This past week, there have been a lot of references in the public sphere to Romans 13, including both politicians and pastors. As the chapter begins, Paul writes, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed…” (NRSV).
With one voice — as though from the same script — these public references aim to shut down all resistance to ICE and CBP operations and throw the blame for those killed in these operations on the deceased. By lifting these verses out of context, they argue that God has ordained the government and therefore resisting the government in any way is resisting God — and therefore sinning against God and bringing evil onto your own head.
But these arguments stem not just from biblical illiteracy — they stem from historical illiteracy as well. To address both, I quote theologian Stanley Hauerwas, as he spoke on a panel over a decade ago:
“When people use Romans 13, they never think ‘That’s exactly the text German Christians used to serve Hitler.’ and they never read Romans 12:14, which says ‘bless those who persecute you.’ Because, by doing so, that is the way God will rule the world.
Instead, they separate Romans 13 from Romans 12 in a way to justify political rule and in a way that doesn’t expect Caesar to be repentant. To separate Romans 13 from Romans 12 is exactly the kind of move that produces Christians to be faithful servants of the state in a way that prevents us from being the kind of people who call the state into question…
[Romans 12:14–13:1] Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. [Then] Let every person be subject to the governing authorities…
Never read Romans 13 without reading Romans 12. Because then you will begin to see that it applies to Caesar. Do not avenge! And then you’ll begin to get a sense for how Christians in America have failed to read Paul well because they want to read Paul as underwriting presuppositions of a government that assumes somebody has to kill somebody in the name of Jesus.
Paul will not let you do that if you keep Romans 12 and Romans 13 together! And that’s the reason why, it seems to be, we have so little good religious discourse in this country because most American Christians don’t know how to read the bible well. And they don’t know how to read the Bible well because they’re Americans before they’re Christians.”
Pastor Michael