Journal of Philosophy and Theology

A New Testament View on Church and State Relations in the Modern World: Challenges for the Contemporary Baptist Church in Nigeria
John Arierhi Ottuh, Revd.Nathan Doutimiwei D. Thikan

Abstract
Church and state relationship was not oblivion in the New Testament. Jesus and Paul addressed it in the New Testament. Using the expository method, this paper aimed at doing an expository study of the New Testament view on Church and State relations in the modern world and how it poses a challenge to the contemporary Baptist church in Nigeria. From the biblical text explored in the New Testament, particularly Mark 12:17 and Romans 13:1-7, it showed that the church cannot be totally separated from the state in the sense that the church depends on the state for certain things she cannot provide for herself. It also showed that the state government was instituted by God. Being that the Baptist church is situated within a dynamic state and having similar polity, it presupposes that the church and state are interdependent, though separated in terms of self governance.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/ijpt.v3n1a13