Power undergirds so much of what we see in the news and how the world operates. How are Christians to engage with power, with government, with violence. Pastor, theologian, and author Dr. David Fitch joins Brandon Stiver on the podcast to discuss how the church can distinguish coercive worldly power from the persuasive, healing power of God. Drawing on examples in Christian nationalism, just war, the Civil Rights Movement, and local church practice, Fitch argues that expecting government or world power to redeem society won’t work. But the faithful presence and nonviolent power of God can do far more than we could ever imagine.
Conversation Notes (AI Generated)
- Dr. David Fitch and the question of power
- Worldly coercion versus the Spirit’s power
- How evangelicals entered the culture wars
- Christian nationalism, war, and biblical interpretation
- Just-war theory and the limits of state power
- Nonviolent alternatives and the fall of the Soviet Union
- Bonhoeffer, ideology, and resisting complicity
- How ideology turns issues into political flags
- Voting, government, and the Civil Rights Movement
- The church’s three circles of faithful presence
- Community presence, singing, and spiritual resistance
- Recognizing the Holy Spirit at work beyond the church
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Resources and Links From The Show
Reckoning with Power by David E Fitch (Amazon)
The Theology on Mission Podcast
Theme music Kirk Osamayo. Free Music Archive, CC BY License
