KING'S BRIDGE
Spiritual Speculation Space
Theocracy
October 9, 2024
Discussion Questions
These questions are just to help get the discussion going. They do not need to be discussed in order and conversation outside of the bounds of these questions is welcome. More questions will be added closer to the event date.
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Are you familiar with any of the present-day theocratic countries in the world?
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Theocracy has been a prominent part of conservative evangelical politics in the United States in recent years, but are you familiar with its role and advocates from the very beginnings of the country? (See the video clip below for a hilarious and strangely moving primer).
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Have you seen the pursuit of theocracy and resistance to it expressed in the current US presidential campaign?
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Have you encountered advocates of theocracy in Canada?
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Are you familiar with the early history of Israel as a theocracy as expressed in the Old Testament? Do you recognize themes in the transition from judges to monarchy that are relevant today? (1 Samuel 7:15 onward).
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Why do theocratic governments tend toward oppression when some of the religions they are based on instruct adherents to support the needs of marginalized people?
Discussion Background Materials
Material listed here is intended to enhance discussion. The inclusion of these materials is not an endorsement of their authors or the organizations publishing them. We encourage you to fact check any claims made in these materials.
Clip from the television show "Drunk History".
1 Samuel 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to govern us.” Samuel prayed to the Lord, 7 and the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.