1. G-d and Caesar: Religious Themes in American Politics
This is a discussion of religion and politics offered initially as a sermon at the Nature Coast Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship in Citrus County and then as a three part series at the Adult Education hour at St. Richard’s Episcopal Church, Winter Park. This is Part I.
The sermon and series was presented via a power point presentation, the slides of which appear below interspersed with the script used to narrate it.
I. Introduction: Nationalism, Deadly Force, Religion
On January 6, 2020, a mob estimated by the FBI to be about 5000 people descended on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The gathering occurred as electoral votes from the Presidential election from the preceding November were being counted inside the capitol, an election in which Democrat Joe Biden had won. Congress’ certification of the electoral count was a mere formality. But supporters of Donald Trump descended upon the Capital seeking to keep him in power by preventing
2. A Gallows Amidst “Jesus Saves” Signs
For millions of Americans watching these events, many in varying stages of shock, this attempted insurrection was marked by three major patterns of expression. The first was the use of nationalistic symbols. The people who swarmed through broken windows and broke into Congressional offices widely displayed versions of the American flag and signs proclaiming their patriotism.
The second mode of expression was
that of death. The chants from the mob as it began to swarm into the Capitol
building spoke of hanging Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Vice-President
Mike Pence for their refusal to throw out the votes of the American people and
declaring the electoral loser, Donald Trump, President. That theme was
exemplified by the gallows erected by rioters complete with hanging noose,
surrounded by “Jesus Saves” signs, in front of the Capitol building in which
members of Congress were hiding, not knowing how far the wrath of the mob would
extend.
3. A Chance to Annihilate Your Enemies
The third mode of expression
involved religion. Bradley Onishi, a religious scholar and former conservative
evangelical, spoke of the Jericho March the night before Jan. 6 billed as a
prayer rally for those who love the nation. But
“[In] the Jericho story… the
Israelites march around the city of Jericho, and God miraculously brings down the walls after seven circles
around the city. What's not usually told
is that once that happens, the Israelites go into the city — and they slaughter every man, woman, child and animal. Well,
if you have a Jericho March, you're
telling me that you're having a prayer rally, hoping that you have a chance to go in and annihilate your
enemies.”
That deadly theme was echoed by
participants who entered the capitol. Jacob Chansley,’s horned fur hat, bare
chest and face paint made him one of the more recognizable figures in the insurrection.
Chansley entered the US Senate chamber, sat at the desk of the Senate president
and said: "Thank you for
allowing the United States to be reborn. We love you and we thank you. In
Christ's holy name, we pray." He then proceeded
to take selfies at the dais and refused to vacate the seat before leaving a
note on the dais that read "It's Only A Matter of Time. Justice Is
Coming!"
The January 6 insurrection thus
produced a bizarre combination of nationalism, deadly force and religion, the
elements that mark Christian Nationalism.
4. Founders: The Question Left Pending
Our Founders were clear from the outset that no particular form of religion could ever be imposed on the citizens of our country. But the question they left pending from the beginning of our Constitutional republic was how religious values could inform the construction, execution and interpretation of the law that their new republic could sustain. That question continues today. .
As an academic who studies religion,
law and society, I know that religious themes have always informed American
politics. And I should note that today’s discussion will barely scratch the
surface of those possibilities.
In these three week sessions I will
focus on three themes that came were observable in the past three national
elections. The first is the dueling notions of kingdoms that arise from the
life of Jesus, the second is the opposing constructs of messiahs and
anti-christs, and the third is the conflicted role of Calvinist thought in
American government and the threat its extremist vision poses to democracy.
5. Two Kingdoms, Two Visions
This first portion of my talk draws
on the work of biblical scholar John Dominic Crossan, author of over 30 books
on the historical Jesus and a founding member of the Jesus Seminar. In his book
The Last Week, co-authored with New Testament scholar Marcus Borg, Crossan
argues that two processions entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday in 30 CE from
opposite ends of the city. One was led by Pontius Pilate, the other by Jesus. Pilate
entered Jerusalem from the west at the head of a column of soldiers and cavalry,
his procession symbolically proclaiming the power of the empire, a show of
wealth, power, and glory. More importantly, his procession was meant to remind
the Jewish pilgrims present for the Passover feast that Rome was in charge.
6. Death – The
Ultimate Power
Rome made that clear to their conquered provinces through its use of public executions. The ultimate power of the Roman Empire was the power of death. Crucifixions were always public, the victims stripped of their clothing adding shame to the excruciating pain. Rome frequently used human bodies as the medium to send messages to their subservient masses – We are in control. Do not challenge us. Consider the sign attached to the cross above Jesus’ head which read “This is Jesus of Nazareth (who says he is) King of the Jews.” In other words, “There is no king in the Roman Empire but Caesar and this is what happens to you when you forget that.”
7. Jesus’s
Strategic Public Ministry
In Jesus's procession he rode a
donkey down the Mount of Olives from the east as his followers cheered him on.
According to Crossan, this was a very deliberate strategy. While the Romans
were ready to snatch any perceived threats to the empire from the streets and
imprison, torture and kill them, they were less likely to do so when these
figures were surrounded by supporters who could turn on the Roman army if their
leader was threatened. Jesus did his public ministry in the daylight and
returned to nearby Bethany at night out of the watchful eyes of the empire.
Like Pilate’s procession, Jesus’
entry into Jerusalem proclaimed a kingdom as well, a Kingdom of God. His choice
of mounts was deliberate – it fulfilled a prophecy from Zechariah. The two
processions represent the central conflict of Holy Week, which led to Jesus's
crucifixion.
8. Dueling
Kingdoms
So what are these dueling kingdoms?
What values and worldviews inform them?
The "Kingdom of Caesar"
symbolized earthly power, hierarchy, dominance, and self-interest, where might
makes right and the powerful are prioritized over the weak. In contrast, Jesus’
"Kingdom of God" represented a realm of love, humility,
forgiveness, and service to others, prioritizing the needs of the marginalized.
The Kingdom of Caesar valued power and control. The Kingdom of God valued
spiritual and moral goodness.
9. Familiar
Themes
Crossan has historically combined
biblical scholarship with archaeological evidence. He notes that the coins of
this era spoke of the Caesar in terms Christians will find very familiar. The
Roman imperial cult insisted that its Caesars were to be seen as gods. Not only
was Caesar Augustus born of a virgin thus making him the Son of God, he was
proclaimed the Savior of the World, God incarnate; fully divine and fully
human. Again, those ideas should sound
familiar to Christian ears.
10. Princes of
Peace
Caesar was also said to be the
personification of peace on earth, the prince of peace. But the Roman coins
spell out what this vision of peace meant: “First victory, then peace.”
Hence, the Roman vision of peace arose from its imperial religion, was achieved
through war in which it was victorious and only then did peace ensue.
Religion -> War -> Victory
-> Peace.
Jesus’s kingdom offered a very
different understanding of peace. Like the Roman alternative, it began with religion.
But Jesus’ vision was expressed in non-violence. From that beginning place,
justice arose and only then could peace be attained. This is in keeping with
his Hebrew tradition. The Hebrew word Shalom means peace which arises
from right relations. Jesus recognized that you can never get peace through
victory. At best, you can attain a lull until the next time fighting erupts which
will be even more violent than the last time. Jesus was articulating a Jewish
vision of a god who is just, wanted a fair distribution of the world that
belonged to G-d.
Religion - > Non-Violence
-> Justice -> Peace.
11. Little Wonder
Messianic Thought Was Prevalent
Of course, nothing in the 1st
CE Roman colony of Palestine suggested non-violence or justice. The empire
practiced an extractive economy which created benefits for the people of Rome
at the expense of the masses of people forced to produce it, many of whom
lingered at death’s doorstep from starvation. Little wonder messianic thinking
was prevalent in Hebrew thought. Given that they saw their G_d as just, they
presumed that the unjust world they experienced required a divine cleanup and
that this could not come too soon. Hence their anticipation of the coming of a
messiah.
Some saw Jesus in that role. But his
Kingdom of G-d vision taught that the clean up was already happening - a
collaborative, participatory process. In short, while the Hebrew people had been
waiting for G-d to act, G-d has been waiting for them to do the same thing.
Thus two kingdoms come into conflict. In the Kingdom of Caesar, whose power is
based on military might, political influence, and social status, with the ruler
holding absolute authority. In Jesus’ Kingdom of God, power is exercised
through love, compassion, and sacrifice, with the ultimate authority belonging
to God.
12. Conflict
Erupts at Temple Mount
That conflict would ripen at the
moment that Jesus engaged in a non-violent protest at the Temple Mount during
the week of Passover. The Romans were on high alert as the Hebrew tradition
said that if the Messiah was to appear it would be around Passover. When Jesus
clears the Temple, disrupting business there on 1st CE Jerusalem’s
version of Black Friday, disrupting the collection of imperial taxes which also
occurred there, the Romans run out of patience. Within days, he will be
crucified.
13. Christian
Symbols at the Insurrection
So what does this have to do with
America?
It would be difficult to make a case
that America has ever embraced the values of Jesus’ kingdom of G_d. Indeed, the
Jesus movement itself would within three centuries become a new religion called
Christianity which largely absorbed the structure and many of the values of the
Roman Empire.
But go back to the symbols that were
displayed on January 6 at the insurrection at the US Capitol. The values of
Christian nationalism presume a conflation of a religious faith with a given
nation-state and a deity who favors that nation-state willing to use deadly
force in its service. This is the Roman Empire on steroids. There is no small
irony in the fact that while Christian nationalism legitimates itself in the
name and tradition of Jesus, its values are those of the empire who crucified
him. Whatever else the MAGA movement is about, it’s not about Jesus’ kingdom of
G-d.
14. QUESTIONS TO
CONSIDER
1. What
difference does it make that the MAGA movement embodies the values of the
Kingdom of Caesar?
2. Is it
problematic that MAGA adherents claim the mantle of Christianity? How so? And
for whom?
3. If America
has never really embodied the values of Jesus’ Kingdom of G-d, have there been
times we were closer to that than today?
4. What, if
any, response should those who follow Jesus be?
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Harry
Scott Coverston
Orlando,
Florida
If the unexamined life is not worth living, surely an unexamined belief system,
be it religious or political, is not worth holding. Most things worth
considering do not come in sound bites.
Those who believe religion and politics aren't connected don't understand
either. – Mahatma Gandhi
For
what does G-d require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to
walk humbly with your G-d? - Micah 6:8, Hebrew Scriptures
Do
not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief. Do justly, now. Love
mercy, now. Walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but
neither are you free to abandon it. - Rabbi Rami Shapiro, Wisdom of the
Jewish Sages (1993)
© Harry Coverston, 2025
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