Jesus famously said: ‘Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and to God that which is God’s.’
Scholars have long debated the exact significance of this phrase. Certainly it was a brilliant, Houdini-like, escape from the trap that was set for him. He took a coin, showed them the face on the coin, and pointed out that it might not be so immoral after all to give Caesar taxes, given that the money they were using was distributed by Caesar anyway. But at the same time he made it clear that allegiance through all and above all was to God.
But does Jesus’s famous statement have any significance beyond telling Christians to pay taxes? Many think it does. There is a long tradition of seeing this text as the epicentre of Christian interpretation of how to relate to a secular organisation. Other texts, such as Romans 13, are significant and much fuller, but Christ’s pithy axiom is seen by some to be the seed from which all the discussion grows.
Facing reality?
If in some shape or form, Jesus’s statement about giving Caesar what is Caesar’s and God what is God’s applies to the tricky negotiations all Christ-followers must make, sometimes on a daily basis, between giving their all to Jesus, and acknowledging the reality of living in a secular society – how does that axiom apply to the recent terrible news about Planned Parenthood? Planned Parenthood is the major umbrella organisation that promotes or supports abortion in the USA. And it was recently caught, on camera, discussing the selling of body parts and the like.
For the moment, I am not interested in whether this video, or other candid-camera like moments, are fully accurate descriptions of the nuances of Planned Parenthood’s conscience. Whatever you think about that, it is indisputable that it supports abortion. All the media storm about those events did was bring the disgusting reality into sharp relief.
Nor am I interested in the far more legitimately nuanced, and distinctly ‘sticky wicket’ (see I haven’t forgotten how to be English!), historic discussion among some Christians as to whether abortion is wrong in all circumstances, or whether there are some circumstances (like the saving of a mother) where it is the ‘lesser of two evils.’
Standing for moral convictions
What I’m interested in is whether Jesus’s statement sheds some light on how we as Christ-followers can stand up for our moral convictions – about this matter, or any other – and at the same time live as pilgrims of another reality and another kingdom.
It certainly must affect the way we call secular society to moral standards. Unlike an appeal to a church (or a theocracy) we cannot appeal to the common covenant we have to obey God. So some of the rhetorical force of the Old Testament prophets will be different in our context. Our countries in the West are not in a theocratic state relationship to God.
It should also affect the prioritisation of our messaging. I do not believe we have records of Paul campaigning against the Roman habit of leaving young children to die on rubbish dumps when they were unwanted. Nor against the gladiators. I am sure he thought they were horrible.
However, we do have an extended description of his virulent criticism of the immorality of the ancient world in Romans 1. But that criticism also extends to the hypocrisy of the religious world too – against which he is equally scathing in Romans 2. Perhaps for every verbal bomb we throw at pagans we should throw one at the religious. ‘Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things’ (Romans 2.1). The ‘very same things’ in the sense of the same breaking of God’s law.
Liberal churches
Perhaps for every time we campaign outside a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic – peacefully, prayerfully, let it be strongly underlined – we should also campaign outside a heretical liberal church, who, let us be frank, is preaching a message that if believed will send its hearers not only to the grave but to hell.
In all things, balance. And how tricky that is – but let it be with passion.
