The Barmen Theses Then and Now: The 2004 Warfield Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary

by Eberhard Busch

The doctrine of the royal lordship of Christ, on the other hand, has its proper meaning in the emphasis that the same God who rules the church also rules secretly over the rest of the world, and thus over the state that surrounds the church. This correct statement becomes false if it is interpreted to mean that the lordship of Christ in some way also permits the church to exercise lordship over the state. Behind this interpretation is often the mistrust that God is not carrying out his task with regard to the political world well enough, and the church needs to come to his assistance. It is certainly true that the church should be the witness to the will and action of God in relation to the political world. But as such a witness it cannot be or become ruler, but must be and remain servant. As such it cannot from time to time put its calling to the service of God on hold in order to pursue its own interests by devoting itself to a part-time job as a political power or opposition.