All have sinned
and fallen short of God’s Glory.
(Romans 3:23)
Dear Anna,
You introduced me to that great James Madison quote from Federalist Paper #51: “If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.” The point being, that humans govern humans and thus all governing is flawed. To deal with human governing, the U.S. Constitution, Madison argues, must provide checks and balances between Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary branches of government, in order to put a check on our propensity to abuse power.
Madison knew Augustine’s The City of God; in which Augustine reminds us that all earthly kingdoms are earthly. That goes for church governance as well. The church is a human institution. The Kingdom of God awaits us and always points beyond us. That gives us the best line of the Preamble: “In order to form a more perfect union.” If it were to say, “In order to form the perfect government…” We would be in big trouble—tyranny, as with all utopian claims.
Fortunately, for us, our founders knew Augustine. Maybe, while reading the classics, you too will get to know the Bishop of Hippo. Maybe you will read it in the original Latin. Wouldn’t that be something?
Love, PAPA
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