Gracious Creator you have ordered our lives in community and sent Jesus into the midst of those communities. Teach how to be in but not of the world that we may be faithful to our baptismal calling as your children. Amen.
There are numerous issues wrapped up in the Hobby Lobby ruling of the Supreme Court. Some are theological ones, some are civil and legal ones, others are Biblical ones and still others are scientific ones. I would like to try and reflect on them and to help us think our way through them. For the sake of clarity and to maintain a level of brevity that will not weary us with is sure to be long and complex I will divide the topics into separate blog entries.
The first issue I would like to address is, “Should Christians participate in society and civil orders, and if so, how?”
Among the arguments put forth in Hobby Lobby case was that the government through the establishment of the ACA and certain care standards should not impinge on the religious rights of Hobby Lobby. This included closely held corporations like Hobby Lobby which are not publicly traded. Hobby Lobby argued that the ACA forced them to pay for certain forms of birth control to which the corporation objected. Specifically, Hobby Lobby objected to 4 of 16 methods of birth control to be covered under the standards of the ACA.
This raises the issue spiritually about how religious communities and specifically Christian communities are to interact with the broader society including the civil government. As Christians, and as Lutheran Christians, we should take our cue from the teaching of scripture.
Jesus tells his disciples that they are to be like Christ himself in the world but not of the world (John 17). In other words, they are called to march to the beat of their own drummer while still living in the midst of society. They are to live a life like Christ’s, teaching others what he has taught them, baptizing them and thereby making disciples (Matthew 28). Is this the goal of the Hobby Lobby corporation? Is it even possible for a corporation to hold a faith with which to witness?
Jesus, also, called us to leave to Caesar what was Caesar’s (Matthew 22, Mark 12 and Luke 20) and to be concerned with giving to God what was God’s. The coin of the realm was understood to be the work of Caesar and his picture was on that coin. Therefore entering the marketplace was to enter the civil world and society that was concerned with such things.
And the Epistles teach that the rulers and authorities of this world only stand because they are granted that authority by God (Romans 13 and Titus 3) Therefore however the civil orders organized themselves under kings or Caesars, or as democratic republics had real authority. Authority that was to be respected.
Given all of this one might well ask why any Christian living and working and acting within the wider culture would seek to impose his or her own theology on the wider society ormore importantly their employees by refusal to accept the Constitutionally established and signed ACA’s standards for care. Would it not be more theologically consistent with scripture to make personal witness as taught by Jesus through a display of personal standards and behavior rather than imposing them by economic force upon their employees through denial of coverage established by civil authorities who Paul calls them to accept? If one doesn't believe in birth control fine do not use it, but if the law requires it as a part of health care of the wider public you leave the choice to the conscience of the individual. In a sense it is like Paul's saying to disciples to forgo marriage for the sake to the kingdom but they may marry if it is better for them rather than to struggle with the sin of carnal relationships and the flesh as Paul saw it. In other words, Paul accepted the responsibility of individual disciples to make the best choices for themselves.
In taking the action that Hobby Lobby has taken they have demanded a personal right while denying a publically agreed standard under the law to their employees and their personal rights. This is not an action bringing others to follow Christ by teaching but rather by force and coersion. In no way under the ACA is anyone forced to use birth control but by Hobby Lobby’s actions its employees are denied equal treatment under the law by being forced to pay out of pocket for what is provided to the wider society.
There are numerous issues wrapped up in the Hobby Lobby ruling of the Supreme Court. Some are theological ones, some are civil and legal ones, others are Biblical ones and still others are scientific ones. I would like to try and reflect on them and to help us think our way through them. For the sake of clarity and to maintain a level of brevity that will not weary us with is sure to be long and complex I will divide the topics into separate blog entries.
The first issue I would like to address is, “Should Christians participate in society and civil orders, and if so, how?”
Among the arguments put forth in Hobby Lobby case was that the government through the establishment of the ACA and certain care standards should not impinge on the religious rights of Hobby Lobby. This included closely held corporations like Hobby Lobby which are not publicly traded. Hobby Lobby argued that the ACA forced them to pay for certain forms of birth control to which the corporation objected. Specifically, Hobby Lobby objected to 4 of 16 methods of birth control to be covered under the standards of the ACA.
This raises the issue spiritually about how religious communities and specifically Christian communities are to interact with the broader society including the civil government. As Christians, and as Lutheran Christians, we should take our cue from the teaching of scripture.
Jesus tells his disciples that they are to be like Christ himself in the world but not of the world (John 17). In other words, they are called to march to the beat of their own drummer while still living in the midst of society. They are to live a life like Christ’s, teaching others what he has taught them, baptizing them and thereby making disciples (Matthew 28). Is this the goal of the Hobby Lobby corporation? Is it even possible for a corporation to hold a faith with which to witness?
Jesus, also, called us to leave to Caesar what was Caesar’s (Matthew 22, Mark 12 and Luke 20) and to be concerned with giving to God what was God’s. The coin of the realm was understood to be the work of Caesar and his picture was on that coin. Therefore entering the marketplace was to enter the civil world and society that was concerned with such things.
And the Epistles teach that the rulers and authorities of this world only stand because they are granted that authority by God (Romans 13 and Titus 3) Therefore however the civil orders organized themselves under kings or Caesars, or as democratic republics had real authority. Authority that was to be respected.
Given all of this one might well ask why any Christian living and working and acting within the wider culture would seek to impose his or her own theology on the wider society ormore importantly their employees by refusal to accept the Constitutionally established and signed ACA’s standards for care. Would it not be more theologically consistent with scripture to make personal witness as taught by Jesus through a display of personal standards and behavior rather than imposing them by economic force upon their employees through denial of coverage established by civil authorities who Paul calls them to accept? If one doesn't believe in birth control fine do not use it, but if the law requires it as a part of health care of the wider public you leave the choice to the conscience of the individual. In a sense it is like Paul's saying to disciples to forgo marriage for the sake to the kingdom but they may marry if it is better for them rather than to struggle with the sin of carnal relationships and the flesh as Paul saw it. In other words, Paul accepted the responsibility of individual disciples to make the best choices for themselves.
In taking the action that Hobby Lobby has taken they have demanded a personal right while denying a publically agreed standard under the law to their employees and their personal rights. This is not an action bringing others to follow Christ by teaching but rather by force and coersion. In no way under the ACA is anyone forced to use birth control but by Hobby Lobby’s actions its employees are denied equal treatment under the law by being forced to pay out of pocket for what is provided to the wider society.
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