“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.” The first few verses of Romans 13 are the basis for what has traditionally been called “the Divine Right of Kings.” On the basis of this section of Romans, monarchs claimed that worldly powers received their authority from God, and for that reason, the populace was obligated to obey them. The question of the relationship between Christians and the government continues to provoke debate, no less than during the recent COVID pandemic. Did Paul really intend this verse to be taken literally and expect us to passively comply with all government directives?

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