Render unto Caesar
Is the very heart of our Christian way of life an understanding that Jesus, from the unseen world of spirit, is a commanding presence? Or is Jesus a presence commanding Christians what to think, when to think it and who to support?
A commanding presence is one of influence. Jesus is our commanding presence whose mortal pattern we as Christians consciously seek to model. That is not a pattern of blind obedience to ecclesiastical authority. His most ardent criticisms were directed toward the priestly class. Nor was the pattern one of blind obedience to secular authority. When challenged about it, he spoke wisely, Render unto Caesar that which is Caesars.
Jesus does not live in our spiritual lives as a kind, gentle and loving but forceful and demanding equivalent of a divine Julius Caesar. The Lord does not authorize religious leaders to speak to us for Him. Nor does he reveal to any religious leader more than to us individually His will as to our decisions concerning our religion or politics. We as a spiritual people must not ignore our own internal promptings if they are based in Christ in our own lives.
We do not have some Christian duty to blindly consent when someone in prominence announces that the Almighty has chosen or inspired him to lead American Christians to specific actions that impact communities, a people and a nation.
As Jim Wallis at Sojourners pointed out, Mr. Bush somehow turned the light of Christ - which evangelicals desire fervently to enlighten the world - into the light of America and America's definition of freedom. Are we to then with a jerking of our knees fall in line behind such a messianic declaration?
I recently watched the Frontline program about George Bush and his spiritual experience, focus and outlook. I was impressed and found myself thinking, "What's wrong with having leaders more openly unashamed of their spiritual beliefs?"
Actually, there's nothing wrong with honestly and openly trying to be consistent with one's internal values. But when Mr. Bush then proclaims that America has an obligation to impose freedom around the world as The Almighty's Gift, we ought to be able to safely conclude that if he really means what he says, we as well must decide for ourselves if that attitude is in close harmony with our own.
However, if we conclude that such a crusade is not our national obligation, we need to be honest about that as well and act on our own spiritual insight. Personal piety does not automatically equate to possession of the highest wisdom. Someone of greater piety than your own does not mean that that someone has more wisdom than you.
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