Me and my roommates had mainly horizontal relationships. One will be eldest, one may be landlord, but we’re primarily brothers in Christ (or at least each others’ neighbors). The fruits of the Spirit and Christian Liberty keep the peace.
Great question, but let’s not chase it here in this topic. If you want, create a separate topic. (Maybe later?)
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No I agree, we need checks and balances because of the fallenness of humans… the different forms of government (monarchy, oligarchy, democracy) all bear open channels for the expression of human depravity, but in various ways… republicanism is simply trying to offset those avenues… this is Aquinas’ argument in De Regno.
We should not confuse Theocracy (rule of God) with Ecclesiocracy (rule of a Church). I believe the Bible teaches the former (Romans 13) but not the latter (even in OT Israel, there was a separation of church and state). God created both the State and the Church and rules over both by both special and general revelation.
I voted for Democratic Republic because I see that modeled in Scripture, both in Israel and the church. But I actually believe in a Theocratic Constitutional Republic: a people choose representatives for themselves and are bound together by a covenant, the people and the representatives are obligated to abide by a written document, and all are under the authority of God.
There are church / state implications of all that, but that’s for another thread!
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I clicked “other” because “Democracy/Republic” and “Monarchy” were too vague!
Private property and subsidiarity a must in any case.
I’m preparing a sermon on 1 Samuel 8 for my discipleship class. I want the pillars of fire and smoke, you can keep your lower-case kings. 
But as for my worldly answer, well…let me contextualize a bit.
I have a Bachelor of Science in Political Science in which I emphasized my studies in Political Thought. Starting in Classical & medieval, to modern, to American Political Thought. Also spent a lot of time on Constitutional Law and a bit in Criminal law. My Masters is in Public Administration and I’ve worked in Government for over 15 years.
So as for my preferred human governance, a democratic republic is close but a little too short-hand for my liking. I’m gonna outline foundational mechanisms originally found in the constitution but long since ignored or changed.
Federally, all powers must be enumerated without any implied powers. It should not be a force for domestic justice but more for international relations and for keeping economic peace between the states. I’m in favor of the Executive branch having no judicial, no law making ability and no purse to pay for anything. I’m in favor of the Legislative branch having no sword with which to enact anything and no judicial function for enforce it. And I’m in favor of the judicial branch having neither sword nor purse, stuck with the boring job purely of adjudicating cases, with NO LAW-MAKING abilities, as in the Constitution.
The legislative function should be bicameral with one half being representative of districts by population and the other camera being representative purely of each state with two Senators appointed by their respective state legislatures; not elected by the public. All tax and spending legislation must start in the House of Representatives not the senate.
As for law and order, Romans 13 should guide all state, county, and local authorities. Wield the sword to punish objectively evil wrong doers, and promote morally righteous behavior among the remaining rabble. But most authority frankly would remain with the family.
There’s so much more to be said, but I will quote Milton Friedman. “Just tell me where in the world you find these angels who are going to organize society for us.”
Or as Alexander Hamilton put it, “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. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself."
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Great quotes. Thanks for sharing. And I agree with your ideal government.
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Would that I could, my friend!
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9 posts were split to a new topic: The relationship between Church, Christians and State
A post was merged into an existing topic: The relationship between Church, Christians and State
Ok, we knew this would tend to drift into the much bigger topic of the relationship between the church & state, so I’ve created a new topic which will probably spawn many other conversations and debates. Let’s keep this one on the topic of form of government.
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What Stephen Baker said.