The Cosmic Conflict The Cosmic Conflict and the Future and the Future

(of America)(of America)sktonstad@llu.edu

Loma Linda Loma Linda

May 21, 2011May 21, 2011

What Happened What Happened to Cosmic Conflict Theology?to Cosmic Conflict Theology?

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CONTRACTIONCONTRACTION

‘OLD’ PRIORITYCOSMIC CONFLICT

‘NEW’ PRIORITIES

TRINITYSALVATION

CHRISTOLOGYPOWER

Biblical Perspective – 1 Biblical Perspective – 1

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here” (John 18:36).kingdom is not from here” (John 18:36). ‘‘Separation of church and state’Separation of church and state’ Character of ‘the kingdom of God’Character of ‘the kingdom of God’

Biblical Perspective – 2 Biblical Perspective – 2

Rev 13:1-2 And I saw a beast rising out Rev 13:1-2 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, having ten horns and seven of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads; and on its horns were ten heads; and on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads were diadems, and on its heads were blasphemous names. And the beast blasphemous names. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, its feet that I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And the dragon gave like a lion's mouth. And the dragon gave it his power and his throne and great it his power and his throne and great authority. authority.

A Kingdom of This World – 1 A Kingdom of This World – 1 ““they had made it their very first they had made it their very first

action to cleanse the world from action to cleanse the world from hatred of God” hatred of God”

EusebiusEusebius, Hist. Eccl. , Hist. Eccl. XX

““The Church had acquired a The Church had acquired a protector, but it had also acquired a protector, but it had also acquired a master.” master.” A. H. M. Jones, A. H. M. Jones, Constantine Constantine and the Conversion of Europeand the Conversion of Europe, 107., 107.

A Kingdom of This World – 2 A Kingdom of This World – 2 ““Christianity thus Christianity thus

became the official, and became the official, and gradually also the gradually also the normal, religion of the normal, religion of the Roman empire. The Roman empire. The effect on the Church was effect on the Church was mainly bad. ….mainly bad. ….

To the empire the official change of religion made little To the empire the official change of religion made little difference: the old corruption and oppression of the difference: the old corruption and oppression of the masses by officials and landlords went unabated, and masses by officials and landlords went unabated, and the last remnants of public spirit faded away.”the last remnants of public spirit faded away.”A. H. M. A. H. M. Jones, Jones, Constantine and the Conversion of EuropeConstantine and the Conversion of Europe, 206., 206.

Eclipse of FreedomEclipse of Freedom

Augustine writes “the only full Augustine writes “the only full justification, in the Early Church, justification, in the Early Church, of the right of the state to of the right of the state to suppress non-Catholics.”suppress non-Catholics.” Peter Peter Brown, Brown, Augustine of HippoAugustine of Hippo, 235., 235.

“…“…the capitulation of all who the capitulation of all who held to the classical proclamation held to the classical proclamation concerning human freedom, concerning human freedom, once regarded as the heart of once regarded as the heart of the Christian gospel.” the Christian gospel.” Elaine Elaine Pagels, “Politics of Paradise,” 99. Pagels, “Politics of Paradise,” 99.

The Christian StateThe Christian State Justinian “engineered Justinian “engineered

an incalculable number an incalculable number of murders. His of murders. His ambition being to force ambition being to force everybody into one everybody into one form of Christian belief form of Christian belief he wantonly destroyedhe wantonly destroyed

everyone who would not conform, and that while keeping up a pretence of piety. For he did not regard it as murder, so long as those who died did not happen to share his beliefs” (Procopius 1966:106, emphasis supplied).

A Roman Christian EmpireA Roman Christian Empire

““Under Gregory I Under Gregory I (589-603) Rome was (589-603) Rome was its pope….like the last its pope….like the last warm glow of warm glow of evening, the late evening, the late Roman senator’s love Roman senator’s love of of Roma aeternaRoma aeterna had had come to rest on the come to rest on the solemn solemn façade of papal Rome.”

Peter Brown, The World of Late Antiquity, 132, 135.

Donation of Donation of ConstantineConstantine

“…“…in order that ….the in order that ….the supreme pontificate may not supreme pontificate may not deteriorate, but may rather be deteriorate, but may rather be adorned with power and glory adorned with power and glory

even more than is the dignity of an earthly rule: behold we are giving over to the oft-mentioned most blessed pontiff, our father Sylvester the universal pope, as well our palace, as has been said, as also the city of Rome and all the provinces, districts and cities of Italy or of the western regions; and relinquishing them, by our inviolable gift, to the power and sway of himself or the pontiffs his successors-do decree, by this our godlike charter and imperial constitution, that it shall be (so) arranged; and do concede that they (the palaces, provinces etc.) shall lawfully remain with the holy Roman church.”

The Shape of Temporal AuthorityThe Shape of Temporal Authority

““On Christmas day, 800, as On Christmas day, 800, as Charlemagne rose from prayer Charlemagne rose from prayer before the tomb of St. Peter, before the tomb of St. Peter, Pope Leo suddenly placed the Pope Leo suddenly placed the crown on the king’s head, and crown on the king’s head, and the well-rehearsed Roman the well-rehearsed Roman clergy and people shouted, clergy and people shouted, Charles Augustus.. Emperor of Charles Augustus.. Emperor of the Romans, life and victory!” the Romans, life and victory!”

- Normal Cantor, - Normal Cantor, The The Civilization of the Middle Ages, Civilization of the Middle Ages, 181.181.

Church vs. StateChurch vs. State

Roman pontiff alone Roman pontiff alone rightly called universalrightly called universal

Power to depose and Power to depose and reinstate bishopsreinstate bishops

He alone may use the He alone may use the imperial insignia.imperial insignia.

All princes shall kiss the All princes shall kiss the foot of the pope alone.foot of the pope alone.

He has the power to He has the power to depose emperors.depose emperors.

Judged by no oneJudged by no one

Gregory VII (1073-1085)

High Tide of Temporal PowerHigh Tide of Temporal Power

Innocent III (1198-1216)Innocent III (1198-1216) Most influential of the Most influential of the

medieval popes medieval popes 4th Crusade (Christian 4th Crusade (Christian

JihadJihad)) Sack of Constantinople in Sack of Constantinople in

12041204 Persecution of WaldensesPersecution of Waldenses Intervention in temporal Intervention in temporal

affairs affairs ratione peccati

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

““Napoleon planned Napoleon planned his coronation (1804) his coronation (1804) with as great a care with as great a care as he did his wars.”as he did his wars.”

Pope Pius VII (1742– (1742–1823), was content to 1823), was content to bless the coronation.bless the coronation.

Temporal Power in DeclineTemporal Power in Decline

Pius VI Pius VI

(1775(1775

-1799) -1799)

Roman CatholicRoman CatholicSelf-UnderstandingSelf-Understanding

““God's purpose in providing the successors of St. God's purpose in providing the successors of St. Peter with temporal jurisdiction was to enable them Peter with temporal jurisdiction was to enable them to perform their spiritual duties in complete freedom to perform their spiritual duties in complete freedom and security.”and security.”

Pius IX (1870)

Pius IX and Temporal PowerPius IX and Temporal Power

““We now again solemnly declare to We now again solemnly declare to you that We are determined to you that We are determined to retain all the dominions of this Holy retain all the dominions of this Holy See and its rights whole, entire, and See and its rights whole, entire, and unviolated, and to transmit them to unviolated, and to transmit them to Our successors. Our successors. We will never We will never accept and obey unjust demands accept and obey unjust demands which are presented to Us.which are presented to Us.””

‘‘Pastor and Prince’ - 1Pastor and Prince’ - 1 ““And indeed as Our And indeed as Our

predecessor Pius VII said: "To predecessor Pius VII said: "To do violence to this highest do violence to this highest power of the Apostolic See, power of the Apostolic See, to to disjoin its temporal authority disjoin its temporal authority from its spiritual power, to from its spiritual power, to disassociate, separate by disassociate, separate by force and cut off the duties force and cut off the duties of Pastor and Prince, is of Pastor and Prince, is nothing less than to nothing less than to overturn and destroy the overturn and destroy the work of God.work of God.””

‘‘Pastor and Prince’ - 2Pastor and Prince’ - 2 ““It is nothing less then to attempt It is nothing less then to attempt

to inflict the greatest damage on to inflict the greatest damage on religion and to deprive it of its religion and to deprive it of its most effective defense. Then the most effective defense. Then the highest Ruler of the Church highest Ruler of the Church would be unable to offer help to would be unable to offer help to the Catholics spread all over the the Catholics spread all over the earth, who request his help and earth, who request his help and support because of his spiritual support because of his spiritual power."[7]power."[7]

First AmendmentFirst Amendment

Congress shall make no Congress shall make no law respecting an law respecting an establishment of religion, or establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the the press; or the right of the people peaceably to people peaceably to assemble.... (1791).assemble.... (1791).

““I believe the notion of I believe the notion of the separation of the separation of church and state was church and state was the figment of some the figment of some infidel’s imagination.”infidel’s imagination.”

““We are out to change We are out to change the First Amendment.” the First Amendment.”

- - The late Dr. Jerry Falwell.The late Dr. Jerry Falwell.

The Cosmic Conflict and the Future (of America)

‘‘Christian’ AmericaChristian’ America

KING: We have a KING: We have a separation of church and separation of church and state.state.DOBSON: Who says?DOBSON: Who says?KING: You don't believe in KING: You don't believe in separation of church and separation of church and state?state?DOBSON: Not the way DOBSON: Not the way you mean it. The you mean it. The separation of church and separation of church and state is not in the state is not in the Constitution. Constitution.

Voice of PrincipleVoice of Principle

I'm a Southern Baptist, I'm a Southern Baptist, and I have always and I have always believed in a total believed in a total separation of church and separation of church and state. And I think the state. And I think the interjection of religion into interjection of religion into politics ispolitics is not good for not good for

this country....I don't accept human definitions of what I have to believe, you know, to be a Christian. (Jimmy Carter, interview, USA Today, May 12, 1986)

“The Holy Alliance” ““In that meeting, Reagan In that meeting, Reagan

and the Pope agreed to and the Pope agreed to undertake a clandestine undertake a clandestine campaign to hasten the campaign to hasten the dissolution of the communist dissolution of the communist empire. Declares Richard empire. Declares Richard Allen, Reagan's first Allen, Reagan's first National Security Adviser: National Security Adviser: “This was one of the great “This was one of the great secret alliances of all time.”secret alliances of all time.”http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,974931,00.html#ixzz1MvvmNXst

Roman Church Power Roman Church Power RedivivusRedivivus

““Today it is possible to Today it is possible to say that what say that what happened in Eastern happened in Eastern Europe in the course Europe in the course of the past years would of the past years would not have been not have been possible without the possible without the pope , without the pope , without the leading - the political – leading - the political – role he played on the role he played on the world stage.”world stage.”

Michael Gorbachev, op-ed in La Sampa, 1992

God’s Politics: God’s Politics: America and IsraelAmerica and Israel

  KING: You said that the support of KING: You said that the support of Israel is God's foreign policy. Israel is God's foreign policy. DOBSON: No, well, I didn't say that. I DOBSON: No, well, I didn't say that. I think that was a headline think that was a headline somewhere, but…somewhere, but…KING: I'm sorry. I thought they were KING: I'm sorry. I thought they were quoting you.quoting you. DOBSON: I do believe that Israel is DOBSON: I do believe that Israel is

covenant land. That's very controversial, but I read the Bible literally, and I believe that God gave them that land, all the way back to Deuteronomy. That's what we're reading right now; there it is.

US and IsraelUS and Israel

““As the U.S. Jewish As the U.S. Jewish community mobilized to community mobilized to defend the embattled defend the embattled Jewish state, more than Jewish state, more than 3,500 evangelical 3,500 evangelical Christians converged on Christians converged on Washington last week…”Washington last week…”

Israeli and American lapel flags were in abundance, as were red, white and blue buttons that read, “I vote the Bible.” (2006)

Theology in CongressTheology in Congress

““One of the biggest changes One of the biggest changes in politics in my lifetime is in politics in my lifetime is that the delusional is no that the delusional is no longer marginal. It has longer marginal. It has come in from the fringe, to come in from the fringe, to sit in the sit in the seat of power inseat of power in

the Oval Office and in Congress. For the first time in our history, ideology and theology hold a monopoly of power in Washington.” - Bill Moyers, 2004

The Cosmic Conflict and the The Cosmic Conflict and the Future (of America)Future (of America)

1.1. A key element in cosmic conflict theology is A key element in cosmic conflict theology is the embrace of the church by the state, and the embrace of the church by the state, and vice versavice versa. .

2.2. The notion of the Christian state – Roman The notion of the Christian state – Roman Catholic or otherwise – is an enduring Catholic or otherwise – is an enduring feature of history. feature of history.

3.3. For the past thirty years, this notion has For the past thirty years, this notion has been fervently promoted by professing been fervently promoted by professing American Christians and by dominant American Christians and by dominant political forces in the United States. political forces in the United States.