“He Loves Our Nation”: A Paradigm of Effective Governance in Luke 7:1-10

Abstract

Good governance remains the aspiration of societies across all ages. Various civilizations wrestled with the art of governance. Nascent Christianity experienced similar struggle as do Church and today. Living out the Christian faith in today’s secular state continues to be a challenge, particularly in a world that is becoming increasingly pluralistic, and relativism appears accepted social norm. This times demand witnessing to the Gospel values of the common good. Scripture becomes a critical tool, particularly for Christians in government in Africa. This research proposes the story of the Centurion in Luke 7:1-10 as a paradigm of effective governance. The idea of an occupying military official as one who “loves our nation,” smacks on irony. Love remains a radical Gospel value of progress in society. The study draws insights from the works of biblical scholarship and theologians. It employs historical criticism, new historicism as well as literary-cultural analysis to show that the art of governance in the Lukan text has a hermeneutical purchase for Christians in government.