We run our website the way we wished the whole internet worked: we provide high quality original content with no ads. We are funded solely by your direct support. Please consider supporting this project.
Religion and Politics in Israel
This article, sent to us last week from a blog reader (thanks Beth!), discusses the problems that were created when Israel fused religion with politics. We aren’t endorsing all of the assumptions of the author, but it’s a fascinating look at the damage that results when political interests are joined with religious authority.
From the article:
“Israel arose as a secular, social democratic country inspired by Western European democracies. With time, however, its core values have become entirely different. Israel today is a religious, capitalist state. Its religiosity is defined by the most extreme Orthodox interpretations…Israel defines itself as a “Jewish and democratic state.” However, because Israel has never created a system of checks and balances between these two sources of authority, they are closer than ever to a terrible clash.”
Image by Mataparda. Used in accordance with Creative Commons. Sourced via Flickr.
Related Reading
Evangelical Politics: Three Generations
Chuck Colson, Greg Boyd and Shane Claiborne represent three generations of influential evangelicals engaging in an intriguing discussion on the role of faith and politics. The lively conversation on NPR’s On Being (formerly Speaking of Faith) with Krista Tippett revealed a shared theology that guides these three men — as they interpret and live out…
Is Telling Christians to Avoid Politics Like Telling Them To Avoid Hospitals?
In this episode Greg clarifies how politics can be dangerous and why some people might want to avoid it. http://traffic.libsyn.com/askgregboyd/Episode_0045.mp3
Why do you have such a pessimistic view of government?
Question: I’m a Christian and serve as a servant in government and I find your book The Myth of a Christian Nation, as well as some of your sermons on Christians and politics, highly offensive. I find that while governments sometimes harm people, they also do a lot of good. The American government in particular…
Greg’s Interview on The Christian Transhumanist Podcast
Here is an interview I did for The Christian Transhumanist Podcast that I wanted to share with all of you. Micah Redding and I discuss everything from Relativity Theory to Politics. I think you’ll find it interesting, but I want to offer a word of clarification before you listen. At one point in this interview…
The Right to Remain Silent
A reader (Thanks Adam) sent us this reflection written by Jason Hess on how we as Christians sometimes use the freedom of speech in ways that are in opposition with our call to love. How we live is infinitely more important than what we say, and sometimes our free speech is a detriment to bringing…
Political Solutions Won’t Save Us
Image by h.koppdelaney via Flickr Jesus followers must retain a healthy suspicion toward every version of the kingdom of the world. After all, on the authority of God’s Word, we know that however good a particular government may be by world standards, it is nevertheless strongly influenced by fallen principalities and powers. Consequently, no kingdom-of-God citizen…