Church Government Effects on Politics

[drfuss]

Another thread discusses the effects of denominations have on a country that they become a majority in. In oder not to hyjack that thread, I am starting this thread to discuss the effects that the type of denominational government has on people in their choice of how much government plays a role in their lives.

For instance, it has been my limited experience that Roman Catholics tend to favor or accept big secular government (big brother) for running the country. This is due in these people being used to depending on the Catholic Church to define thier beliefs and for their salvation. Protestants in congregational lead churches are not as dependant on the church to define their beleifs; and the church has nothing to do with providing salvation. I propose that this may carry over into the political beliefs of both types of people.

What about differences concerning secular government, between people in different protestant churches with different types of government?

What do you think?

 

[billwald]

There is nothing in the NT which instructs the church to get involved in politics in any way.

 

[drfuss]

There is nothing in the NT which instructs the church to get involved in politics in any way.

True.

But does the way a person's beliefs and practices are controlled by his church have any influence on how much secular government control the person favors over his life?

 

[mont974x4]

There is nothing in the NT which instructs the church to get involved in politics in any way.

There is, actually.
For one, we are supposed to pray for and submit to the authority God has placed over us. In the US we have the privilege of voting, which is a part of His grace in giving us this nation. Therefore we should vote, and it is an act of worship. Of course, I define worship as a life lived in response to who God is and what He has done.So, anything can be, and should be, an act of worship.

We should also remember the centurion who had such a faith as to marvel Christ. If ever God would have commanded us to disengage from civil arena that would have been the prime opportunity.

Looking back at the Old Testament we can see, and should note, that how a leader goes so goes the people. How often do we read about a king who did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the people followed? This alone is enough instruction for us to know that our faith should impact our lives in practical ways, but especially in our politics.

 

[drfuss]

Thread Drift?

Wow! Talk about thread drift. So far, no one has addressed the questions in the OP or the effects of types of church government on the political views of its members.

 

[JarJo]

I think there's another dimension to the Catholic attitude than what you mentioned.

Before constitutional government became widespread, the catholic church served as a check against the power of the government. You could compare it perhaps to the supreme court's power in a modern liberal democracy. It was recognized that the divine moral law placed limits on the power of government, and these divine moral laws were the jurisdiction of the church. A modern example of how this came into play was in communist Poland.

Russia set up a totalitarian communist regime in Poland. The Catholic church had a long history of teaching that the power of the state must be limited. It did not have the right to tell people they couldn't worship, and it didn't have the right to interfere within the jurisdiction of the family or to prevent people from earning a decent living. So the Catholic church played a big part in the solidarity movement in Poland, which eventually helped bring down communism in all of eastern europe.

 

[WestminsterMan]

snip...

For instance, it has been my limited experience that Roman Catholics tend to favor or accept big secular government (big brother) for running the country. This is due in these people being used to depending on the Catholic Church to define thier beliefs and for their salvation.

snip...

One need look no further than the current battle of the RCC against the Obama adminstration's mandate on contraception to see the fallacy in that statement.

WM

 

[billwald]

If Satan is the God of this world then should we expect the church to have the greater effect on the government or the alternative?

 

[drfuss]

One need look no further than the current battle of the RCC against the Obama adminstration's mandate on contraception to see the fallacy in that statement.

WM

Good point. The RCCs tend to be "socially" conservative.

I was referring to another political aspect, economics. The RCCs that I know personnally tend to be in favor of more government solutions to economics problems and less dependent on individual economic responsibility. That is: let the government make the economic decisions for them the same as their church decides their spiritual decisions for them.

My first impressions were based on the fact that I grew up in a small town divided between Catholics and Protestants. Most of the Catholics voted for Democrats and most Protestants voted for Republicans. Perhaps other factors were involved.

 

[mont974x4]

One need look no further than the current battle of the RCC against the Obama adminstration's mandate on contraception to see the fallacy in that statement.

WM

That only proves that they dislike a particular policy. Who among us would not disagree with someone we normally tend to support when pushed on issue that has traditionally been very important to us? What happened is they got bit by their own dog and they don't like it.

 

[JarJo]

Good point. The RCCs tend to be "socially" conservative.

I was referring to another political aspect, economics. The RCCs that I know personnally tend to be in favor of more government solutions to economics problems and less dependent on individual economic responsibility. That is: let the government make the economic decisions for them the same as their church decides their spiritual decisions for them.

My first impressions were based on the fact that I grew up in a small town divided between Catholics and Protestants. Most of the Catholics voted for Democrats and most Protestants voted for Republicans. Perhaps other factors were involved.

Catholic social doctrine requires "subsidiarity" which means that things should be done at the lowest social unit possible. So, taking care of the needs of the individual should be done by the family, and if not possible by the family, then by the local community, but only when the individual or the family can't take care of itself. So this is opposed to big government in the sense of a government taking care of all our needs. However government should take care of the needs of those who have no other help, but preferably this should be done by local governments and only to the extent necessary.

 

[drfuss]

Catholic social doctrine requires "subsidiarity" which means that things should be done at the lowest social unit possible. So, taking care of the needs of the individual should be done by the family, and if not possible by the family, then by the local community, but only when the individual or the family can't take care of itself. So this is opposed to big government in the sense of a government taking care of all our needs. However government should take care of the needs of those who have no other help, but preferably this should be done by local governments and only to the extent necessary.

Thank you.