
Global Security and Christian Theology
Mar 02 @ 9:45 am
Plenary Adult Class on March 2 in Stone Hall
Dr. John Heathershaw, Professor of International Relations, University of Exeter, England
We live in the wealthiest and most heavily defended time in history, so why do we feel so insecure? In a secular world, what does Christian theology have to say about this problem? Christendom was a period of history in both the East and West where the church and government were in close and mutually supportive relations. The unraveling of Christendom continues to have implications for global politics today, as dramatically illustrated by Russia’s war in Ukraine. While notions of a new Christendom are idolatrous and delusional, secular orders of the national security state or the liberal international order are equally destructive and unstable. True security – radical inclusion, nonviolent protection, and abundant provision – is an eschatological promise, inaugurated by Christ. It is found not in government but in the accountability of fallen powers to the prophetic practices of church and civil society. The church itself becomes a security actor as it expresses its love for the world by seeking its security, providentially limiting the disorders of the secular age, and offering glimmers of a new world.
Dr. Heathershaw is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Exeter, England. He served previously as a government official in the UK Ministry of Defence, as a Christian humanitarian worker in Central Asia and West Africa, and as a consultant to the US, UK, and German governments.
Date
Mar 02 @ 9:45 am