I Am A Christian. Should I Protest The Authority?

So, what does protest do? It afflicts the comfortable. Think of America (as with any other earthly kingdom) as an addict to any number of sinful or unjust behaviors. Protest and democratic peaceful action attempts to raise discomfort to the point that the addict’s rock bottom is brought up more quickly. Of course, protesters are sinners too and sometimes blind to their own sin. But there is such a thing as sin of nations; read the Old Testament prophets and you will see this theme again and again. The hope certainly would be that repentance and a changed heart leading to a changed life would result from the discomfort.

But if not, we might use another analogy, from a parable of Jesus (Luke 18). Jesus was teaching about prayer; he taught that even an unjust judge will be so annoyed and made uncomfortable by the persistence of a widow who comes to him again and again asking for justice that the judge will grant her justice. Jesus was using this story as a contrast with God, who is good and who does care about us. If even an unjust judge will pay attention, how much more will God? But we can use this story to understand earthly dynamics as well. Persistence, even if it does not always change hearts, can become such a burr in the side that it brings justice, even half-heartedly.

So, I will continue to pray for our leaders to have changed hearts. I will also continue resisting anything that is evil. I will keep being a burr in the side. I will keep creating discomfort. I will keep loving my neighbors. I will keep speaking the truth. And I will put my allegiance to God’s kingdom before this earthly kingdom.

Should a Christian protest? Yes, with serious earnestness, with prayerfulness, with a longing for justice. In fact, it’s one way to genuinely love those in authority.

Community Discussion

Are you a Christian? Have you ever engaged in a protest or rally against something? How did you square it with your faith?

How do you differentiate between God’s kingdom and the kingdom of America? Or do you see them as the same thing? Why or why not?

How do the Trump administration policies help or inhibit the ability to share the Gospel?

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Community discussion guidelines:

Because this is a Christian blog, the things I’m talking about will obviously be topics that people feel strongly about in one direction or another. Please keep in mind that this is a place for substantive, respectful, constructive conversation. All perspectives are welcome to discuss here as long as all can treat each other with kindness and respect. Please ignore trolls, refuse to engage in personal attacks, try not to derail the conversation into divisive rabbit trails, and observe the comment policy listed on the right side of the page. Comments that violate these guidelines may be deleted. Vulgar remarks may result in immediate blacklisting. For those who clearly violate these policies repeatedly, my policy is to issue a warning which, if not regarded, may lead to blacklisting. This is not about censorship, but about creating a healthy, respectful environment for discussion.

P.S. Please also note that I am not a scientist, but a person with expertise in theology and the arts. While I am very interested in the relationship between science and faith, I do not believe I personally will be able to adequately address the many questions that inevitably come up related to science and religion. I encourage you to seek out the writings of theistic or Christian scientists to help with those discussions.

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photo credit: Lorie Shaull Candlelight vigil in solidarity with the protest against the #MuslimBan at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC via photopin (license)

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