Haase_UZ_x007E_DTh (2).pdf - South African Theological Seminary

society. State authorities quite often make such decisions for them. In free societies,
however, the church does often have a measure of choice.
For Newbigin, the church should attempt to attain neither extreme -- the corpus
privatus, or the corpus publicus. The church needs to live as Christ lived, speaking the
truth in love, living holistically and balanced. Christians “can never seek refuge in a
ghetto where their faith is not proclaimed as public truth for all... the church can never
cease to remind governments that they are under the rule of Christ and that he alone is the
judge of all they do” (Newbigin, 1986:115). Newbigin said further:
that the church is the bearer to all the nations
of a gospel that announces the kingdom, the
reign, and the sovereignty of God. It calls men
and women to repent of their false loyalty to
other powers, to become believers in the one
true sovereignty, and so to become corporately
a sign, instrument, and foretaste of that
sovereignty of the one true and living God over
all nature, all nations, and all human lives. It is
not meant to call men and women out of the
world into a safe religious enclave, but to call
them out in order to send them back as agents
of God’s kingdomship (Newbigin, 1986:124).
Retreat from the challenges of postmodernity are tempting, but should not be the
preferred course for the church. Even where conflict, strife and persecution exist, God’s
people must persevere in the strength and grace of God, to maintain as best they can, a
faithful witness. There are certainly times when God’s people need to retreat, to be
cautious, and to live to fight another day, so to speak. Yet, God’s own are called to
boldly share His love and truth with those lost in darkness.
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University of Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa