Christians must be civil disobedient if their conscience says so
Romanians join the March for Life in Bucharest earlier this year. Photo EPA, Robert Ghement
Opinion
On April 6, 1930, a pivotal moment in the history of civil disobedience unfolded. After a gruelling 240-mile march in protest against British rule, Mahatma Gandhi reached the coastal city of Dandi. In a powerful demonstration, he lifted salt from the ground, a peaceful act that was an outright defiance of British rule.
The 1882 Salt Act prohibited Gandhi and his fellow Indians from collecting, producing, or selling salt, forcing them to buy heavily taxed salt instead. The march against the Salt Act, initially joined by fewer than 100 people, swelled to a staggering 60,000 protestors by the end. Tens of thousands of Indians, inspired by Gandhi's unwavering courage, embraced the philosophy of nonviolent resistance.
And thus, they are a prime example of civil disobedience, which is the peaceful refusal to obey a law, regulation, or authority through nonviolent means.
What Gandhi and his followers did was not a rebellion against British authorities but a peaceful defiance of an unjust law. This philosophy of nonviolent resistance, which may surprise some, has Christian roots and can be traced back to the apostle Paul, who emphasised the peaceful and respectful nature of civil disobedience.
Paul’s radicalism is most poignantly expressed in a lesser-known passage of the Bible. The first four verses of Chapter 13 of the Letter to the Romans (ESV) have sparked theological debates for centuries and continue to be a topic of discussion today.
There, we read:
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,
for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.
Unjust
Time and again, in his epistles, Paul urges Christians to be obedient. Whether citizens, spouses, children, or employees, Christians are expected to obey those who are in positions of authority above them in the hierarchy.
However, one might question the reason behind Paul’s instruction. After all, didn’t Paul know that those in positions of authority could be wicked and unjust?
To truly grasp the depth of Paul’s radicalism and his nuanced message about Christians’ responsibility to submit to earthly authorities, it is crucial to approach the text with a thoughtful and contemplative mindset, considering all the potential implications, which can be profound and thought-provoking.
Order
Paul begins by instructing Christians to “[...] be subject to the governing authorities.” He sets clear guidelines from the outset, leaving no room for ambiguity. Simply put, Christians are to obey the authorities. It is a straightforward directive, perhaps even overly so. And there is a significant reason behind it – God values order.
A governing body that establishes and maintains order is imperative to achieving peace and tranquillity within every country, city, and community. Regardless of personal opinions regarding the government and its responsibilities, peace and tranquillity cannot exist without structure and regulation. No structure and regulation means anarchy.
While Christians may stand up for their deeply held beliefs and convictions, they should also show respect to those in higher positions of authority.
If Christians behave rebelliously, act unruly, and exhibit maliciousness towards governing authorities, they are evildoers. And Paul says that they „will incur judgment.” Paul’s argument holds excellent significance, stating that rulers „are not a terror to good conduct but to bad.”
This highlights how a Christian should behave and interact with governing authorities. Standing up for Christ and His righteousness is crucial, but it is equally important to do so with integrity. Christians are called upon not to behave as spiteful, malicious, and wicked evildoers, especially when disagreeing with governing authorities. While they may stand up for their deeply held beliefs and convictions, they should also show respect to those in higher positions of authority.
Defiance
Paul’s argument has nothing to do with a disagreement that a Christian may have with those in higher-up positions of authority, but with their attitude and behaviour. Thus, rebellion is an outright defiance of God’s design in setting up higher authorities on this Earth. Those who outright rebel against higher-up authorities are guilty of defying God Himself.
Though Paul seems to instruct Christians to be mindlessly obedient to governing authorities in the first verses, in verse 3, he suddenly asks a perplexing question: „Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority?” This question clarifies that Paul never intended for Christians to be mindlessly obedient.
Doing what is good, what is godly, will inevitably go against governing authorities’ laws and regulations, so Paul knows exactly where he aims. He knows that doing good may not be to the liking of governing authorities, and he makes it clear to tell Christians to „[...] Do what is good.”
Suffer
The beauty of civil disobedience is that it embodies the Christ archetype perfectly. Just like Christ died on the cross unjustly, the Christian is called upon to follow in his Master’s footsteps and suffer unjustly, without turning evil for evil, letting God be the Supreme Judge. (Romans 12:17-19)
While peacefully defying the authorities, Christians should avoid being insolent towards them, as they may „[...] incur judgment.” There are times when Christians have a right and a duty to engage in civil disobedience and stand up for their convictions. Furthermore, when engaging in civil disobedience, they should not menace or bother others who have no connection to their protest.
Ultimately, Christians have a God-given right and a duty to engage in civil disobedience when their conscience dictates it is necessary.
Long before Gandhi engaged in civil disobedience, Christians across Europe had become masters of practising it throughout the Middle Ages and into modernity. Many rights that Europeans enjoy today have become a reality because Christians were ready to obey their conscience rather than men.
Christians are called to obey higher-up authorities if laws and regulations do not contradict God’s decree or their conscience. That’s why Paul calls upon Christians to be obedient citizens, wives, and workers and do good in everything they do.
Ultimately, Christians have a God-given right and a duty to engage in civil disobedience when their conscience dictates it is necessary. Still, they must be ready to suffer the consequences peacefully. Just like everything in life, they cannot have it both ways.
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