BiAS 7 – The Bible and Politics in Africa
the discussions in the grassroots advocating for what kind of people to
be elected. The Bible presented the yardstick and these demands from
the Bible were accepted by the electorate. The question of the time these
words were written or to whom they were written did not arise. They
applied and do still apply to us.
The need for good governance was based on Romans 13:1-7 where the
responsibility of the state officials and the citizens were discussed. The
need for Justice from the state was demanded and the need for citizens
to pay taxes was spelt out. As far as obedience to the authorities was
concerned the participants would point out that though this was impor-
tant it was also limited for Ceaser could only receive what belonged to
him but if he demands what belongs to God the citizens had to exercise
creative disobedience. Passages as Exodus 1:15-22 where the Egyptian
midwives refused to obey Pharaoh’s directive to kill Hebrew babies be-
cause they feared God was cited as a reason to disobey bad laws. If at all
one could obey then this is what Yoder calls subordination and is differ-
ent from obedience and especially when a Christian refuses to worship
Ceaser but still permits Ceaser to put him or her to death.^61
Jesus’ Nazareth manifesto in Luke 4:16-20 was made the basis for the
church to speak for the poor and the marginalized. The fact that Jesus
understood the words spoken hundreds of years ago by Isa 61:1-2 to
apply to him is enough to make the Christians today to apply it as their
mandate to serve the marginalized and down trodden. The eight century
prophets’ demands for justice were studied in these seminars. The ser-
mon on the mountain especially in Jesus declaring his hearer to be the
light and salt of the earth gave the citizens and the church the mandate
to be involved in political matters. Their interpretation was that Jesus did
not only speak to his disciples then but also speaks to us today. In mat-
ters of protection and demand for the respect of human rights the bible
was used in these seminars to address issues of rights as provided in all
conventions and protocols be they civil and political rights and group
rights. The right to demand human rights of the individual, for example,
was taken from the creation story where human beings are said to be
crated in God’s image, Genesis 1:26, 27. An example of boldness in
demanding these rights is given of St. Paul in Acts 22:22-30 where he
(^61) John Howard Yoder, The Politics of Jesus, Behold the Man! Our Victorious Lamb; The
Paternoster Press, Carlisle, 1994, p 209.