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Christianity Today, June, 2009 |

Protecting Our Little Platoons

There's reason to be concerned for the future of voluntary organizations.

Charles Colson with Anne Morse | posted 6/10/2009 09:03AM

The economic crisis is fueling a rapid expansion of government control over banks and industries—and soon, perhaps, over health care, which alone amounts to one-sixth of America's gnp. This transfer ...

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Dave N.

Posted: June 15, 2009 11:28 AM

As many have already noted, this article is full of inaccuracies and logical non sequiturs--he goes from gay marriage in Scandinavia to out-of-control prison kids in the US in two sentences. Maybe Colson should try writing his own articles rather than turning everything over to Anne Morse. Colson (like many of the reformers he quotes but seems to not have bothered studying) simply desires state money and power for his own causes. Aren't there any fact-checkers at CT?

bill wald

Posted: June 12, 2009 6:28 PM

Para church organizations are evil for the following reasons: 1, They give people an excuse to avoid church membership and church attendance. 2. They eliminate support for the local Christian community. 3. They eliminate the need for taking responsibility for their personal faults - people can support para church organizations without being subject to local discipline and responsibility e.g. I give my tithe to Colson's outfit and therefore have fulfilled my obligations to God.

Patrick Gann

Posted: June 12, 2009 10:52 AM

Dear Chuck -- "Perhaps the most important intermediate structure—the family—will be irreparably damaged if our courts impose same-sex 'marriage' by judicial fiat, as in Iowa, Connecticut, and Massachusetts." Agreed. But you need to acknowledge the true solution. If "marriage" and "family" need to be defined individually by families, communities, and religions, then the government has no place acknowledging or upholding "marriage" of any sort: heterosexual, or homosexual. The "civil union" compromise for homosexuals should be applied to straight couples as well. The state acknowledges that I have a "civil union" with my wife, and my church and community acknowledge my marriage. Let me know when you see the light ... I'm so right about this that I can't stand to talk about it with ignorant people anymore. This country must not be turned into some sort of sick twisted theocracy. "Banning" gay marriage is a step in that direction.

usernametodd

Posted: June 12, 2009 9:01 AM

Mr. Colson: The Body of Christ is not concerned about gov't approval or cooperation. Only the political partisan who wants to combine church and state to the detriment of the church will seek Christ's power through the gov't. Your gov't sponsored evangelism is not working but instead causing political embarrassment and failure. Here you feel that Christians should be granted special favors through gov't when, scripture explains the opposite is true. Would you have our strength be in the gov't, or Christ?

Dan S

Posted: June 11, 2009 11:06 PM

It amazes me that when our hard-core, take-no-prisoners form of capitalism is threatened, so is many folks' version of Christianity. Could it be that we have tied the tenets of Christianity too tightly to those of no-holds-barred Capitalism? Let us remember Jesus' original form of Christianity existed in an agrarian society where 98% of the population lived on dirt . . . and it flourished. Perhaps the best thing that can happen to modern American Christianity is for it to fall out of favor with the institutions that have equated it to material prosperity and political well being and see what remains.

Peter K

Posted: June 11, 2009 2:40 PM

The Reformers deserve a lot of credit, but not for proclaiming the kind of separation of powers you indicate. Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and others had no problem invoking the power of the state to crush unacceptable belief (cf. their approval of inflicting the death penalty on those who advocated and practised believers' baptism, etc.). Van Braght's "Martyrs Mirror" lists dozens of illustrations. By and large, Reformation leaders in European countries rejected separation of powers as we know them. Peter K.

no Colson fan

Posted: June 11, 2009 8:56 AM

I stopped reading Colson a few years ago when he started shilling for green washing corporate groups reprinting their faux science press releases on environmental issues. Most telling contrast between old guard views like Colson and today's evangelicals is a video clip with Colson, Greg Boyd, and Shane Claiborne. Each had similar theology on the question of homosexuality but the manner in which they presented their arguments was stark example of the defensive attitude of the old Christian right. ("protecting our little platoons," indeed...) on youtube.com with title "Discussion: Christianity & Homosexuality"

RC	Posted: June 11, 2009 8:54 AM

The role of voluntarism in society is certainly worth exploring, but I think there are worse things that could happen to America than publicly-funded medicare. It is worth remembering that in Canada (where nobody is being forced to perform abortions) health care was more or less brought in as a more equitable alternative to a system which discriminates based on one's income. Mr. Colson is, however, correct that Americans should be wary of hiring legislation that can affect charities and charitable status. This has recently become a problem for many Canadian organizations who are involved in work than is not explicitly "religious" and potentially threatens any Christian organization that is actually making a difference in the world by their social action.

Gary Sweeten

Posted: June 11, 2009 7:39 AM


If you think Colson is an alarmist you have not been to Europe, russia and Scandinavia. It is illegal to read Romans I in Scandinavia for calling homosexual behavior sin is considered hate speech. Catholic Charities that provided adoption services have been shuttered in some states. The government hates NGO's that fail to belly up to their views. I hope I am wrong but...

pete Benson, editor UNITYINCHRIST.COM

Posted: June 11, 2009 6:55 AM

It may be time for all believers to circle the wagons by starting, at every level, to support the major international evangelistic and caregiving organizations with steady small offerings on a weekly/monthly basis. Such a plan is affordable by all, rich and poor believers. Many hands make the work load easy to carry. I outline just such a giving program on the mission statement of my website. This may yet be a way to keep these organizations alive and healthy regardless of what the Feds do. (see http://www.UNITYINCHRIST.COM/missionstatement.htm )

Trent

Posted: June 11, 2009 2:13 AM

Amongst the worst pieces of writing I've encountered on CT. Hard to find an accurate point or analogy. A more blatant attempt to stretch faith into the boundaries of a political viewpoint would be harder to find, with the result insulting both sides. The built in comparisons of the current Government with Nazism and Chinese Communism are subtle but dangerous and do not stand up to any serious scrutiny; and the closing suggestion that Christians should stand up bravely against the Govt is a statement that itself should be resisted, loudly and publically.

Robberson

Posted: June 10, 2009 11:24 PM


Mr. Colson, you have earned your "spurs"! As to a few of individuals who have negatively commented-please respect what he has done for so many and restrain from "preaching" about your own person issues.

Ward Gasque

Posted: June 10, 2009 9:15 PM

"The Reformers introduced the idea of sphere sovereignty...." Not really. Abraham Kuyper and his disciples. The Reformers were quite happy to have the power of the state on their side, and use this power to persecute their enemies, often fellow believers who different from them on various doctrines. My observation of Colson's pilgrimage over the years is that he has become more and more of a doctrinaire Republican, and somehow confusies Republican values with the values of the kingdom of God. Interestingly, when I was a boy growing up in SC all good (white) Christians were Democrats. And Blacks, Republicans. This recent essay is very ideological and quite misleading. I am not sure why CT should publish a political tract like this. Are the editors going to ask for a response from a Democrat or Independent? Or maybe a Christian leader who does not live in the USA.

debdessaso

Posted: June 10, 2009 6:22 PM

As an Christian and an African-American, I never cease to be amazed by conservative evangelicals who fight the government, but who throughout history give lip service to the excesses of the so-called free market as it turns people into chattel (slavery then and now), pollutes our planet to maximize corporate profit, and does a host of other horrid things. Criticizing one and not the other is tantamount to "the pot calling the kettle black." The breakdown of inner city families from 1970 on began with a massive influx of drugs, brought in by free-market forces while the government turned a blind eye. In mainstream America, the breakdown began with the Industrial Revolution, another free-market creation that took men away from farm and family to toil all day on factory assembly lines. In any case, be it big government or uncontrolled free-market forces, all human governments are seriously flawed. The best we can do is to navigate carefully among them as we pray THY KINGDOM COME!!

Sterling Fritz

Posted: June 10, 2009 6:11 PM

I'll be honest and say upfront that I did not even read this article, because I know Colson's worldview already. The sky is falling, the sky is falling, yeah, that pretty much sums it up. I have more concerns about volunteer organizations vanishing in our country due to lack of personal involvement by individuals, then government takeover. It is getting harder and harder for community organizations of all types, not just churches to get people to offer their time and energy. I blame personal and corporate greed for this. We have all become slaves to our jobs to support our materialistic lifestyles. Also employers no longer look kindly on employees taking off to work on community projects. Many people including "good church people" no longer want to help support their communities through volunteer work, because it might involve commitment and sacrifice. This is why the government is stepping in, not as a power grab, but to fill a gap that we have created due to neglect.

Russ	Posted: June 10, 2009 4:40 PM

Chuck Colson offers some insightful thoughts for us to consider. I believe that government is generally too big and is attempting to grow "bigger" as it infiltrates and attempts to control more and more of our daily lives. As I see it the control is not only in what is acceptable American attitudes toward abortion, gay marriage, gun rights, education, healthcare and the economy, etc. Big government wants to tell us what to think about these issues, when to think and what are the acceptable conclusions or outcomes that we should arrive at. I do not believe it is in the best interest of Americans for big government to squeeze us into conformity and strip us of both the freedoms and rights granted by our forefathers and the constitution. I value life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness! The bigger the government..the more corruption and abuse of power. As Christians I believe that we have a call and responsibilty to protect the little platoons.

GRRRRR

Posted: June 10, 2009 3:48 PM

"The concept of the balance of powers comes directly from Christian doctrines. " Yeah, right. Colcson, as usual, does not know his history and is out of his league. The Christian Church became the religion of the Roman Empire under Constantine, not a friend of separation of power. The Catholic Church went on to commit all kinds of abuses while it had a monopoly of power. The early Puritans in the US were not particularly known for their love of individual liberty. More recently, we find plenty of fine Christian leaders who were autocrats and dictators: Franco in Spain, António de Oliveira Salazar in Portugal, Pinochet in Chile, etc.

Paul	Posted: June 10, 2009 3:40 PM

I like Chuck Colson, but his framework is still continually based upon the premise of the nation-state. The nation-state is a Western phenomenon, due to unresolved conflicts within Europe. These various Enlightenment thinkers, who although concerned about human rights, were deeply flawed. He also attributes the Reformation with the idea of spheres of control, but the spheres idea came later as a result of Luther's Two Kingdoms philosophy. I also do not understand how Colson can work in prisons for 33 years and come to the conclusion that the family just "brokedown". As if one day people decided, "I don't want a family anymore. The family slowly began to disintegrate predominantly in the inner city in 1970 onward. In order to understand how this happened, look at where the jobs went, and we will see where the families went also. Life is built on patterns and movement, not each individual making decisions outside of their social setting. Peace!

David Scott

Posted: June 10, 2009 3:32 PM

Although, I personally am so far to the left, that even the even the democrats appear to me to be "right-wing," I consider myself to be a strict constitutionalist. It is my opinion that since its inception there has been an organized and systematic assault by the conservatives in the United States on the civil liberties written into the US Constitution. The “War on Drugs”; “War on Terror”; “War on Communism” and a host of other wars waged by the right wing are really nothing more than a War on People--an excuse to erode civil rights to the point of non-existence. I invite you to my website devoted to raising awareness on this puritan attack on freedom: http://freethegods.blogspot.com/

Ms L Nolland

Posted: June 10, 2009 3:18 PM

Colson is both brave and insightful! I live in the rapidly-going-softly-totalitarian UK and what he is saying could come to the US has come here in no little measure (sadly). And for the most part people simpy duck the issues because they have come to expect 'looking after' by the Nanny State almost from the cradle to the grave. The recent elections here indicate something of a push-back, thank God. But Colson is being prophetic. Some of the above commentators obviously do not like his warnings. Hmmm, where have we seen this phenomenon before?

Bruce

Posted: June 10, 2009 2:46 PM


Wow! It would seem that some folks have been assigned to monitor the "Christian Right!" Colson is correct in raising our awareness if not immediate alarm. Let us not be proverbial frogs in the kettle!!

Adam S

Posted: June 10, 2009 2:11 PM

While Colson raises some vaid points he also raises some hyperbole and issues like educatuion that are fundamentally different issues. The conscious clause is not a real concern. Obama has repeatedly said he support a conscious clause that allows for a person to obtain other services. I agree that the current clause as it is in practice (which allow a pharmacy to destroy a perscription that they won't fill is innappropriate. The education issue is a false issue. We are talking about public education. Government has never supported private education.

Kevin

Posted: June 10, 2009 12:31 PM

I respectfully submit that some of the "little plattoons" you speak of are same-sex couples and their families and the myriad gay charity/support groups (privately funded) that include taking care of the elderly, unwanted children, etc. The advent of same sex marriage only strengthens these ties to the community and to the individuals involved. I think it sad that homosexuals who give to society with their time and money are rejected by straight society, as you so predict will happen with religious organiztions who are doing the same good for society. You called it correctly, but it's already happening.

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