Uneasy Neighbors : Church and State in the New Testament

by Pilgrim, Walter E.

• ISBN13: 9780800631130
• ISBN10: 0800631137
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-05-01
• Publisher: Lightning Source Inc

Summary

What does the New Testament have to say about the attitude of Christians and the church toward those who exercise political authority? Few topics have caused more controversy in the history of the church than the relationship between church and state-from the first century to the present. Pilgrim offers an analysis of the various attitudes of New Testament writers on this difficult subject, ranging from submission to overt resistance by the church. The volume also excursus on "Church and State in Luke-Acts" and a concluding chapter on hermeneutics.

Author Biography

Walter E. Pilgrim is Professor of New Testament at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington.

Table of Contents

Editor's Foreword
Abbreviations
Preface
Introduction	p. 1
Ethic of Subordination	p. 7
Pauline, Post-Pauline, and Related Texts	p. 7
The Texts	p. 8
Loyalty Traditions in Judaism and in Early Christianity	p. 22
Critique: Interpreting Romans 13 and Related New Testament Traditions	p. 27
Summary	p. 36
Ethic of Critical Distancing: Jesus and the Gospels	p. 37
Method	p. 37
Jesus' Public Ministry	p. 41
The Passion Narratives	p. 98
Summary: Jesus' Ethic of Distancing in the Gospels	p. 123
Excursus: Church and State in Luke-Acts	p. 125
Ethic of Resistance: The Book of Revelation	p. 145
Historical Setting	p. 145
Letters to the Seven Churches (Revelation 2-3)	p. 149
The Understanding of the State	p. 151
The Church's Response	p. 161
Summary	p. 178
Church and Government from the New Testament to the Present	p. 181
Summary Statements	p. 181
A Proposed Paradigm for the Church's Response Today	p. 187
A Paradigm for Church-State Relations	p. 192
Epilogue	p. 211
Index of Ancient Sources	p. 213
Index of Authors	p. 223
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