The biblical language regarding “the principalities and powers” helps us see morality as a Gestalt that is distributed throughout the entire web of human existence. In short, such perspectives clarify that in our moral struggles we should focus less on our conflicts with “flesh and blood” and more on our battle with the suprahuman forces that exert influence on human moral affairs. This allows us to take our cue from Paul: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in
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