2. REFORMATION: The Battle at the Centre of Today’s Political Storm

Doing Business with Higher Powers

Plato wrote an interesting and entertaining dialogue called Euthyphro. In this dialogue, Socrates speaks with Euthyphro, a man who considers himself an expert on divine matters. Socrates was curious about his theological knowledge and asked what true piety and godliness really were.

Euthyphro’s response suggested he had never truly considered the question before. But after some discussion, it became clear what he really believed. To Euthyphro, piety meant a transactional relationship with the gods, offering sacrifices and worship in exchange for rewards and favours. By pleasing them, you can bring happiness and prosperity to your family and your city.

Socrates asked him to explain why these actions pleased the gods, but Euthyphro struggled to answer. Euthyphro seemed to believe that whatever the gods desired was, by definition, good – beyond the need for human explanation or understanding. They are the ones in power, so you just have to obey their commands.

Socrates didn't like this and thought Euthyphro was a lazy thinker. He rejected this 'might-is-right' philosophy. He wanted to understand what is right and true through dialogue and reasoning. 

Plato saw the danger of overemphasising 'will' and 'power' as the most important attributes of God (or gods). When this happens, you risk abandoning reason and rejecting moral principles altogether, leading to ethical nihilism. Our only duty then is to 'obey orders' without thinking.

Don’t Worship the Mafia Godfather!

Many people believe they can make a "contract" or "deal" with God – using their faith to buy favours and privileges. Quid pro quo: the right beliefs are expected to bring earthly and eternal rewards. Their image of God resembles a mafia godfather, offering protection and privileges to those who 'pay their dues.' This way of thinking about God influences more than just personal faith – it shapes how people view power, leadership, and even politics.

This may help explain one of the most puzzling phenomena in contemporary politics: Why do so many religious people give their unwavering support to immoral and unscrupulous leaders? Why have they accepted a Faustian bargain? Many are willing to sell their souls for status, power, and influence. In doing so, they enable demagogues to reshape the world into one where laws and principles no longer matter – where might is right and the strong are free to dominate the weak.

How can this happen? One possible answer is this: If people believe that God is like a mafia boss, it is not surprising that they expect him to choose leaders who behave the same way. They see nothing wrong with supporting politicians who have a transactional mindset. For them, securing benefits and privileges becomes more important than focusing on values and principles.

We need to be reminded of one of the most valuable and liberating insights of the Protestant Reformation, led by Martin Luther in the 16th century: There is no quid pro quo deal with God. Faith is about grace, not transactions. God is not a mafia godfather.

At the heart of today's great political storm is a battle for the soul of Christianity.

No Bargains with God

According to the tradition of the Reformation, salvation is not based on a "do X and you will be saved" kind of deal. Suppose someone says, "In order to be saved and avoid punishment, it is necessary to confess one's sin, repent, and show humility." Such conditions can undermine the very virtues they are meant to promote: repentance and humility.

It is sometimes presented as a free choice, but in reality, it can feel more like an "offer at gunpoint" – ask for mercy or perish! Can confessions made under threat be genuine and credible? Isn't there a risk of exaggerating one’s sins out of sheer fear, confessing all sorts of things just to escape punishment? Such fear does not cultivate self-knowledge; it only triggers the instinct for self-preservation.

“Show humility, or else…” We can imagine a person striving for humility in order to be saved. He confesses that he is full of sin and selfishness, denies himself, and renounces his own worth. He declares that all his efforts are futile and that he deserves nothing. Yet, paradoxically, this exercise in self-loathing can itself be an act of pride. Does he secretly hope that God will admire him for his humility? Does he begin to feel superior to those who, in his view, are not as humble as he is? If he is proud of his humility, he is anything but humble.

"Do X and you will be saved!" But how do you know that you are doing X with sufficient sincerity, passion and intensity? There are only two ways. Either you doubt that you have met the requirements, leading to fear and anxiety. Or you believe you have, leading to complacency and self-righteousness. Fear or vanity – there is no escape.

In either case, it is man who seeks to remain in control. He wants to place demands on God, expecting Him to fulfil His part of the bargain. But this transactional mindset leads to superficiality – it does not cultivate true self-knowledge or an examined life.

”It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God,” said Jesus. But it is hardly any easier for those who have a transactional faith and don’t want to let go of their illusions of privilege and entitlement. When Jesus’ disciples realised how difficult it was, they were terrified. ”Who then can be saved?” they asked. ”Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For men it is impossible, but not for God. For with God all things are possible.’”

The Reformation tradition teaches that man cannot save himself. We must relinquish our imagined privileges and illusions of control. At first, this idea may seem unsettling – even frightening. But in the end, it is profoundly liberating.