Hromadka: Christian civiization?

Thursday, December 1, 2011
    Commemoration of Charles de Foucauld, Hermit, Servant of the Poor, 1916
Meditation:
    [Paul:] “In the past, [God] let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
    —Acts 14:16-17 (NIV)
Quotation:
    We cannot pass our responsibility on to politicians, diplomats, economists, technicians, scientists, and secular ideologists. We ourselves are obliged to think about the problems of the form of responsible society and of our own contribution to its creation. Let us avoid the impression that this responsible society will be identical with Christian society. There has been, is, and will be no Christian society, just as there is no Christian state, Christian economy, or Christian civilization. The new earth and the new heaven which we expect in faith will not be the work of human hands, but a creation of God’s mercy and justice. And these are essentially eschatological concepts. Christian civilization is an illusion, and every attempt to fight in its name against so-called un-Christian efforts—social and political ideas—is a self-deception and a grave danger to the church itself.
    ... J. L. Hromadka (1889-1969), The Church and Theology in Today’s Troubled Times, Prague: Ecumenical Council of Churches in Czechoslovakia, 1956, p. 80-81 (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, lead Your church to speak truth to society. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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