Messianic Expectations

Written on January 19th, 2009 by Judd

I am currently reading “Render Unto Caesar: Serving the Nation by Living our Catholic Beliefs in Political Life” by Archbishop Chaput of Denver.  I came across a very fitting two paragraphs, as they relate to events that are about to unfold in Washington D.C.

The Catholic Church has had many different relationships with many different states in many different eras.  What we’ve learned is this: We will never build God’s kingdom here on earth.  When people have messianic expectations about the state, when they ask politics to deliver more than it can, the story ends badly.

But neither will we ever be released from the duty to sanctify, humanize, and bring Jesus Christ to the public square in which we live.  And it is precisely because of this duty that the American experiment is so hopeful—and so important. (emphasis in original)

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