CHAOS AT THE CAPITOL
WAS VIOLENCE JUSTIFIED IN THE CAPITOL PROTEST?
Key Facts
On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, several supporters of President Trump forcibly entered the Capitol Building to try and disrupt the counting of the votes of the electoral college. The siege lasted over four hours before the building was re-secured by the police and National Guard. [1]
5 people are dead in connection with the incident. 1 woman was shot trying to crawl through a broken window. 3 later died due to medical complications. 1 officer died Thursday after collapsing upon return to his precinct. [2]
The day of the event, Trump called for protesters to remain peaceful and go home, but also said, “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!” [3] He did not condemn their actions until the next day. [4]
Twitter has banned President Trump’s account and Facebook has suspended President Trump’s social media account until after the inauguration, perhaps indefinitely. [5]
Key Scriptures
1 Timothy 2:1-2 “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”
1 Peter 2:13-17 “Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”
Romans 13:1-5 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.”
Jeremiah 29:7 “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”
Proverbs 3:31 “Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways.”
Matthew 7:5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.”
Want to Know More?
Timelines of the events:
Russell Moore - The Roman Road from Insurrection
Focus on the Family - What the Bible Says About Political Rebellion and Revolution
The Gospel Coalition - Is Violent Resistance Ever an Option for Christians?
Application
January 6, 2021 will be a day remembered for a long time. Tens of thousands of supporters of President Trump had gathered in Washington D.C. to contest the counting of the electoral college votes being tallied by Congress. After a rally which President Trump spoke at, the crowd went to the Capitol Building where Congress was debating the electoral college vote. Unfortunately, things turned violent as several protesters broke through police lines, assaulted police officers, broke through doors and windows in order to try and get to the House and Senate chambers. The Capitol Building was breached by rioters claiming the election was stolen by the Biden administration. The Vice President and many members of Congress were evacuated. Some of the members of the House had to shelter in place in the House chamber or their offices. After the protesters occupied the Capitol building for four hours, the building was re-secured with reinforcements from the National Guard. In the aftermath, five are dead in connection with this incident. One woman had been shot while trying to climb through a window, three died from medical complications, and one police officer died the following day after collapsing upon return to his precinct.
In light of these events, it is worth asking the question of whether, as Christians, such actions could ever be justified. Many of the protestors were carrying signs or banners saying ‘Jesus 2020’ and ‘Jesus saves.’ Were they acting in accordance with Christian principles? And was the president’s response appropriate? This issue has multiple facets to be addressed, and we won’t be able to address every one. However, by looking at the actions of the protesters, the President, the public, and the media, Christians can more adequately respond to these events in a biblical manner.
What Does the Bible Say?
The Protestors
Along with many Evangelical faith leaders, we too condemn the actions of those at the capitol as an unchristian and immoral response to the situation. At this point, some Christians may argue that violence is sometimes necessary, and this is one of those times. However, the question of whether it is ever justified to use force against government authorities has a long tradition in Christianity and has been debated by many. You will find numerous opinions on this issue, and we can’t address all the different aspects here. However, when it comes to what occurred on January 6, Christians should stand in united condemnation of what occurred for several reasons.
On an individual level, violence is rarely, if ever, condoned. In the grand scheme of things, God desires peace (Psalm 34:14, Matthew 5:9, John 16:33). It was only due to sin that violence entered into this world (Genesis 4). The only circumstances in which Christians seem to be allowed to use force or violence are in self defense (Exodus 22:2-3, Luke 22:36) and acting under authorization from a government, such as when one is a soldier or police officer (Romans 13:4). Even under circumstances when it could be permitted, violence should be a last resort. Christians are called to be peacemakers rather than engaging in and exacerbating violent acts which may hurt our Christian witness (Proverbs 3:31, Hebrews 12:14).
Violence, if it is ever used, must be proportionate to the crime being committed. Unless someone is posing an imminent physical danger to you or someone else, Christians should not use violence (Genesis 9:6). Widespread voter fraud, even if true, is certainly not justification for threatening people or destroying property. Even if voter fraud is characterized as treason (which is a big stretch), Article 3, Section III of the Constitution demands that treason be dealt with in the courts, not by vengeful individuals.
God has given the authority to render justice to the government and our judicial system, not to mobs. Our country relies on the use of our judicial system to respond to crimes that have taken place. The accusation of our election being ‘stolen’ has been examined by the courts, and thus far, there has not been enough evidence to prove that claim in court. While many cases have been decided, others are still in process. As this review is taking place and when the final conclusions have been drawn, we should not take justice into our own hands (Rom. 12:19) or do what is right in our own eyes (Deut. 12:8). We should submit to the government that has been put in place to examine issues such as these (Rom. 13:4). Christians should have the humility to recognize their limited perspective (Prov. 14:12), trusting in the Lord to bring about true justice (Heb. 10:30). It is the result of a prideful heart and false confidence in our own judgment to violently break into the Capitol as a response to suspected voter fraud.
Our identity is in Christ’s heavenly kingdom, not in the results of elections in earthly kingdoms. Christians should not equate the kingdom of God with the kingdom of this world (John 18:36). This world is sinful and fallen, and while Christians should be involved in bringing about positive change, we are called to work for the lasting things of God’s kingdom. This means that, while we live here on this earth for a time, we should not put all our energy toward building the kingdoms of this world which will pass away (1 John 2:17). We can find ourselves working so hard to maintain a country with Christian principles that we can forget that our primary mission is to proclaim the gospel. America (or our political ideals) can become an idol when we place it before God. While it is great to have a country founded on Christian principles, Christians should not let America become an idol. Our primary focus should always be sharing the gospel and allowing it to change the hearts of people. The sin in the world is a symptom of the true problem which is their need for Jesus Christ (1 John 3:8).
Thus, while Christians have a right to protest or engage in civil disobedience, they should not use violence or vandalism as a means of fighting suspected voter fraud. While peaceful protest can be a great way to have one’s voice heard in our political system, this situation does not resemble such acts. These protestors’ actions were violent forms of protest, not done in self-defense, nor under authority of a government.
The President’s Response
A second question which should be addressed is whether President Trump’s response was adequate. While the violence and vandalism was occurring, President Trump, to his credit, did call for peace multiple times. However, this falls far short of what was needed from him during this situation.
Scripture calls for kings and other political leaders to distinguish and condemn evil (Proverbs 20:8, 20:26, 24:24-25). Proverbs 20:26 says, “A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the wheel over them.” This requires political leaders, including the president, to make clear, unambiguous statements which condemn evil. Unfortunately, President Trump did not do so until the next day.
The Bible warns against giving mixed signals or furthering moral uncertainty (Proverbs 6:12-15, 10:6-11, 16:30, Isaiah 5:20). Proverbs 6:12-15 warns us that, “A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.” While our Capitol Building was being vandalized; police officers were being assaulted; and congressmen, senators, and Vice President Pence were being evacuated, the country needed outright condemnation from the president. In that moment, mere calls for peace were inadequate and telling them, “We love you. You’re very special,” was inappropriate.
Additionally, several hours after the violence and vandalism started, the President equivocated on what was happening. In a tweet that was the impetus for his Twitter account being suspended, President Trump said, “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!” Even if you give him some benefit of the doubt, this tweet appears to be justifying (or at least giving cover for) what was happening at the Capitol several hours after it had begun. The Bible says that justifying the wicked is an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 17:15). This response was wrong, plain and simple.
While the president did call for peace, merely calling for peace was not enough that day. The nation needed moral clarity and condemnation of the evil that was occurring, not moral ambiguity or justifying the actions of the wicked.
The Public and Media’s Response
While we vehemently condemn this violence, we can simultaneously call out the hypocrisy of those who condemn certain violence and not others. We have seen similar issues of hypocrisy with the debate over lockdowns and protests. Many liberal political and institutional leaders have found themselves in a precarious position defending the violence of some BLM riots while condemning the violence of the Trump supporters at the Capitol. On the other hand, some conservative leaders and individuals are justifying the current violence while condemning the BLM violence. Christians should not act hypocritically with regard to either position. It is important to point out that these two riots have differences. Yet, we should be consistent in applying our Christian convictions to both. We should seek peace and not be lovers of the violence seen at both types of riots.
Conclusion
January 6, 2021 was a sad day for American history. Not only was the symbol of our government attacked, but several people are now dead. While such an issue is complex and should not be oversimplified, Christians should stand united in their condemnation of what these violent protesters did. These actions were immoral and unjustified. Likewise, our president’s response was inadequate, and he should be held accountable for his actions.
Christians are never called to use violence or vandalism as a solution to something like voter fraud. We are to be salt and light to a watching world, engaging in politics in such a way that brings glory to God, not acting shamefully and bringing disrepute upon his name (Matt. 5:13-16). We can simultaneously condemn the actions of these Trump supporters and condemn the hypocrisy that we have seen in the coverage of these events. As we seek wisdom on these issues, our loyalties should not be to a political party. Rather, we should seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
[1] https://apps.bostonglobe.com/nation/graphics/2021/01/us-capitol-riots-timeline/
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYKkQ3BOo
[5] https://abc7chicago.com/trump-twitter-bans-banned-from-realdonaldtrump/9476538/
[6] For example, many have raised concerns about the lack of police security or the possibility of a racial bias playing into the lack of force used against the protestors. There are many reasons that this disproportionate response may have taken place. While this is a very important topic, it has not captured the focus of our writing because for the time being, one can only speculate the reasons for response and whether there are racial motivations, police funding issues, misjudgment of dangers posed, or any other potential reason. This does not mean that the issue is not significant, but only that we cannot speak to the problem at this time without adequate information.
[7] Some might want to raise the objection that in the Old Testament, God commanded the Israelites to wage war and use violence to punish crimes. This is true, but there are huge differences between Israel and Christians today. First, Christians today are not in a national covenant with God. Our covenant with God is not tied to any land or national identity in the same way that it was with Israel (Genesis 12:2-3). Our covenant is through our mediator, Jesus Christ, who calls us to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9, Hebrews 9:15). Second, both the acts of waging war and punishing crime are done under the legitimate authority of government, not individuals (Romans 13:1-5). The Israelites, being in a national covenant with God, were acting as a nation, not as individuals. Third, acts of war against the Canaanites were at God’s directive. This was in order to fulfill his promise to Abraham as well as punish the nations for their wickedness (Deuteronomy 9:5). Such circumstances are not applicable to us today.