“A Christian is called to commit himself concretely to human and social realities without opposing “God” and “Caesar”; to oppose God and Caesar would be a fundamentalist attitude.” – Pope Francis at yesterday’s angelus address
Meanwhile, yesterday I wrote a post literally titled Caesar vs. God.
Of course, Pope Francis wasn’t speaking infallibly, so I’m not obliged to change my mind. But still, I really don’t like to disagree with the Pope, nor to be called a fundamentalist. And yet on the other hand, I really can’t help feeling that the interpretation I gave makes far more sense, given all we know.
Pope Francis doesn’t seem, in the quote, to mean Tiberius Caesar himself, but rather the world, which helps a little. And I don’t believe that Christianity is at war with all the world. But I do believe that worldly power (all the forces of control and destruction) and divine power (which is love and humility and service) are utterly incompatible. I believe the cross itself reveals this.
I’m not saying that Jesus came to overthrow any government. Whatever government is in power, however good or bad, is part of God’s plan, in which, ‘We know that all things work together for God, for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.’ [Rm 8:28].
I won’t even go so far as saying government is always bad. But I will say, that the power that is according to the world, the power that is power over, is contrary to God and to all goodness.
I don’t know if this makes me a fundamentalist…
What do you think? Am I missing something?
Thank you, and God bless