Render unto Caesar

"It’s not so simple."

That is the response of one reader, a Christian, to my observations on Saturday about public-facing Christianity.

I wrote that public political Christianity today functions less as a coherent ethical and spiritual framework and more as a form of collective identity, akin to team allegiance. I wrote that public-facing Christians substituted Trump for Jesus, negating --  indeed reversing -- the tenets of their own religion.

John Coster manages engineering and technology teams for a national wireless carrier and is co-inventor of five artificial intelligence patents that make energy use in data centers more efficient. He completed graduate studies in theology at Regent University.

Guest Post by John Coster

It’s not so simple.

Peter’s attempt to summarize Christianity’s relationship with politics in America today is thoughtful, but it oversimplifies a complex reality. To explain why, let me provide some context and then share my perspective.

Our modern era in the West is not the first to blend politics and religion of course. Leaders of empires throughout recorded history have claimed divine appointments to legitimize their absolute authority – including many ancient pagan religions. Even the American Revolution carried religious undertones. While rooted in Enlightenment ideals, it invoked divine mandate—our “unalienable rights” were said to come from our “Creator.”  Sermons of the time framed the Revolution as more than taxation; pastors preached that resisting tyranny was a moral imperative, even a holy war, at least for some people.

Christianity and Christendom

It is important to note the difference between Christianity and Christendom. Christianity is a movement that sprung from the teachings of Jesus and his Apostles. It was and is spiritual, organic and life-transforming. It is focused on the Kingdom of Heaven, which includes and transcends our current place and time.Christendom on the other hand is the mix of Earthly structures, human hierarchies and rules and laws that evolve to harness, manage and in many cases, exploit this powerful spiritual movement.

First-century Christianity flourished wildly in spite of constant persecution until 312. That is when Emperor Constantine essentially created Christendom by not only legalizing Christianity but persecuting any who did not follow his version of it. Libraries of books have been written analyzing the consequences of Constantine’s conversion. Infamous historical events brought to you by Christendom, include the Crusades, Inquisitions, colonial oppression, “Holy Wars” and other atrocities that self-described Christians have committed under the banner of Christ. It’s important to note that Christendom is not the only political power play done in the name of religion. And not all Christendom is evil. The creation of public education, hospitals, advocacy for the marginalized and poverty relief agencies are a few examples of the good done by Christendom

Authentic Christianity and Christendom have coexisted uneasily for a few thousand years. The irony is that (for anyone inclined to read it) history has shown that efforts to form human-led Christian theocracies always end up diluting, distorting, and destroying the very thing they say that they hope to achieve. If legislating Christian faith is ineffectual for advancing it, then why do so many try?   I think there are at least four reasons.

·         Lack of Knowledge. People often misunderstand Christianity’s principles. Like those trapped in destructive mindsets, they are vulnerable to cultural pressures and misinformation.

·         Low Biblical and Theological Literacy. Most people, including many Christians – and even Pastors - misunderstand the content and purpose of the Bible, or how to interpret it. Many people think it is a sort of instruction manual about how to live our lives (or how others should live theirs), and they quote or misquote it to support their ideas. The Bible was written over 1500 years and is a rich compendium of historical narrative, poetry, proverbs (also called wisdom literature), four accounts of Jesus’ life and teaching, and letters by his immediate followers (Apostles) to specific audiences with instructions and admonishments. I recommend a good starting point for the curious is Michael Bird's excellent book “Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew About the Bible" –or just read Google’s summary of it. It is short, entertaining, and informative.

·         Opportunists like Trump and influencers like Tucker Carlson understand how to leverage deeply held, if misinformed religious beliefs to gain wealth and political power. They are delighted with the number of people in their camps who have little discernment or knowledge of what I have just described.

·         Lack of Humility and Spiritual Curiosity. True Christianity is invitational, not coercive. Jesus taught that obedience to His commands flows from love, and that genuine followers are characterized by their love for one another (John 17) and behaviors consistent with the fruit of the Spirit (i.e. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control -- Galatians 5:22–23).

  As a Christ-follower, I am saddened by how many Evangelical churches embrace alliances with modern Christendom. Yet I do not despair. While I cannot fix these distortions, I trust that God will ultimately set all things right.

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