North Korean Dictatorship and Christian Intervention
Christian Perspectives on Intervention in Oppressive Regimes
The North Korean dictatorship has been a subject of international concern due to its severe human rights abuses. Christian theologians and leaders have grappled with the question of intervention in such oppressive regimes. While there is no single Christian response, various traditions offer insights into the issue.
The Bible teaches Christians to promote peace, love, and unity. In Philippians 2:1, the apostle Paul exhorts believers to be of the same mind and to love one another, using the term "consolation" or "exhortation" to emphasize the importance of unity [1]. This biblical foundation is crucial in understanding Christian perspectives on intervention.
Historically, Christian thought on intervention has been shaped by various theological traditions. The Reformed tradition, represented by John Calvin, emphasizes the role of civil government in maintaining order and protecting citizens. Calvin's Institutes discuss the importance of obedience to authority, while also acknowledging the need for resistance against tyrannical rule [2].
In contrast, some early Church Fathers, such as Augustine, grappled with the relationship between Christianity and the state. Augustine's City of God addresses the tension between the earthly city and the heavenly city, arguing that Christians must navigate their obligations to both [4].
The concept of intervention is complex and has been debated among Christian theologians. Charles Hodge's Systematic Theology discusses the role of the state in maintaining order and the Christian's duty to obey authority, while also acknowledging the need for moral accountability [3].
While Christian traditions offer diverse perspectives on intervention, they converge on the importance of promoting justice, compassion, and human dignity. In the context of the North Korean dictatorship, Christians may draw on these theological resources to inform their responses, whether through advocacy, humanitarian aid, or other forms of engagement.
Sources
- Philippians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Philippians 2:1: If there be therefore any consolation in Christ,.... Or "exhortation", as the word is sometimes rendered; that is, either if there is any exhortation of Christ to love and unity, as there is in Joh 13:34, and this is of any weight and value; or if an exhortation hereunto made in the name of Christ, by any of his ministers, messengers, and ambassadors, will be regarded, as it ought to be, then fulfil ye my joy, &c. Phi 2:2, but as the word is frequently translated "consolation", as it is here in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions; the sense may be eithe”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 83: Some special examples. 27. General examples. A celebrated passage. The arrangement of the Creed. 28 Objection, that voluntary transgression excludes from the Church. 29. Last objection of the Novatians, founded on the solemn renewal of repentance required by the Church for more heinous offences. Answer. 1. In the last Book, it has been shown, that by the faith of the gospel Christ becomes ours, and we are made partakers of the salvation and eternal blessedness procured by him. But as our ignorance and sloth (I may add, the vanity o”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 105: The Scriptural Doctrine. 2. History of the Doctrine. Second Advent. 1. Preliminary Remarks. 2. The Common Church Doctrine. 3. The Personal Advent of Christ. 4. The Calling of the Gentiles. 5. Conversion of the Jews. 6. Antichrist. The Concomitants of the Second Advent. 1. The General Resurrection. 2. The Final Judgment. 3. The End of the World. 4. The Kingdom of Heaven. 5. The Theory of the Pre-millennial Advent. 6. Future Punishment. Indexes Index of Scripture References Greek Words and Phrases Hebrew Words and Phrases Latin Words and P”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 51.--THAT THE CATHOLIC FAITH MAY BE CONFIRMED EVEN BY THE DISSENSIONS OF THE HERETICS. (part 2): consolation, especially to the weak, yet there are not wanting, yea, there are many within who by their abandoned manners torment the hearts of those who live piously, since by them the Christian and catholic name is blasphemed; and the dearer that name is to those who will live piously in Christ, the more do they grieve that through the wicked, who have a place within, it comes to be less loved than pious minds desire. The heretics t”