Protests have been in the news a lot recently. From January's murderous putdown of protesters in Iran to simmering turmoil over student protests in France. Violence has erupted in Belgium and Albania. There are clampdowns against protests in Mumbai and, in these green and pleasant lands, there are regular local protests against immigration, accompanied by counter-protests.
Protests are a symptom indicating that something is wrong. When enough people become sufficiently angry to make a fuss by gathering on the streets, with banners and slogans, trouble can spill over. Protests tell those who cause the problem that change is needed, demanded and expected. Protests are often a response to sin and evil, speaking truth to power. Protests can also be a sinful and evil response to truth, resisting what is good and right.
What are Christians to do when protests erupt? Before leaping to action, we might consider what kinds of protest are common in the Bible and what a good response looks like.
Homogeneous churches in multi-ethnic areas – yes or no?
I have served as the pastor of the same church since 2009. In 2018, our church council made a controversial …