Week 14 – Gov.
Objectives: Contrast the “ruling class” of leaders in the U.S. with the “country class.” Explain how the Church acts as a shadow government.
- Read “The Ruling Class” by Angelo Codevilla
- What are examples that the U.S. is ruled by an elite group of politicians rather than by those of the country class?
- What is the ruling class and how did they come to power?
- What attitude best describes the ruling class?
- What are the economic goals of the ruling class and how are they put into practice?
- What is their view towards Christianity and how do they undercut Christian beliefs?
- What are attributes of the country class?
- Read, “The Church as a Shadow Government” from Tactics of Christian Resistance.
- How does the author define a priesthood and what are modern examples of them?
- What is the problem with political dualism? How does it give ground to Satan? How did Islam have such an easy time taking North Africa?
- What is a shadow government and what are examples in history?
- What is the theology of the kingdom referred to by the author?
- What are the Church’s two roles in society?
- What does Matthew 16 teach about the Church’s role in society?
- Describe characteristics of the city.
- How does the church have greater power than the state?
- What actions does the Church take to demonstrate her power?
- Questions for the week:
- List the major goals of the ruling class and how they work to bring them about. Should the goal of people be to capture national government or local government? Which would be the most valuable use of time?
- What does it mean that the church is a shadow government? What does this look like when a church occupies this role? What kind of power did Jesus give to the Church when He gave the keys to the kingdom?