Church and State, God or Caesar?

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Guests:  Pastors John Sloop and Angie Williams
This Weekend, May 26-28, on WAZT-TV
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“Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.”(Jesus — Mt. 22:21)

“We ought to obey God rather than men.”  (Peter and the Apostles — Acts 5:29)

What Would You Do?

What would you do if the government ordered you to do something against your deeply held religious beliefs based on clear Biblical teaching?

For example, what if the government forced you to help pay for an abortion, even though you believe what the Bible says, that life begins at conception and “Thou shalt not murder”?

Or assist in marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples, even when you believe as the Bible teaches that marriage is only between a man and a woman?

What would you do if the government ordered you to remove a cross or a display of the Ten Commandments placed on public property?  Or to refrain from praying at public events?  Or even to stay silent about what you believe.

As citizens of two Kingdoms, what should we do when facing a choice between God and Caesar?  Would He encourage us to take a stand, like Daniel and his friends did?  Would He support those today who have signed onto the Manhattan Declaration — and why does it matter anyway?

The Manhattan Declaration?

The Manhattan Declaration was released in 2009 out of growing concerns about government-led attacks on the sanctity of life, the institution of marriage, and religious liberty – all of which have become even more intense since that time.  The Declaration begins as follows:

Because the sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as a union of husband and wife, and the freedom of religion are foundational principles of justice and the common good, we affirm:

1. The profound, inherent, and equal dignity of every human life

2. Marriage as a union of one man and one woman

3. Religious liberty and the inherent freedom of human beings

Spearheaded by the late Chuck Colson and then signed by some 150 prominent Christian leaders, over 500,000 people added their names to the Declaration, stating that “We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s.  But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God’s.”  To add your name, click HERE.

Our Guests

John Sloop served as senior pastor of the First Presbyterian Church on Court Square in Harrisonburg for over 26 years before retiring.  He then served as Chaplain and also as one of the original co-hosts of the Forum’s radio outreach entitled “Crossroads:  Where Faith and Culture Meet”.

Joining him is Angie Williams, a support pastor at Grace Mennonite Church and former employee of the Federal Aviation Administration.  She is a frequent speaker across America and author of Joy in Adversity.

Valley Faith in Action

VFIA airs five times on WAZT-TV, the Faith Network, beginning at 8:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, again at 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Sunday, and finally at Wednesday midnight.  That is on Comcast Cable Channel 13 in the central Shenandoah Valley, but varies in other locations, including Washington DC.

We value your prayers, your encouragement, and your support, so if you would like to help with a tax-deductible gift, please send it to the Valley Family Forum at 3465 Izaak Walton Dr., Harrisonburg, 22801.

For Life, Faith, Family, and Freedom,

Dean