Since March 4, I\u2019ve been distressed by a Donald Trump proclamation with toxic biblical implications. At a CPAC Convention, then again on March 25 at a Waco political rally, Mr. Trump declared, \u201cI am your warrior, I am your justice\u2026For those who have been wronged and betrayed\u2026I am your retribution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s hard to miss his total misuse of religious images to manipulate a malignant kind of Christian ideology. Perhaps some religious advisors have coached him in a selective way on what is called Retribution Theology. That \u2013 not Donald Trump\u2019s distorted view of himself \u2013 is what I want to explore here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Biblical retribution has its passionate believers and its harsh critics. I don\u2019t plan to resolve those tensions here (or anywhere). However, I do offer some biblical insights that may challenge the traditional prejudices about retribution. Let\u2019s begin with a common phrase I hear many people too casually say: \u201cVengeance is mine, says the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll find it in Romans 12:19. Paul warns his friends to channel their anger away from retribution and let God stay in charge. But in verse 20, Paul says our here-and-now task is this (vs. 20): \u201cInstead, if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.\u2019 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Does that sound like a God who imitates our passion for retribution? I don\u2019t think so! I\u2019m left with this question: If God inspired Paul to say something like this, why would God\u2019s kind of \u201cretribution\u201d be more punitive than how we are called to act toward those who have wronged us? Think about it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paul\u2019s marching orders came from Jesus, not Donald Trump. And Jesus learned from his embrace of Old Testament prophets, like Isaiah. Consider Isaiah 35: 4-7, for instance. It begins by saying,\u00a0\u201cSay to those who are frightened: Be strong, fear not. Here is your God. He comes with vindication. He comes with divine recompense (35.4).<\/em>\u00a0It almost sounds like vindication is born out of destructive threats.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n But read on. How will God save Israel?\u00a0\u201cGod comes to save you, God will open the eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf will be cleared, the lame will leap like a stag, and the tongue of the mute will sing\u201d (35:5\u20136).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In his helpful commentary on this passage, Fr. Richard Rohr startles the retribution believers with this insight: \u201cGod doesn\u2019t come with punishment\u2014in fact, God comes to love us, heal us, and transform us.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve read this understanding from Fr. Rohr many times. I fully agree: \u201cPeople are not going to get what they deserve; they\u2019re going to get much better than they deserve. God says, \u201cThe way I punish you\u2014this vindication, this retribution\u2014is actually going to be by loving you more and more deeply.\u201d Controversial thought? Yes, to some.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, I hope you can reconsider the traditionally narrow biblical misunderstanding of retribution and turn toward a fuller understanding of God\u2019s \u201cjudgment\u201d that reflects a more Christ-like way. Jesus embodied love in his ministry and offered forgiveness from the cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But our fear-driven obsession with retribution does battle with love and forgiveness. Our disagreements about Retribution Theology are pretty much pointless. Our fights depend on many competing biblical passages. But which of those passages reflect the love, wisdom, and actions of Jesus?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bible isn\u2019t always consistent in reflecting the full nature of God. But beginning and enduring with Jesus\u2019 ministry does reflect God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Rev. Paul Graves<\/strong> is a retired elder member of the Pacific Northwest Conference of The United Methodist Church.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" According to the Rev. Paul Graves, some contemporary politicians and religious leaders continue to use an unhelpful and unbiblical Christian theological tradition that emphasizes God’s retribution against one’s enemies. Graves writes that the case in scripture for this view is quite contrary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":23484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[74,16],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-23483","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-opinioneditorial","8":"category-pacific-northwest-conference"},"yoast_head":"\n
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