The Practical Value of Extreme Theology

I suppose my last post would be called an example of “extreme theology.” Certainly Christ’s statements, taken at human face value, could be considered extreme. And whether anything that might be called “theology” can be practical or not is certainly open to debate. But on reflection, I’ve come to see that it is in the extreme situations that Christ’s words, and what we make of them, become of the highest import to how we live our lives, and end them.

The fact of the matter is that all the tyrannies that now exist, and have ever existed, have all been based on the single simple idea of
holding hostage from us what ever it is that most of us hold dear in this world. Our own lives and well being. The lives and well being of those we love. The comforts of life that a good job or a good position give. The good opinion of our neighbors and friends. These are all earthly, temporal, and can have any tyrant’s hand laid on them, be that tyrant the ruler of a country, or a street gang on the corner. The hand of the tryant is the hand that can make us commit any sin under the sun if it is applied vigorously enough, and if we love anything else more than we love God (and take refuge in Him.)

It is in these extreme situations that the practical value of extreme theology becomes apparent. There is the story of the German headmaster who expelled his most brilliant Jewish student because he was afraid his Nazi bosses would take away his pension and throw him and his wife into poverty. There is the Sophie of Sophie’s Choice who let a Nazi soldier force her into deciding which of her two children would be allowed to live. More recently (in fact and not fiction) the Rwandan genocide showed us a bishop, some nuns, and a pastor of a church, who took part in the genocide for pretty much the same earthly reasons I’ve mentioned above, and because of an over-investment in their own ethnic identity that led them into a hatred for another ethnic group.

http://www.ebeneezer.net/main/special/christian/xtian.html

http://www.ictr.org/default.htm


And there was even more recently Saddam Hussein, Stalin’s most avid modern pupil. He was able to get his fingers on the throats of all those who loved their lives (and those they loved) more than they loved the God of Justice. Hussein threatened his enemies with the lost of all they loved, while bribing his friends with more of what they loved on earth than they could ever have used up. This is the true basis of tyranny and enslavement.

The German headmaster and his wife presumably ended up citizens of a penniless country destroyed by war and laden with ignominy. Sophie ended up committing suicide. Some of the members of the Rwandan clergy have been brought to trial. And Saddam Hussein and his friends are awaiting theirs. Those who have hoarded all their earthly loves to the exclusion of the heavenly, have ended by losing all.

Now here are the words of a contrary sort of love:

“Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings. ...Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775.

“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

2 Corinthians 3:17

Our father's God to, Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King!

My Country 'Tis of Thee

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