We need a theology of immigration. This post is a stepping stone towards exploring what that could look like. Why is a Theology of Immigration Needed? This is an age of increasing nationalism, hatred, jingoism, wars, and economic strife. We need a reminder of the way of the Gospel. Jesus teaches us to love the …
Tag: Politics
Christianity Created Secularism
Christianity created the sacred-secular divide. Christianity created secularism. It is common to think that secularisation is the enemy of faith in general and Christianity in particular. People express concern about the end of a 'Christian nation'. They say that we are a 'Christian country'. They believe that secularism is destroying our 'shared Christian values.' However, …
William Booth Decides – Politics or Religion
There was a moment in William Booth's life when he was still a young man. This moment defined the rest of his life. If William Booth had chosen differently then the world would have been a very different place. He had to decide between becoming a political activist, or becoming an evangelist. The young Booth …
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Christians Can’t Be Patriots
Christians can't be patriots, and certainly can't be nationalists, because they always have a negotiated relationship with their state, country, and nation. They owe a higher allegiance to the Kingdom of God and the Lordship of Christ. This higher allegiance takes precedence over any other allegiance. Today, there are States, Countries, and Nations, which are …
Should We Obey The Government? – The Limits of Relationship Between Church and State
A question that Christians have been asking for two thousand years is to what degree a Christian must obey the government. There has not been a consistent answer, and there is still a broad disagreement over the question. But of course, like everything in life, the question itself is not actually as simple as it …
Render Unto Caesar – Should Christians Pay Tax to Modern Caesars?
What does it mean to 'render unto Caesar'? Is it more than just whether a Christian should pay their taxes? Aside from the King James language, the phrase has often been taken to mean all kinds of different things which, I suggest, are not in the original meaning. This blog post is trying to get …
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Speaking Truth to False Power: Bishop Budde vs. Trump and the History of Christian Opposition to Corruption
Christianity is always political. It should be separated from political parties, and the church's leaders should not also be the state's leaders, nor should the state lead the church. But, at no point is Christianity apolitical. The Church, and it's representatives, must and should hold political power to account. The sermon given by Bishop Budde …
Spiritual Warfare: Stupidity, Malice, Responsibility, and Resisting the Powers and Principalities.
Spiritual Warfare is one of those topics that gets people either all hot and bothered or makes them scoff and turn their noses up. But I think the reality of spiritual warfare is not ghost-busting or fighting demons like a Marvel character. In this piece I'm going to try and give another dimension to what …
Human Dignity: Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide, And The Moral Dilemma
Content Warning: Discussions of Death, Dying, and Suicide This is, of course, a delicate and emotive subject. The question of Euthanasia is an important one which must be discussed, but we also need to take care of our own well-being within that discussion. Please be aware of your own circumstances when reading this piece and, …
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Who Was W. T. Stead? The Salvation Army’s Unlikely Man in the Media
William Thomas Stead (1849-1912) was a somewhat unlikely ally of the early Salvation Army. But without the influence and support of Stead, it would have been far more difficult for the Army to gain the popular approval with which it entered the 20th century. W. T. Stead's Early Life Stead was born in Northumberland, his …
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