“You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt”
(Deuteronomy 10:19).
“You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice”
(Deuteronomy 24:17 ).
Discussion questions:
- How can biblical principles of justice toward the vulnerable meaningfully inform public policy debates about immigration, poverty, and social inclusion without crossing into Christian nationalism?
- What practical secular ethical guidance can contemporary societies draw from Deuteronomy’s vision of decentralized governance and community empowerment?
- How can churches and faith communities responsibly and ethically contribute to secular political dialogue about mercy, justice, and accountability, especially in contexts of rising authoritarianism?
The political landscape of 2025, marked by the renewed Trump presidency, compels people of faith and moral conscience to seek thoughtful, ethical responses. In such times, the ethical vision found in biblical texts, especially the book of Deuteronomy, can be a powerful resource. Applying these insights, however, demands clear hermeneutical discernment. Martin Luther’s threefold hermeneutic distinction concerning the biblical Torah provides a valuable framework. Luther’s first “use” of the Old Testament law revolves around supporting civil law and justice. The second “use,” emphasized by Paul in the New Testament, entails the Torah’s power to reveal human sinfulness and the universal need for grace, drawing souls into a relationship with Jesus Christ. The third “use” occurs fully within Christian faith, where the Torah constructively guides believers in spiritual and ethical discipleship and formation. This essay specifically explores Luther’s first use of the law, emphasizing that biblical theology can and should engage secular political discourse without becoming a vehicle for Christian nationalism.
By “Christian nationalism” I mean any political ideology that conflates national identity with Christian faith, such that a secular government is encouraged to presuppose and legislate specifically biblical or Christian traditions and codes, even imposing such norms uncritically onto all citizens, regardless of their faith-stance. Misuse of the Torah in support of Christian nationalism might involve uncritically coopting biblical laws as secular statutes, enforcing ancient Israelite obligations such as Sabbath observance or the prohibition of idolatry. Such misuse undermines democratic pluralism and fails to appreciate the care and wisdom needed to discern the Torah’s contemporary relevance. There are basic questions of biblical interpretation and exposition here. How exactly do Torah stipulations of a covenant made with an ancient people relate to secular Americans?
Luther’s first use of the law addresses the Torah’s role in supporting civil order through its symbols, values, and principles. This use does not mandate religious belief or practice, nor does it impose scriptural texts directly onto secular legal systems. Rather, it contributes valuable spiritual perspectives to the public discourse of justice and societal care, respecting the boundaries between theological convictions and secular law. Christian nationalism misuses scripture as a basis for governmental policy, conflating national identity and divine mandate. Luther’s distinction thus helps guard against such misuse, ensuring biblical theology enriches rather than undermines democratic engagement.
Deuteronomy presents a robust vision of societal justice, especially highlighting care for vulnerable groups: the resident alien, the poor, and economically disadvantaged Levites. Such care is neither optional nor peripheral; it is fundamental to Israel’s identity and communal life. Texts such as Deuteronomy 10:17–19, 15:1–11, and 24:17–22 make clear that justice and compassion for marginalized persons are defining characteristics of any reverent, fully human community. This vision resonates deeply with contemporary political concerns such as immigration policy, economic disparity, and societal inequality, providing a spiritually rich perspective for secular reflection and policymaking.
The sabbatical year principle embedded in Deuteronomy (see Deut 15:1–11 on debt release) further articulates a broad value of social ethics. It definitively challenges economic exploitation, systemic inequality, and indifference toward vulnerability. These principles encourage a societal ethic that prioritizes communal well-being, equitable resource distribution, and genuine concern for those marginalized by economic structures. Importantly, these deeply rich ideals offer secular policymakers moral perspectives for creating economic and social policies that foster reverence, justice, and human dignity.
It is crucial to reiterate that using these texts as secular political resources does not advocate for the enforcement of obligations specific to any one religion. Instead, Deuteronomy’s torah offers insights that any just society might reasonably consider, based on principles of shared reverence and humanity, rather than religious adherence.
Another vital resource Deuteronomy provides for secular ethical reflection is its sharp critique of authoritarian power structures. The book envisions an ideal Israel intentionally structured around decentralized governance and shared communal responsibility, rejecting the hierarchical authoritarianism exemplified historically by nations like ancient Egypt and Assyria. This critique remains compelling in a political climate characterized by increased centralization of power and authoritarian rhetoric. More than 1200 political scientists have now signed a letter warning that Trump is undermining the rule of law and the basic constitutional principle of checks and balances. “Trump is using the classic elected authoritarian playbook,” according to Prof. Brendan Nyhan of Dartmouth College.
President Trump famously declared, “I alone can fix it,” reflecting a preference for centralized power rather than collaborative governance. We see this enacted in his administration’s noncompliance with court orders challenging its summary deportations of immigrants and international students, including those with valid visas and legal status.
Many see a constitutional crisis, since the executive branch is clearly not respecting our judiciary. Parallel tendencies toward consolidating power have emerged in higher education, where faculty across many institutions have noted a troubling erosion of shared governance. Faculty senates and committees report diminishing influence, while administrative and trustee decisions become less consultative, echoing broader authoritarian trends. Institutional checks and accountability are now threatened.
Deuteronomy empowers local communities, elders, and Levites rather than centralized institutions, advocating a political ethic characterized by accountability, local autonomy, and distributed authority. Thus, Deuteronomy references traditional, local leaders in the phrase “judges and officials” used at the start of its leadership section (Deut 16:18). Deuteronomy 1:9–18 directs that Israel’s judges be selected specifically from among tribal lineage heads. Other texts in Deuteronomy emphasize the traditional Israelite pattern of local elders’ judicial authority (e.g., Deut 21:1–9, 19; 22:15; 25:7).
Like Israel’s elders, its priestly line of Levites was rooted in the decentralized, lineage-based culture of pre-monarchic times. Occupying no tribal territory of their own, the Levites spread themselves throughout the land creating a sort of “social glue” nurturing community and mutuality. Deuteronomy goes out of its way to safeguard the Levites’ welfare, investing them with service at the land’s central shrine and altar and assigning them judicial responsibility at the highest level (see Deut 10:8; 17:8–12; 18:3–8; 21:5; 24:8). The Levites enjoy a highly symbolic close connection with Moses (himself a Levite), who entrusts them with preserving God’s torah (see Deut 17:18; 31:9, 25–26).
For contemporary secular political reflection, Deuteronomy thus offers a spiritual critique of authoritarianism and autocracy, advocating for political structures that are decentralized, accountable, and participatory. This ethical vision underscores the necessity of limiting concentrations of political power and promoting equitable, accountable governance, vital considerations for maintaining democratic integrity and societal justice.
Within faith communities, Deuteronomy’s Torah serves a role differing from its place in the public square. As part of Jewish and Christian Scripture, Deuteronomy remains the word of the Lord. Christians no longer directly abide by the law’s provisions in the way that ancient Israel was supposed to. The event of Christ, an eschatological watershed, transformed but did not terminate the Torah. Now we read, study, and digest the texts of the Torah for what they teach us about spiritual formation, ethical living, and communal identity (Luther’s “third use”). In my view, it is a great sadness that many contemporary Christians have little or no understanding of this “third use” of God’s revelation to Moses.
The focus of this essay, however, remains squarely on Luther’s first use of the law, particularly the profound contribution the text of Deuteronomy can make within the discussions and deliberations of secular society. Debate within the secular, public square is richest when free, open, and inclusive of the distinctive values and traditions of all society’s groups and communities. We are strongest when our deliberations uncover our greatest common denominators, not when we settle for the lowest denominator.
Unlike settling for the “lowest common denominator,” which implies rationalist or reductionist agreement stripped of distinctive richness, seeking the “greatest common denominator” means bringing forward deeper values, spiritual insights, and shared archetypal aspirations that different communities might jointly affirm. Sharing our various scriptures is crucial to the public, secular process I have in mind. Of course, distinguishing between the three uses of scriptural instruction and commandment is essential. While Jewish and Christian faith communities are deeply nourished internally by Deuteronomy’s vision, secular application remains a dialogue and not an imposition or discussion stopper.
After over half a millennium, Martin Luther’s “first use” of the law remains a thoughtful hermeneutic for employing Deuteronomy’s values within secular political discourse, contributing critically and constructively to contemporary societal challenges without falling prey to an ignorant Christian nationalism. Deuteronomy’s emphasis on justice for vulnerable populations, equitable economic structures, and shared, balanced governance offers vital ethical insights for American society today, particularly as it navigates the complexities of political authoritarianism, immigration, and economic injustice.
Ultimately, theological reflection on Deuteronomy invites secular communities to adopt principles of communal care, societal justice, and political accountability as foundational political commitments. Far from imposing religious doctrines onto secular governance, this approach enriches democratic discourse by introducing profound spiritual perspectives that encourage genuine social justice, mercy, and equity for all people.