What is the nature of the church as an institution? What are the limits of the church's political reach? Drawing on covenant theology and the "new institutionalism" in political science, Jonathan Leeman critiques political liberalism and explores how the biblical canon informs an account of the local church as an embassy of Christ's kingdom.
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What is the nature of the church as an institution? What are the limits of the church's political reach? Drawing on covenant theology and the "new institutionalism" in political science, Jonathan Leeman critiques political liberalism and explores how the biblical canon informs an account of the local church as an embassy of Christ's kingdom.
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Jonathan Leeman makes a case for the political nature of the local church and argues that it is possible to be political and a Christian. "The purpose of this political community... is to publicly represent King Jesus, display the justice and righteousness of the triune God, and pronounce that all the world belongs to this King. His claim is universal" (294).
The first two chapters asks what "politics" and "institutions" are (being the most technical chapters, Leeman lets his readers skip them. I still read them; I was stretched and I have underlines on almost every page. "Institutions... shape aspects of your identity" (108). Just think about "marriage, the contract... the army, academic tenure, the presidency, the vacation..." (108). The state builds the platforms of peace and justice so that the church can "hang signs with Jesus' name over right beliefs, right practices, and right people-the repenting and believing citizens of Christ's kingdom" (15).
Chapter three looks at the politics of Creations, particularly that as governed and ruled by the triune God. Chapters 4-6 cover the Politics of the Fall, the New Covenant, and the Kingdom. The local church is an embassy for God's kingdom. "Embassies do not make people citizens of a home nation, but they do formally affirm who is and who is not a citizen of the home nation" (296).
Just as Jesus was 'under' the authority of Pilate and submitted to his decrees, Christians are not higher than their governments and must submit to their decrees. However, just as Jesus' kingdom was elsewhere,Christians are members of the Creator's kingdom, and he has given them a particular authority to preach the gospel, make disciples, and display love, peace, justice and righteousness. Everyone worships something-either God or idols. Christians are ambassadors for God (2 Cor 5.20); they mediate his covenantal rule to the world around them and call them to submit to Christ the King.
Recommended?
The volumes in this series are more advanced than what I usually review, and one should have some knowledge of the political sphere to get the most out of this book. But yes, I do recommend it, especially because Leeman works through the Bible's covenantal storyline. "The church's life is held together by justification by faith alone, the most powerful political force in the world today for flattening hierarchies and uniting one-time enemies" (14). You may not be a political expert, but you will benefit from reading Leeman's work. It is slow work, but it is a rewarding read.
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