A Facebook exchange on one of Mr Tangerine Man's Executive Orders
By HatetheSwamp January 23, 2025 7:06 am Category: Philosophy (0.0 from 0 votes)
Rules of the Post
I've pasted part of an exchange I engaged in this morning with a Facebook friend. It explores some issues Christian philosophy as well as isle's assertion that it's a good thing, in the US, to blend church and state. If this bores you, fine. If not,...
My FB friend (who's a grad school prof): On Monday, in the United States, a federal executive order was signed that states that those "who have illegally come into our country... will no longer be able to hide in America's schools and churches to avoid arrest." This overturns laws that formerly prohibited ICE and other law enforcement agencies from carrying out deportation actions in "sensitive locations." The logic behind the previous laws is that there are certain non-profit spaces that are safe havens / sanctuaries for people to receive spiritual, medical, and physical care no matter their national origin or legal status.
There is a Christian logic at work behind the millennia-old tradition that houses of worship are non-politically-aligned safe spaces. Houses of worship have been called "sanctuaries" because they are spaces where people should be able to seek safe haven because they belong to another Kingdom - a kingdom not of this world. The apostle Peter claims that we are all "aliens and strangers," echoing the command of YHWH in the Hebrew Bible to the people of God, calling them to care for the immigrant because they were themselves strangers in Egypt.
This is why churches are not to be interfered with by government, why we don't pay property taxes, why we don’t engage in partisan campaigns, and why the founders recognized the importance of the separation of church and state. For freedom to be a reality, there must be spaces that are independent from the shifts of the market and from the changing decisions of rulers.
As Christians, we believe that all people are created in the image of God. We do not turn our fellow image bearers over to the authorities based on their national status. We also do not bear arms against any fellow image bearers, whether immigrants or law enforcement. We love all, including those in power, and we offer sanctuaries as safe spaces to all, especially those on the margins.
We pay our taxes and pray for our leaders. We do not resist those in power with force. We also do not willingly offer up people seeking our care. We speak the truth as we stand defenseless with only the Word of God as our protection. We accept whatever punishment comes our way for following Jesus.
We love all and calmly refuse to implicate our siblings of other nations to authorities. We do not question from whence our parishioners came or how they came to be here, believing that Christ calls them our neighbors and calls us to love them. We do not force those we care about to implicate themselves. We inform our fellow image bearers of their rights and do everything in our power to afford them defense under the laws of the land.
At the same time, we recognize that there is always a higher law at work - the law of love. This law gives all the trees of the garden to humanity as a whole and calls those who follow God to care for the least and the last. We join with the mothers and fathers of the church who, alongside St. Augustine, claimed that an unjust law is no law at all.
My reply: Interesting and challenging, (my FB friend).
You and I have roots in the same church body and I wonder how the first generation of our body would have responded to this challenge. In our early days, as you know, we vehemently advocated for the freedom of slaves. However, we were devoted to the authority of Scripture. We held a radical commitment to New Testament Christianity. I see no biblical authority in your argument. Your understanding of church is very Medieval.
So Bible? New Testament Christianity?
Any thoughts?
On the other hand,...
As an American, I can't see this Executive Order surviving First Amendment scrutiny. "Congress shall make no law... prohibiting the free exercise (of religion.)"
But, biblically? Can you help us out?
Comments Start Below
The views and claims expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of SelectSmart.com. Not every statement made here can be assumed to be a fact.
Comments on "A Facebook exchange on one of Mr Tangerine Man's Executive Orders":