Our readings in this series are from the book, The King’s Heart: The Kingdom of God and Civil Government. Here is an excerpt from page 82:
“Politicians can make us conform to certain codes of behavior beyond what God requires, but in doing so they undermine our ability to act… as free and responsible individuals. Instead of making us good, government makes us angry by trying to force us into a mold of ‘goodness’ with which many do not agree… The contributions that people make to goodness in a society must arise freely, from within themselves, from their sense of upright responsibility to God and their neighbor. Government must so order society as to allow for and even encourage the attainment of goodness. But it is beyond the power—or the remit—of government and politicians to compel their people to conform to standards of goodness that encroach on their freedoms and negate their responsibilities before the Lord.”
You can order The King’s Heart in book form or a free PDF from The Ailbe Bookstore.
