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< | Protestant American Views on Dualism | >
> | The Evolution of Dualism: From Jesus' First Delineation to Modern Evangelical Americans' Conceptions | | | -- By JackSherrick - 21 Feb 2021 | |
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< | Rewrite | >
> | New Testament Origins of Dualism | | | | |
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< | Jesus of Nazareth has been called many names: King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Immanuel, Son of God, the list goes on. I would like to introduce an additional title into the corpus of names held by Jesus: Coiner of Enigmatic Phrases. Luke 20, Mark 12, and Matthew 22 showcase Jesus the orator at his most clever and inscrutable. Jesus was approached by several ill intentioned questioners who sought to catch Jesus in a rhetorical trap. They nonchalantly asked whether or not it was right to pay taxes to Caesar. If Jesus had responded in the negative, he could have faced a premature execution at the hands of the Romans. If he had responded in the affirmative, he could have angered the Jews laboring under the yoke of Roman occupation who viewed Jesus as a liberator. Instead, Jesus gave a pregnant pause and asked for a denarius. After surveying the coin Jesus asked whose image was inscribed on the currency. "Caesar's." the would-be deceivers answered. Jesus then responded with "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." If Jesus hadn't been preoccupied with being the Messiah, he could have had a lucrative career as a lawyer. This clever response has become an oft-quoted maxim that encapsulates the relationship many believe Christians should have with the secular elements of society. | >
> | Jesus of Nazareth has been called many names: King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Immanuel, Son of God. I would like to introduce an additional title into the corpus of names held by Jesus: Coiner of Enigmatic Phrases. Jesus lives up to this newly minted title inLuke 20, Mark 12, and Matthew 22 which showcase Jesus the orator at his most clever and inscrutable. Jesus was approached by several ill intentioned questioners who sought to catch Jesus in a rhetorical trap. They nonchalantly asked whether or not it was right to pay taxes to Caesar. If Jesus had responded in the negative, he could have faced a premature execution by the Romans. If he had responded in the affirmative, he could have angered the Jews laboring under the yoke of Roman occupation who viewed Jesus as a liberator. Instead, Jesus gave a pregnant pause and asked for a denarius. After surveying the coin Jesus asked whose image was inscribed on the currency. "Caesar's," the would-be deceivers answered. Jesus then responded with "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." If Jesus hadn't been preoccupied with being the Messiah, he could have had a lucrative career as a lawyer. This clever response has become an oft-quoted maxim that encapsulates the relationship many believe Christians should have with the secular elements of society. | | | | |
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< | Ever since Jesus ambiguously laid down the partition between the lay and divine, Christian thinkers have been speculating as to what is owed to Caesar as opposed to God. The apostle Paul, a Roman citizen, urged early Christians to accept Roman rule, pay their taxes, and obey the emperor short of worshipping him. Peter implores Christians to "fear God, honor the emperor." Massachusetts Puritans chose to merge the secular and divine. According to Haskins, a number of the colony's laws were based on the Old Testament while there was also a moderate embrace of various forms of English law during the early period. (Haskins page 7). | >
> | Subsequent Attempts to Establish the Contours of Dualism
Pre-Reformation
Ever since Jesus ambiguously laid down the partition between the lay and divine, Christian thinkers have been speculating as to what is owed to Caesar as opposed to God. The apostle Paul, a Roman citizen, urged early Christians to accept Roman rule, pay their taxes, and obey the emperor short of worshipping him. Peter implores Christians to "fear God, honor the emperor." Justin Martyr writes to Emperor Antonius in Chapter VIII of his First Apology, "Whence to God alone we render worship, but in other things we gladly serve you... But if you pay no regard to our prayers and frank explanations, we shall suffer no loss, since we believe (or rather, indeed, are persuaded) that every man will suffer punishment in eternal fire according to the merit of his deed." These thinkers saw civil obedience as not only permissible, but a duty they were obliged to perform as Christians as long as obedience did not violate a divine statute. Martyr suggests in his Apology that part of the rationale behind Christians' compliance with secular law is that it is God's role to mete out retribution to heretical rulers, not Christians.
The Christian willingness to obey secular leaders yet abstain from involvement in secular government led to the establishment and rapid growth of an episcopal government.
Post-Reformation Protestant Views
Massachusetts Puritans chose to merge the secular and divine. According to Haskins, a number of the colony's laws were based on the Old Testament while there was also a moderate embrace of various forms of English law during the early period. (Haskins page 7). | | | The Massachusetts meetinghouse illustrates the blending of the secular and divine. There was compulsory church attendance (88)
Thomas Shepard pleaded for stricter observance of town bylaws, Hugh Peter urged the support of economic programs, and John Cotton preached on the ethics of trade and business practice. Each year, special election sermons exhorted reverence for the symbols of government by commending the fit character of civil leaders (88). Tried once by the civil authorities then again by the church. the county courts sentenced people to confess their sin before their congregation. | | | Luther advocated for obedience to secular rule. When German Peasants waged war against the aristocracy, Luther penned a scathing letter condemning the peasant's plight and beseeching them to acquiesce to aristocratic rule. Luther agreed with many of the peasant's demands but nevertheless instructed the peasants to "suffer to the end, and leave the case to Him (God). " | |
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< | Justin Martyr writes to Emperor Antonius in Chapter VIII of his First Apology, "Whence to God alone we render worship, but in other things we gladly serve you... But if you pay no regard to our prayers and frank explanations, we shall suffer no loss, since we believe (or rather, indeed, are persuaded) that every man will suffer
punishment in eternal fire according to the merit of his deed." | >
> | | | | Among many American Protestant Christians, there is a prevalent attitude that the secular and divine and largely unrelated. |
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