Bush and respect for Caesar

A. Arnold in his blog Dulcius ex Asperis discusses Bush and respect for Caesar. He links to some of the recent controversy surrounding President Bush’s address to Calvin College’s graduating class.

All of this in mind, I think that President Bush’s recent visit to Calvin College has offered an opportunity for Christians to again reflect on the Church’s relationship to the State and its leaders. I wholeheartedly agree with the pins that several faculty and students wore at President Bush’s commencement address: God is not a Republican or a Democrat and to use God’s office in furtherance of a secular political agenda is wicked (but that claim is another post entirely). At the same time, the conduct of some faculty and students during the graduation ceremony borders on disrespect and indicates a certain self-righteousness that is unbecoming of those who profess Christ as Lord. The CNN report states that a “handful did not stand up to applaud when Bush was introduced,” which is quite disrespectful.

Now as Americans, those students and faculty are not obligated to respect the office of President, nor are they obligated to respect its bearer. But as Christian are we not to respect the civil authorities, and lay aside our “rights” as American citizens? Should we not render unto Caesar the respect that his position, as God’s appointed representative, demands? By disrespecting President Bush, those students and faculty disrespected God, by proxy.

The point of reflection is this: Christians must speak truth to those in power. I am not opposed to criticizing President Bush’s handling of the Iraq war, for instance; in fact, I think one can come up with a plausible argument that the Church is obligated to open her mouth about the way the war on terror is being handled. At the same time, I am utterly opposed to self-righteous grandstanding that fails in humity and in comprehension of one’s own sinful nature. Speaking truth to power does not mean being a butthead; being prophetic does not mean being self-righteous.

The Church, though she needn’t love him, must always respect Caesar, as long as he is around.