Customer Reviews

Turn Neither to the Right Nor to the Left (Christian Life and Public Policy Series)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

So many times today we find Christians joining causes that exemplify authoritarianism (the Regligious Right) or left-liberalism (Christian environmentalism and Liberation Theology). In this bold work, Dr. Schansberg shows how both of these extremes are wrong. A Christian's duty should not comprise the harnassing of state power to force God's will and morality on otherwise unwilling subjects. The church shuld not look to the state to make the world more just. On the contrary the church and Christians should be leery of state power, its threat to the church and God's people, and its corupting influence on us personally and corporately. After reading this book there was no doubt in my mind that legislating morality and legislating justice should not be the policy focus of thinking Christians. Dr. Schansberg also does an eminent job of dealing with other issues like gambling. If there is any defect in the book it is small, such as some (likely unintended) brief exegetical foibles regarding Romans 13 on two or three pages of this extensive volume. Dr. Schansberg (an economist not a theologian) unwittingly adopts in those few places the popular but errant "divine right of kings" view of Romans 13 which leaves room for a beneficial proactive state policy that Christians can support and the idea that the state characteristically punishes those malefactors that reject God's way. History and the Bible evince the opposite when it comes to the state. Nevertheless the vast majority of the book is marvelous and belongs on the shelf of every thinking Christian. It is obvious from the lion's share of the book that Dr. Schansberg in fact rejects the divine right of kings view and holds strongly to a biblical liberty of conscience perspective. In fine scholarly style, he makes a strong case for freedom and a radical change in contemporary Christian thought. I highly recommend the book for your next piece of eye candy.