THE CHURCH AND POLITICS

GROUP 3
Members: - AGUILA - ALTEA - MIRAMAR -REGINO -TORRES

What is Politics?
from Greek politikos "of, for, or relating to citizens art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the corporate, academic, and religious segments of society

 It consists of "social relations involving authority or power" and to the methods and tactics used to formulate and apply policy.

Concepts of Politics
Governance/Government
In its broadest sense to govern means to rule or control others. Government can therefore be taken to include any mechanism through which ordered rule is maintained, its central features being the ability to make collective decision and to enforce them.

 In a more particular sense, it refers to the collective body of those persons and institutions that make and enforce rules or laws for larger community

Human Nature
Human nature refers to essential and immutable character of human of all beings. It highlights what is innate and natural about human life, as opposed to what human beings have gained from education or through social experience.

Almost all political doctrines or beliefs are based upon some kind of theory of human life, sometimes explicitly formulated but in many cases simply implied.5

Law
Law is set of public and enforceable rules that apply throughout political community. Law can be distinguished from other social rules on four grounds. a.) As law is made by government and thus reflects the will of state , it takes precedence over all other norms and special rules.

b.) Law is compulsory; citizens are not allowed to choose which laws to obey and which is to ignore, because law is backed up by system of coercion and punishment.

c.) Law consists in published and recognized rules that have been enacted through a formal, usually public, legislative process. d.) Law is generally recognized as binding upon to whom it applies; law thus embodies moral claims, implying that legal rules should be obeyed.

Power
Power can be broadly defined as the ability to achieve a desired outcome, sometimes referred to in terms of the Power to do something. This notion of power includes everything from the ability to keep oneself alive to the ability of government to promote economic growth.

 In political analysis, however, power is usually thought of as a relationship; that is, as the ability to influence the behavior of others in a manner not of their choosing. It is referred to in terms of having power over others.

Kinds of Power
Economic who controls or influences in the means of production. Personal who has the ability to persuade or influence people. Political who is able to control or influence government.

State
The state can most simply be defined as a political association. Establish sovereign jurisdiction within defined territorial borders.

Exercises authority through a set of permanent institutions.

What does the Bible say about Politics?

George Washington (1732-1799) "It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible"

Politics and Religion

The bible does not make any distinction between religion and politics The bible portrays the way of God as permeating and governing every aspect of human life No law which is not to be regarded as a religious law

 Politics is ultimately Gods concern and he determines the succession of the kingdoms The government duty before God is to bring His justice in the community and protect the week
Politics forms and regulates community life Politics is a key formation of Christ in a community

When politicians burn bibles and ban churches and persecute Christians and form "closed countries" the gospel is hindered in that community and many perish spiritually

When politicians open the community to missionaries, bless the church and let Christians live godly live in peace then the gospel prospers and many are saved

Politics in the Old Testament

Genesis 1: Mankind is given the task of ruling over "the earth", which is said to include plants, fish, birds, and creeping animals but not other human beings Genesis 2: other human beings (as represented by Eve) are intended to serve as "helpers" in the task of subduing the earth, co-workers under the direction of God

 Genesis 3: as a direct result of Eve's attempt to grasp wisdom and exercise authority over Adam, God tells Eve "your husband shall rule over you

This arrangement replaces the original agreement between God and man (which might be called "natural politics according to which Adam and his helper were allowed to enjoy the fruit of all but one of the trees in the garden.

 LESSON: The "Old Covenant" can never fulfill its purpose. God had spoken to the people through Moses and given them a set of laws. But instead of internalizing these laws and following their spirit, they externalized them and formed them into a kind of "golden calf": i.e., a set of rules and regulations which could serve as a political agreement between the people and their leaders, and which therefore lent themselves naturally to abuse.

Politics in the Gospel

Most of Jesus' parables are concerned with encouraging his followers to see politics from a new perspective by seeking after the "kingdom of heaven" which exists in their hearts, rather than placing their hope in ordinary worldly kingdoms.

 Jesus calls the Pharisees the brood of vipers, hypocrites, and blind guides

** They took good spiritual ideas and politicized them to promote their own selfish purposes.

Bible Verses
Matthew 6:24 : No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 28:18: And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Luke 16:13: No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

 Mark 15:15: So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

John 18:38: Pilate said to him, What is truth? After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, I find no guilt in him.

Matthew 14:3-11: For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because John had been saying to him, It is not lawful for you to have her. And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

 1 Samuel 8:1-22: When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.

Deuteronomy 17:14-15: When you come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me, you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.

 Matthew 25:32-46: Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.