the scandal of blessing
A couple of weeks ago I was reading a book that someone gave to me. In it, the author wrote,
“Just as paganism is the great plague of India, Africa, and many other parts of the world, Christianity has been the blessing of the West, Europe, and the United States … [they] have been immeasurably, blessed because of the Christian influence on political, social, and economic philosophy and policy."
I honestly was quite put out by this author’s viewpoint on God’s choice of blessing. In the larger context he contended that God blesses people, nations, and economies that trust in him. Therefore, places like India and Africa are suffering because those nations, apparently, do not trust in him.
Is it possible that God has blessed people in spite of the way their country operates? If we are to say, “Christianity has been the blessing of the West, Europe, and the United States … [they] have been immeasurably, blessed because of the Christian influence …” what then do we do with the history of civilization?
The Roman Empire, is one of the largest, most powerful, and wealthiest Empires of all times. Yet, they were in no way Christian. The Golden Age of Rome was during the reign of Augustus. Augustus was the one who called himself, a Son of God. He believed that he was divine. The Romans were well known for worshipping pagan gods such as Cybele, Jupiter, and Dionysus. The worship of these gods required horrible initiation rites and orgiastic rituals. The Roman people also worshipped the Emperor (or Caesar), saying things like, “Caesar is Lord!” They worshipped Caesar, the “King of Kings” as he referred to himself.
Beyond that the Romans oppressed, murdered, and stole from countless people and countries to build their Empire. They even oppressed God’s chosen people – Israel – and all the while their wealth and power increased. This does not sound like a place that has been “blessed because of the Christian influence …” What about the Egyptian Empire? What about Babylon and Assyria? All powerful empires that were not in any sense followers of God.
Moreover, he points to places like India and Africa as struggling because of paganism being their “plague.” Has he forgotten so quickly that Western Empires oppressed the people in these places in the last two centuries? The British Empire, which claimed their king led by the “grace of God,” began by trading with India. Eventually, the people of India were overtaken by force and were exploited by the British (For more on this see The Scandal of Empire: India and the Creation of Imperial Britain Nicholas B. Dirks). This is what led Ghandi to resist the British.
The plight of many people living in Africa is due, in part, to the oppression of the Portuguese, the French, the Americans, the Dutch (remember Apartheid?) and the British. Millions were kidnapped and forced into slavery, civilizations were toppled, people were murdered and abused, and resources were sucked dry.
People in these oppressed places were trodden upon, and left out to dry by the “West, Europe, and the United States …” - the countries that this author considered blessed because of their Christian commitment. Could it be that the wealth of some countries has more to do with doing whatever it takes to attain wealth, and less to do with having a “ … Christian influence?” Could it be that God simply allows for the “sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous?” (Jesus' words from Matthew 5.45).
Rain was what the ancient people needed for survival. If one had rain, crops would grow and there was food. If there was rain grass would grow and livestock could eat. If there was rain there was water to drink. If God sent rain, he was blessing everyone on whom it fell.
Maybe the blessing of God on individuals, churches, and even nations happens because He is a God of justice and righteousness. Maybe He blesses humanity in spite of who we are and the evil that we do. Maybe his blessing has little to do with how good any of us really are and how benevolent He is. Maybe the real scandal is not of the evil of Empires, but of the goodness of God's blessing on the evil and the good, and on the righteous and unrighteous.
“Just as paganism is the great plague of India, Africa, and many other parts of the world, Christianity has been the blessing of the West, Europe, and the United States … [they] have been immeasurably, blessed because of the Christian influence on political, social, and economic philosophy and policy."
I honestly was quite put out by this author’s viewpoint on God’s choice of blessing. In the larger context he contended that God blesses people, nations, and economies that trust in him. Therefore, places like India and Africa are suffering because those nations, apparently, do not trust in him.
Is it possible that God has blessed people in spite of the way their country operates? If we are to say, “Christianity has been the blessing of the West, Europe, and the United States … [they] have been immeasurably, blessed because of the Christian influence …” what then do we do with the history of civilization?
The Roman Empire, is one of the largest, most powerful, and wealthiest Empires of all times. Yet, they were in no way Christian. The Golden Age of Rome was during the reign of Augustus. Augustus was the one who called himself, a Son of God. He believed that he was divine. The Romans were well known for worshipping pagan gods such as Cybele, Jupiter, and Dionysus. The worship of these gods required horrible initiation rites and orgiastic rituals. The Roman people also worshipped the Emperor (or Caesar), saying things like, “Caesar is Lord!” They worshipped Caesar, the “King of Kings” as he referred to himself.
Beyond that the Romans oppressed, murdered, and stole from countless people and countries to build their Empire. They even oppressed God’s chosen people – Israel – and all the while their wealth and power increased. This does not sound like a place that has been “blessed because of the Christian influence …” What about the Egyptian Empire? What about Babylon and Assyria? All powerful empires that were not in any sense followers of God.
Moreover, he points to places like India and Africa as struggling because of paganism being their “plague.” Has he forgotten so quickly that Western Empires oppressed the people in these places in the last two centuries? The British Empire, which claimed their king led by the “grace of God,” began by trading with India. Eventually, the people of India were overtaken by force and were exploited by the British (For more on this see The Scandal of Empire: India and the Creation of Imperial Britain Nicholas B. Dirks). This is what led Ghandi to resist the British.
The plight of many people living in Africa is due, in part, to the oppression of the Portuguese, the French, the Americans, the Dutch (remember Apartheid?) and the British. Millions were kidnapped and forced into slavery, civilizations were toppled, people were murdered and abused, and resources were sucked dry.
People in these oppressed places were trodden upon, and left out to dry by the “West, Europe, and the United States …” - the countries that this author considered blessed because of their Christian commitment. Could it be that the wealth of some countries has more to do with doing whatever it takes to attain wealth, and less to do with having a “ … Christian influence?” Could it be that God simply allows for the “sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous?” (Jesus' words from Matthew 5.45).
Rain was what the ancient people needed for survival. If one had rain, crops would grow and there was food. If there was rain grass would grow and livestock could eat. If there was rain there was water to drink. If God sent rain, he was blessing everyone on whom it fell.
Maybe the blessing of God on individuals, churches, and even nations happens because He is a God of justice and righteousness. Maybe He blesses humanity in spite of who we are and the evil that we do. Maybe his blessing has little to do with how good any of us really are and how benevolent He is. Maybe the real scandal is not of the evil of Empires, but of the goodness of God's blessing on the evil and the good, and on the righteous and unrighteous.