Would God "strike dead" one who "clings to Christ?" On the one hand, over a week ago a Rev. Clyde H. Higgins here proclaimed that "Hugo Chavez esta muerto" (which is a bit odd since Chavez is still apparently alive, if only barely). Why? Because if "God’s President Bush called you out into the Axis of Evil, your days are numbered!"
On the other hand, Chavez has proclaimed that "socialism is the way to Christ" (here) and now Venezuela's Minister of Information reports that Chavez is "clinging to life and to Christ" (here). Even if "Rev. Higgins" is actually a provocateur, other American Christians have made similar comments about Hugo Chavez.
All of which almost makes me join D.G. Hart's "two kingdoms" camp (here).
On the other hand, Chavez has proclaimed that "socialism is the way to Christ" (here) and now Venezuela's Minister of Information reports that Chavez is "clinging to life and to Christ" (here). Even if "Rev. Higgins" is actually a provocateur, other American Christians have made similar comments about Hugo Chavez.
All of which almost makes me join D.G. Hart's "two kingdoms" camp (here).
hmm. I do often wonder at the boundaries and distinctions, not so much between the church and state as institutions, but between religion and politics. I would be curious to hear what you think about the two kingdoms idea. From my understanding it is not particularly new. Augustine drew much from this in his City of God work, and both it and the above article seem to draw it from the singularly quoted scripture Matthew 22:21. Can religion and politics be truly separated? Have they ever been, even in American History, so rife with appeals to God?
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