Society

The topic of “church and politics” is always relevant. Today, both spheres refer to each other, whereas in the past they were often intertwined. For a long time, the Roman Catholic Church claimed supremacy of spiritual power over secular power. The Reformation sought to distinguish and separate the two. Currently, Christian churches, Muslim associations, and the Central Council of Jews (Zentralrat der Juden) in Germany are committed to strengthening liberal democracy. However, there are also religious actors who support authoritarian political systems. Due to the very different national traditions and constitutional situations, this article focuses on the situation in Germany.

• Religion
• Society

In accordance with Jesus’s petition in the “Lord’s Prayer” (“Your kingdom come!”; Matt 6:10), the term “kingdom of God” refers to God’s reign, into whose advent-like coming presence one is drawn into a state of both “waiting and hastening.” Because the kingdom of God is coming and its coming will fundamentally transform earthly conditions, it also exerts considerable moral and political influence and, as such, is the subject of ethical reflection. The kingdom of God is already dawning in the relationship with the Father established by Jesus and is not merely future but also present, not merely transcendent but also immanent, not merely internal but also external. The kingdom of God, which is in the process of coming, raises the fundamental ethical question of how human action can and should relate to God’s action.

• Doctrine of God