There are governments to resist. We wrestle with the need to submit to a point and then how to resist when there are violations of conscience and crossing allegiances, but then there is a need to understand there are things to resist. The how is tricky, and it takes the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit. This isn’t about having pat answers of “never take up arms” or “always take up arms.”

When I was in seminary I remember one professor saying the group most dangerous to a totalitarian government were Christians. Not because Christians would rise up in armed rebellion, but because true believers (those with deep allegiances to Christ) are a group that cannot be manipulated or controlled. The heart truly set free won’t fall for propaganda and won’t crumble under manipulation.

We need those believers today. There is the witness of history. The Iron Curtain in Europe largely crumbled because of true followers of Christ who labored under decades of communism but refused to stop believing in Christ and instead found their allegiance to Christ what sustained them… and Communism would collapse.

Totalitarianism can be fascist, communist, or theocratic. Fascism may be an over-used term these days, but there are still movements that play on grievances, valorize militarism, play on ethnic prejudices, and believe that all a nation’s problems can be solved with a demagogue carrying a big stick (p. 123). It offers fast solutions to problems and that has a certain attraction, whether we like it or not.

Communism and Fascism both hinge on absolute power put into the hands of the State and its supreme leader. As I have observed radical left and right wing ideologies over the past 10 years in the U.S., I have found this to be true of both extremes: they both want to burn down democracy in their own way. Ironic.

Jesus was not a communist… or a capitalist…

Jesus may have “sounded” like a communist but he wasn’t a tyrant nor would he introduce a tyrannical government. Communism is tethered to tyranny (p. 126). It doesn’t have a total view of “sin.” Sin, in communism, is capitalism. Marxists can’t be “sinners” in this view. Evil doesn’t exist in Marxist ideology, except in capitalist pigs. It doesn’t deal with evil that resides in the hearts of everyone.

Ideologies do not deal with sin and greed thoroughly, so there is no legitimate claim to Jesus being a “communist,” a “capitalist,” or any other ideological leader.

Totalitarian governments are to be resisted by followers of Christ. The how is the hard part. But when resistance does happen, there are consequences and followers of Christ know they have to be ready. Bonhoeffer was hung for treason. Oscar Romero was assassinated. Eastern European Christians were tortured and imprisoned for decades.

Which brings us to Christian Nationalism. It’s not the same as being Christian in a country and just wanting good Christian decisions to be made for the common good of people. Christian nationalism does not lend itself to a tolerant society because it will diminish the rights of people of other religions or no religion. (Trump wants to have his “Muslim ban” reinstated if he becomes president. I had a longtime friend swear to me that Muslims are all latent spies waiting for a word from some caliphate in the Middle East and when that word comes, every one of them will rise up and slaughter all Christians.)

Christian nationalism is superficial and never leads to deep faith and discipleship. Shallow Christians will quote a verse here and there knowing that’s what the crowd wants to hear.

What kind of Christianity will be “in power”? Baptist? Presbyterian? Catholic? Lutheran? Anglican?

Christian nationalism will lead a government to regulate religion. The supreme leader becomes the adjudicator of Christian doctrine. Heresy trials will be necessary.

Christian nationalism lends itself to feelings of ethnic superiority and promotes interracial tensions, especially when Christianity is aligned with “whiteness.” (p. 135) Dominant religions in a totalitarian government will tend to favor particular ethnic groups. Muslim nations show this. Buddhist nations show this. Christian nationalist propaganda in the U.S. demonstrates this.

Christian nationalism is impoverished as it seeks a kingdom without a cross. It pursues a victory without mercy. It acclaims God’s love of power rather than the power of God’s love. We must remember that Jesus refused those who wanted to ‘make him king’ by force just as much as he refused to become king by calling upon ‘twelve legions of angels.’ Jesus needs no army, arms or armored calvary to bring about the Kingdom of God. (p. 136)

We need to be aware of any ideology, “conservative” or “progressive,” that suppresses dissent. Wright and Bird are right to also point out that “progressive” ideologies shouts down dissenting opinion. Many college campuses want only one voice heard. That is a dangerous position for education. (p. 137)

When we have lost our ability to persuade, we drift toward some form of totalitarianism.

Quite simply, this is not the way of Christ.

PART ONE
PART TWO
PART THREE
PART FOUR
PART FIVE
PART SIX