Transcription
So, I'm particularly concerned about your brand of Christianity as a Christian myself.
Christian nationalism I do not agree with at all. I think it's antithetical to the values of the early church. And how do you reconcile, especially white Christians in this America, marrying politics and power with their faith in this country?
There's a lot there. I've never described myself as a Christian nationalist. So, I'm a Christian and a nationalist, so I never use those two.
And then right there, that and nationalist, where in the scriptures does a Christian demand the welfare of the nation that you are in cuz your welfare is tied to your nation's welfare?
Let me continue. Daniel fasted and prayed for his nation. Esther and Mordecai cared for their nation. They were counsel to the king. Nehemiah, Jeremiah, Joseph, Jacob, I could keep on going. Moses, Aaron. In fact, Moses was so political that he wrote an entire book of the Torah all about how to set up a government. It's the book of Deuteronomy.
So, in fact, the Bible is an explicitly political text amongst many other things.
Now, can we interpret those texts in the light of the revelation of Christ because you just cited all Old Old Testament texts. You've not once cited St. Paul.
Okay, yeah. If you want me to also. There's just what St. Paul about the kingdom of heaven and and the government.
So, we're clear, do you think that the Old Testament is greater than the Old Testament?
It is. It is greater because the revelation of Christ dictates how we interpret the Old Testament.
So, you think that all of a sudden like Genesis 1 is not as great just because of the New Testament?
The Old Testament was a type and shadow of the things to come. And now we live in the full revelation of Christ. Finishing the last verse.
That's not true. That's Christological theology.
Hold on. Of course, I believe in the resurrection. But all of a sudden say that like in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth is like somehow lesser because of the revelation of the New Testament. Christ even said, "I did not come to abolish the law of the prophets. I came to fulfill the law." In fact, he said, "All the laws of the prophet hang on the two teachings, Leviticus 19 and Deuteronomy 3 through 5." However, to use a New Testament example as you asked, says in 1 Timothy, "Pray for your leaders in authority by name that they might make great decisions."
I'm going to continue. Christ our Lord said, "On this rock build my what?"
Church.
Wrong. Ecclesia. It's not the word church.
Okay, English translations of common Bible say church. So, my bad.
Well, actually it shouldn't because the original Greek term says on this rock build my government structure. Ecclesia was a secular word used in that time which was all about the advancement of freedom and liberty which are the two words in Greek eleutheria isonomia which are the two words there. So, the point being Christ called us to be salt and light. We as Christians should change the environment that we come in contact with. That's what salt and light do. So, why should we then not care about changing government to be more Christ-like?