I’ve been thinking recently about what Christianity has to say to society. As a religion, what does Christianity say to societies, and how should the society in which Christians live be shaped and / or ruled by them? We see in acts that the first Christians after Pentecost lived in equality, sharing all they had with one another. Is this the ideal of society–an egalitarian one where shared resources are used to care for everyone?


Without any research into the topic whatsoever, I would submit that Christianity–Christ–has little or nothing to say to societies. I suppose I should stop talking about “Christianity” and start talking about Christ. He is the source of the faith and all of Christianity expounds on what He said.

Christ spoke to the individual. Christ spoke to the slaves and rulers of men. Christ spoke to the diseased, the healthy, the women and men, the Jews and the Greeks, and through the ages to each of us. He said give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto God what is God’s.

The main point is that we believe in a Trinitarian God, and the parallels extend to His creation. We relate to ourselves, we relate to God, and we relate to our neighbor. That’s it. We don’t relate to “society.” Christ does not tell us how to be good citizens. He tells us how to understand ourselves, relate to God, and love our neighbor. That’s as far as Christ goes. The ideal society formed after Pentecost is one in which every member of the community understood themselves as they related to God and loved their neighbor. A natural peace will form when each person is living properly.

He does say, give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. Christ didn’t say don’t participate in society. He did not seek to reform society. He did not seek to abolish slavery. He did not seek to establish Democracy. He did not advocate a Theocratic empire. He asked each person to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself. If we take our eyes off of these, and look to other loftier ambitions, we will be failing ourselves somehow.