Romans 13- Do We Have a Duty to Obey Authorities?
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, and those who resist will incur judgment… (Romans 13:1-2 NRSV)
Where It’s Often Cited: While it’s been cited by nationalistic preachers of the past, this passage came up in a specific situation a few years back. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions cited these verses as the reason that Christians ought to support and obey the laws of America (and the Trump administration specifically). Sessions’s comment got thunderous applause from rightwing Evangelicals and boos and hisses from Progressive Christians. Since today is the 4th of July, I’ve been thinking about Romans 13 a lot, so let’s dive in.
Original Context:
Look, Paul’s relationship with Rome (the main authority of his day) is… complicated.
While not 100% pro-Rome, Paul didn’t have the antipathy toward Rome that many of the Apostles did. Rome wasn’t exactly a friend to Christianity during Paul’s lifetime, but the empire was still decades away from some of their worst atrocities against Christians (which we see more around later New Testament works like Revelation). Roman roads and commerce made Paul’s missionary journeys possible, and his status as a Roman citizen got him out of some scrapes (including a more merciful death by beheading rather than crucifixion). In some of his letters, Paul talks about resisting “powers and principalities” (Rome included), but elsewhere, he talks about always submitting to them. So, again, it’s complicated.
On the pro-submitting-to-Rome side, perhaps Paul wants to distinguish the young Christian sect from the more militant Zealots who had been a pain in the Romans’ side for decades. Like the apologists who would follow him, Paul wants Christianity to be appealing to Rome, and well-behaved Christians offer broader appeal. While Paul surely doesn’t want Christians to submit to Roman law on every topic, Paul seems to be promoting good citizenship so long as it doesn’t conflict with Christian teaching (which, for the record, was even less monolithic then than it is now). It’s also worth noting, in Romans 13, Paul specifically names the issue of taxes and says Christians should pay them, which I find hilarious given the number of people I know who cite Romans 13 to justify rabid patriotism but then turn around and complain about taxes.
But hey, let’s look more closely at those “powers and principalities.” Appearing in Colossians, Ephesians, 1 Peter, and elsewhere, “powers” in the New Testament may refer to earthly institutions (like governments), but the the term sometimes applies to supernatural entities as well. For example, Ephesians 6 explicitly references cosmic powers when it talks about the armor of God. On the other hand, Colossians 1 mentions powers alongside earthly authorities (“thrones or dominions or rulers or powers” in v.16). For the most part, these earthly powers appear to be morally neutral self-interested forces which have temporary authority on earth but will be returned to their proper place at the second coming of Christ. Drawing on the mention of powers elsewhere in Romans (especially chapter 8), Paul would probably lump Rome in alongside these earthly powers. I’m extrapolating here, but looking at the whole of Paul’s letters, he seems to view Rome and other powers not as good or evil, but as potential allies or potential obstacles, so he encourages us to stay on the empire’s good side when possible and resist only when necessary.
Wow, this has been messy, but what does all this mean for us today?
Like every superpower before it and after it, America fits under the umbrella of powers and principalities. While this country was founded on great hope, its founders were imperfect and their legacies troubled. America has done much good but also committed heinous evils. We stand for freedom but have also committed dire injustices. Our values are noble, but so many of our systems are corrupt. On the anniversary of this country’s independence, we remember that America is not perfect, but it’s also our home while on this earth. I want to help our home be better. I want to help our home live up to its stated goal of liberty and justice for all, and reaching for that goal requires protest, change, and a willingness to dream bigger than the way things are. I think, if Paul lived in America, he would want the same.
As he told the Roman Christians centuries ago, Paul might also encourage us today: submit to authority so long as that authority is in alignment with God’s love, but pay attention to where America and Christianity diverge. They are not one and the same. Do not confuse the Kingdom of Heaven with the empires of earth. There will come a time when America is no more and the only allegiance which matters is to God’s Love, and if that idea makes you uncomfortable, maybe take a closer look at your loyalties and priorities.
And that’s the complicated context of Romans 13.
With Supreme Court decisions, the January 6th committee, contentious primaries, and far far too much gun violence, the past few weeks have been particularly rough in America. For many (myself included), it may be hard to “celebrate” America today, but however you observe the 4th of July this year, I hope it’s a time of peace, rest, and renewal.