Tuesday, January 18, 2011

The ‘Desacralisation’ Of Politics

"But secular authorities are no longer in the fullest sense mediators of the rule of God. They mediate his judgments only. The power that they exercise in defeating their enemies, the national possessions they safeguard, these are now rendered irrelevant by Christ’s triumph. This is what might properly be meant by that misleading expression, the ‘desacralisation’ of politics by the Gospel. No government has a right to exist, no nation has a right to defend itself. Such claims are overwhelmed by the immediate claim of the Kingdom. There remains simply the rump of political authority which cannot be dispensed with yet, the exercise of judgment." - Oliver O'Donovan
Through Christ's life, death, resurrection and ascension he has been given all power and authority in heaven and earth. And if he has all power and authority, than our governments have been stripped of their power; they have been reduced to providing justice (Romans 13). To do anything else would be a dangerously idolatrous encroachment on Christ's rule.

3 comments:

byron smith said...

Great quote indeed. Would be helpful to have the reference. I was going to look it up and read the context. I assume it's somewhere near the end of Desire of the Nations?

Matthew Moffitt said...

Sorry. I'm pretty sure it's page 152 of the Desire of the Nations.

Matthew Moffitt said...

Sorry, p. 151.