Poltical Influence

I really appreciate many of Greg Boyd’s insights. His exposure of Christian blessing of military power is excellent.

Boyd suggests that the “Church does best when it is a persecuted minority”. The problem with this is that when it “does best”, it grows and often becomes a majority. The issue that he does not really deal with is that once, Christian increase to a majority, they must start having an influence in the political sphere.

The problem is that most Christians think that “having and influence” means moving into halls of government and wielding the power that was previously held by others, and using it to impose Christian values. Jim Wallis would use this power to establish social justice. The moral majority would use it to prevent abortion. Both are wrong, because the kingdom of God is not established by political power.

We need a totally different vision based on voluntary authority, in which as the gospel is successful, the political sphere is turned upside down and mostly shrinks away. This will not happen if Christians leave the political sphere alone.

We must create a new society and a new culture based on voluntary authority, that does not need political power.