Biblically Speaking

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The other day the Olympic Committee directed the torch bearers through a decidedly homosexual district of Sydney in order to make some kind of a political correctness statement. The church leaders in Australia were up in arms over the whole incident, and this situation reminded me of something that happened in church history which really points out that Christianity looks like something.

In 390 AD, a charioteer (and charioteers were big heroes) in a Greek city was accused of homosexuality. Remember that Rome was officially a Christian empire at this time under the Emperor Theodosius (Constantine had come and gone). The governor of the area threw the charioteer in prison, but the people rebelled and demanded the charioteer's freedom. The governor refused, and the people rioted, killed the governor and freed the charioteer.

Theodosius was incensed and ordered that the people be punished, and at a chariot race in Thessalonica the soldiers fell upon the people killing 7,000 in three hours.

Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan, felt shameful that the Christian empire would be subject to this kind of an act. He spoke out against the action and demanded that Theodosius, the emperor, repent. He wrote to Theodosius:

"I cannot deny that you have a zeal for the faith and that you fear God, but you have a naturally passionate spirit which becomes ungovernable when you are excited. I call on you to repent...You are a man, and as you have sinned as a man so you must repent...God alone can forgive you, and He forgives only those who repent."

Ambrose's courage resulted in a monumental standoff in Christianity. The king refused to repent and the bishop refused to offer communion. This was a critical point in all of Christianity...was the king subject to the scriptures? Was the king under the law of God? What is the role of a church to be when government officials, even kings, commit sin...even if it is in a zeal to uphold God's word? Which law is greater, the government's laws or the Bible? Which law is to be obeyed above all others?

Theodosius finally backed down. The emperor stood in front of the congregation, removed his royal robes, and asked God for pardon for his sins. Finally, on Christmas Day, Theodosius received communion.

The early church saw that Christianity works itself out visibly. We should think about this as we examine our work life, our social life, our voting patterns etc... Christianity must profoundly affect every area of our lives. Even if we are government officials, we need to pursue Christ and Christian ethics in our jobs. To often, modern Christianity has become something contained solely within our hearts (internalized) or within the walls of the church, but the early church saw that Christianity has consequences in every area of life. It looks like something.