In the essay below, Francis Miller, a Christian realist and editor of Christianity & Crisis, reflects on the political implications of the historic fact that God became flesh to tabernacle amongst us. From the outset, this doctrine teaches us that the Christian God does not remain aloof of the conditions of history. How, then, does He use the structures of this world to His purposes? Following in His example, how do Christians do the same? Miller argues that there is a correlation between practicing the Christian ethic and preserving democratic governance. At the same time, no form of human government can be said to be Christian, and therefore, we must never suggest that democracy is the political wing of the Christian ethic. But we also know that some societies and ways of doing life together are more compatible with Christian dogma than others. In what follows, Francis Miller considers how Christian realism might help us sort this through.
