Oscar Cullmann's study of the New Testament's teaching on the state and political authority. Examining texts such as Romans 13 and the Apocalypse, and the stance of the earliest Christians, Cullmann argues that the state holds a 'provisional' place in the New Testament: it is used by God to preserve order in the present age, yet stands under judgment and the expectation of its end — which is why the attitude of the first Christians toward it can appear so contradictory.
Description:
Oscar Cullmann's study of the New Testament's teaching on the state and political authority. Examining texts such as Romans 13 and the Apocalypse, and the stance of the earliest Christians, Cullmann argues that the state holds a 'provisional' place in the New Testament: it is used by God to preserve order in the present age, yet stands under judgment and the expectation of its end — which is why the attitude of the first Christians toward it can appear so contradictory.