to Rebuild. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us.

• You can find him on twitter @perfinjust


• He co-hosts the excellent Ars Politica podcast that helps us understand politics, culture, and theology.

QUESTIONS THIS EPISODE ASKS:

• Why have Christians and the church become so apathetic to and even opposed to taking political action?


• It seems like many Christians make a false dichotomy by saying that you must either embrace your identity as a Christian or your identity as an American (or other nationality). Is there any truth to the idea that Americans are overly committed to their country and identity as citizens? Have we blurred the lines between these two because of the Christian nature of our founding? Has ‘white guilt’ caused us to reject our own national identity?


• You make a helpful analogy between a Christian marriage and a Christian citizen.  How should Christians properly understand their nationality?


• In several of your articles you talk about ‘political theology’. What is this and why is it important for Christians to have a political theology?

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES FOR FURTHER INTEREST:

• Institutes of Elentic Theology by Francis Turretin


• Politica, by Johannes Althusius


• The Mosaic Polity, by Franciscus Junius


• Lex Rex, by Samuel Rutherford


• The Two Kingdoms: A Guide for the Perplexed, by Bradford Littlejohn


• Christ and the Kingdoms of Men: Foundations of Political Life, by David Innes