Christian Mission in a Secular State

In his collection of essays 'God for a Secular Society', theologian Jürgen Moltmann argues that a 'secular' state with full freedom religion is the logical consequence of Christians calling for religious liberty. That liberty must be granted to those of other faiths and none, if it is to be enjoyed for yourself in your own faith. Moltmann goes as far as claiming it as a 'religious achievement', not an 'irreligious evil' (page 212).

The early baptists understood this principle, and in England petitioned the king on the subject in the early 1600s. As well as calling for freedom for themselves (which at they time they did not enjoy), they recognised it must be afforded to those of other faiths.

The principle is surely a Christian one, since for God to be love must allow for those who will reject and go their own way, however sad and painful that may be. On several occasions the gospels record people turning or drifting away from Jesus. They were not forced to remain.

The irony in this freedom is that over time the free/secular state may shift to a point where it starts passing laws that threaten to undermine the very religious freedom it eventually granted. Many would argue that this phenomena is happening today, and claim that the UK is now effectively 'moving backwards' in regard to freedom.

That may sadly prove to be true, but it nevertheless does not change the fundamental task of Christian mission that has hopefully remained the same throughout: namely to preach Christ crucified, raised as Lord, and His Kingdom. For whatever the politics or prevailing cultural winds, this call to life in God made possible by Jesus, to see God's kingdom 'on earth as it is in heaven', is the universal call whatever the nation or prevailing earthly ideaology.

Moltmann asserts this call to the Kingdom as the church's universal interest (p220). The church is not there for its own sake, but for the Kingdom. Voices from the church into public debate must therefore be careful not to simply appear to be clinging to power for the church as an institution, because in Kingdom terms it should never have had such power in the first place!

The missional-prophetic cry into the public arena will therefore be a nuanced voice that argues positively for what releases life in Christ, and give reasoned warnings against things that would otherwise undermine such life.