When Being Biblical Is Bull
June 16, 2018
We have written previously of the danger of claiming to be “biblical.” Now the claim has made international news, this time on the lips of two US government officials.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions claims (dubiously) that the enforcement of US immigration law demands that children be separated from their parents at the US border. He justifies the practice, and insists we give approval to those who practice it, on the basis of Romans 13.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, questioned about Sessions’ statement, averred, “it is very biblical to enforce the law.”
We’ll ignore, for the moment, the constitutional and Christian issues with a US Attorney General and a White House Press Secretary making arguments for government policy on the basis of being “biblical.” We’ll set aside, for the moment, the theocratic tendencies of members of the Trump administration and some religious leaders who support them. These are serious issues, to be sure, but at this moment, let us make a more fundamental point:
The use of Romans 13 as justification for sub-human (not to mention ungodly) practices is complete bullshit.
Sessions and Sanders couldn’t have this more wrong. Aside from numerous texts throughout the Bible that call us to show benevolence to children and deference to keeping families together (even in less than ideal situations), as well as numerous calls for hospitality to the foreigner, Romans 13 itself doesn’t mean what Sessions wants it to means.
The apostle Paul is instructing Christians about how they should relate to a government that rules over them, not instructing a government to do whatever it pleases. Quoting Scripture in the manner of Sessions is akin to the abusive husband telling his wife that she must submit to him. It is akin to the plantation owner purchasing a human being for forced labor because the Bible says slaves should submit to their masters. (And we know all too well the history of so many Bible-loving folks perpetuating such atrocity.) The Scripture isn’t good news to the principalities who lord their power over people. It is good news to the poor, the captive, the sick, the oppressed (as Jesus said in Luke 4:18, alluding to the words of the prophet in Isaiah 61:1). Jesus didn’t bring good news to the dark lords of this world but to those in this world being lorded over by darkness.
Sessions has taken a teaching of Jesus—who subverts the powers of this world with otherworldly meekness, who decries the foolishness of this world for otherworldly wisdom, who empowers his followers with mercy that triumphs over justice and humility that triumphs over arrogance and good that overcomes evil and love that triumphs over all—and twisted it into a tool of the government, wielding it as a weapon against people created in God’s very image. The most powerful government in the world is co-opting Christian Scripture to enforce its worldly rule.
Sanders stands by and holds Sessions’ cloak. She testifies the White House’s approval of the practice and the people who practice it.
To claim to be “biblical” while doing that is as preposterous as it is dangerous. Romans itself heralds the law of love as ultimate. After an extended dissertation on the sovereignty of God and his mercy in Christ upon all people (Romans 1-11), Paul, in Romans 12, states that it is the most reasonable response, in view of God’s rich mercies in Christ, to worship God and love every person, including one’s enemies. Note this carefully. In view of the justifying work of God in Christ, in whom condemnation of sinners is overturned so that those created in the image of God may be returned to God, we are to worship the God who shows to every person mercy and love. To take one or two verses from Romans 13 to call for justice to triumph over love is a perversion of not only the book of Romans but of the teachings of Scripture in its totality.
For all those Christians who are enamored of being “biblical” and whose allegiance at this moment seems turned more toward a political party and particular authority figure than Jesus, we call not only theology but history and humanity as witness that the Bible-abuse being practiced by Sessions and Sanders must be rejected.
The type of religious folks Jesus warned about includes those who are most fond of quoting the Bible. In his day, they called themselves Pharisees. In our day, they call themselves Republicans. Wielding the word of God as an instrument of government might is offensive. It is bullshit. Worse, we fear this is not simply a “mistake,” but it is the work of anti-christ. Beware, Christians, lest you be deceived.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions claims (dubiously) that the enforcement of US immigration law demands that children be separated from their parents at the US border. He justifies the practice, and insists we give approval to those who practice it, on the basis of Romans 13.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, questioned about Sessions’ statement, averred, “it is very biblical to enforce the law.”
We’ll ignore, for the moment, the constitutional and Christian issues with a US Attorney General and a White House Press Secretary making arguments for government policy on the basis of being “biblical.” We’ll set aside, for the moment, the theocratic tendencies of members of the Trump administration and some religious leaders who support them. These are serious issues, to be sure, but at this moment, let us make a more fundamental point:
The use of Romans 13 as justification for sub-human (not to mention ungodly) practices is complete bullshit.
Sessions and Sanders couldn’t have this more wrong. Aside from numerous texts throughout the Bible that call us to show benevolence to children and deference to keeping families together (even in less than ideal situations), as well as numerous calls for hospitality to the foreigner, Romans 13 itself doesn’t mean what Sessions wants it to means.
The apostle Paul is instructing Christians about how they should relate to a government that rules over them, not instructing a government to do whatever it pleases. Quoting Scripture in the manner of Sessions is akin to the abusive husband telling his wife that she must submit to him. It is akin to the plantation owner purchasing a human being for forced labor because the Bible says slaves should submit to their masters. (And we know all too well the history of so many Bible-loving folks perpetuating such atrocity.) The Scripture isn’t good news to the principalities who lord their power over people. It is good news to the poor, the captive, the sick, the oppressed (as Jesus said in Luke 4:18, alluding to the words of the prophet in Isaiah 61:1). Jesus didn’t bring good news to the dark lords of this world but to those in this world being lorded over by darkness.
Sessions has taken a teaching of Jesus—who subverts the powers of this world with otherworldly meekness, who decries the foolishness of this world for otherworldly wisdom, who empowers his followers with mercy that triumphs over justice and humility that triumphs over arrogance and good that overcomes evil and love that triumphs over all—and twisted it into a tool of the government, wielding it as a weapon against people created in God’s very image. The most powerful government in the world is co-opting Christian Scripture to enforce its worldly rule.
Sanders stands by and holds Sessions’ cloak. She testifies the White House’s approval of the practice and the people who practice it.
To claim to be “biblical” while doing that is as preposterous as it is dangerous. Romans itself heralds the law of love as ultimate. After an extended dissertation on the sovereignty of God and his mercy in Christ upon all people (Romans 1-11), Paul, in Romans 12, states that it is the most reasonable response, in view of God’s rich mercies in Christ, to worship God and love every person, including one’s enemies. Note this carefully. In view of the justifying work of God in Christ, in whom condemnation of sinners is overturned so that those created in the image of God may be returned to God, we are to worship the God who shows to every person mercy and love. To take one or two verses from Romans 13 to call for justice to triumph over love is a perversion of not only the book of Romans but of the teachings of Scripture in its totality.
For all those Christians who are enamored of being “biblical” and whose allegiance at this moment seems turned more toward a political party and particular authority figure than Jesus, we call not only theology but history and humanity as witness that the Bible-abuse being practiced by Sessions and Sanders must be rejected.
The type of religious folks Jesus warned about includes those who are most fond of quoting the Bible. In his day, they called themselves Pharisees. In our day, they call themselves Republicans. Wielding the word of God as an instrument of government might is offensive. It is bullshit. Worse, we fear this is not simply a “mistake,” but it is the work of anti-christ. Beware, Christians, lest you be deceived.
