Sunshine, "Slaying Leviathan"
Respond to these questions no later than the end of Thursday, May 8th. We will meet on Saturday, May 10th, starting at 8:30am.
(1) Briefly compare and contrast the following theories of government:
The "two swords" view (Pope Gelasius)
The "two kingdoms" view (Magisterial Reformation)
The Anabaptist view
The "social contract" view (Locke)
(2) What is your understanding of the biblical teaching on the authority of government and the relationship between church and state? What key biblical passages inform your understanding?
(3) What is your view of resistance theory? Is resistance to government authority ever justified, and if so, under what conditions and in what manners may it be carried out?
(4) How does your view of resistance theory apply to what churches experienced during the 2020 pandemic?
(5) What is one question you have to contribute to our discussion?
1.) A. Two Swords- This view basically says that there are two separate powers the church and the government. Where the church holds spiritual power and the government holds temporal power. The church is the strongest of the two because due to God being it's authority.
B.) Two Kingdoms - this view holds that there's a spiritual kingdom and a civil kingdom. God rules both of these kingdoms but operates in different ways in the kingdoms. These two Kingdoms support each other in various ways.
C. Anabaptist View - calls for there to be a separation between the two. Believing they don't belong together at all.
D. Social contract - the society and the government work together to create their way of living. The society does have the right to overthrow the government if things don't go well.
2.) I believe the government should submit to the authority of the government in all ways except when government is asking citizens/ the church to do things contrary to Scripture/Christ. Romans 13 and Acts 5 to me a fairly clear on how this should be dealt with.
3.) This is one that I really struggle with. As a believer I see it clearly when dealing with authorities trying to get believers to do what scripture tells them not to do. But other than that it's a toss up for me I need help with this point here.
4.) My view is that the government does not have the right to tell believers how and when to meet for church services. Many churches struggled during the pandemic because they gave the government too much authority at that time.