The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-02-27
BY WILLIAM e. GILROY, ID. ID
Editor of The COngregationalist

No subject is Of more Importance
in America at the present hour than
that of the relation between law and
good conduct. In this country we
have established in a general way
separation between church and
State.
1t does not mean, however, the
entire separation between State and
religion. Not only are politics and
religion inseparable in the life of the
individual, but in the very founda-
ton of our national life some link
between religion and the State has
always been recognized. The coins
of the realm bear the inscription,
I'm. God We Trust" and 1t is the
custom to open both houses of Con
gress by prayer. The President of
the United States at his Inaugural
ton takes an oath of office with his
finger resting upon n passage OF
Scripture. There can be little sound
political or social life where there Is
not the deepest thing that religion
implies.
MisquOting Passage
Few passages have been more used
in relation to the problems Of relt-
gion and politics, and few have been
more seriously abused than this
passage In which Jesus enjoins the
rendering unto Caesar the things
that are Caesars and unto God the
things that are Gods.
A fundamentally wrong interpre-
tation of the whole passage is fire.
uuently evident in its use. 1t IS con-
stantly quoted to suggest that the
spheres Of religion and politics, OF
church and State, are entirely sepa-
rate, and have no connection. Con-
stderation of the whole conception
that Jesus had Of life and Of the cir
cumstances under which these words
were used would show how utterly
uniustified is any such interpreta-
ton.
Jesus was speaking to Pharisees
who were not anxious for the truth
but who were seeking, as the lesson
saws. ito ensnare him in his talk.
It Is more than probable that they
we're themselves disloyal to Caesar,
for the Pharisees, for the most part
represented the ultra patriotic party,
resentful Of foreign domination and
anxious to shake off the Roman
woke. Jesus evidently had this In
mind when he said, "Why make we
trial Of me, We hypocrites2"
He asked for piece of money and
INQUIRED whose image and super
scription were upon 1t. When his
enemies replied Caesars, Jesus very
naturally used these words, Render
therefore. unto Caesar the things
that are Caesars and unto God the
things that are Gods"
What Was Meant
This surely does not mean that
certain things were Caesars ana
that certain things were Gods. such
a notion would be at variance with
New Testament. the very essence OF
which was the insistence upon the
fact that everything belongs to God.
Does Jesus imply then that the
citizen has no obligation 20 the
state, that there are certain things
that 90 not belong to Caesar? BY
no means. He suggests that there
are obligations that are binding as
far as they go. But when Caesar
and God are in conflict there can be
no other attitude for the Christian
than the attitude of the early disciples
when they We're forbidden to preach
the Gospel, 1--WE ought to obey God
rather than men,"
We should not hesitate to apply
this to the vexed question Of law
enforcement. and specifically Of the
prohibition movement In America to-
day. The man who is willing and
disposed to break any law of the
land should consider very carefully
what would happen If others chose
to disregard laws in which he be-
lieves.