Wednesday, August 10 - Romans 13:1-7

Today’s brief text has been pivotal in European church history of the relations of church and state. What is a Christian response to rulers and their laws and demands? Do we obey, as this text suggests, and preach that any ruler must be in office by the will of God? Are we ever called to resist the powers that be?

This is a favorite text of law-and-order Christians. This is why we provide chaplains to parliaments and armies. This is why we are given privileges like tax breaks by governments, and why Marxists call us ‘the opiate of the people’.

This is a problematic text for Christians living under tyranny. It seems to limit the options of legitimate expression of dissent, or civil disobedience, by Christians. It qualifies our approach to alliances with rebels and reformers. Which way to you lean?

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