The Theological Declaration of Princeton: an Addendum to the Theological Declaration of Barmen

  1. Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave … Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth … love your neighbor as yourself (Phil 2:6–8, Mt 5:5, Mt 22:39)

    Jesus Christ established a kingdom where the power relationships are inverted, which calls on members not to exercise power but to cede power and become a servant exercising love.

    We reject as false doctrine the notion that the church can exercise power while following the commandment to love and the notion that the Church should have power in a culture, society or political structure outside its ability to show love.

  2. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven … You know that the rulers of the gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you … Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword … (Mt 18:4, Mt 20:25, Mt 26:52)

    Jesus Christ is the servant of servants. The power dynamic in the gospel is inverted. He never applied power coercively against those whom he did not have an agreed foundation of belief.

    We reject the false doctrine that it is the responsibility of the church to coercively force those who do not share our beliefs to act in accordance with our perceived morality and that the state should be used by the church as a proxy to enforce the church's morality.

  3. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others … If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread … You cannot serve God and wealth (Phil : 3–4, Mt 4:3, Mt 6:24)

    Jesus Christ did not use power in his own self-interest but instead to benefit those without power, to the detriment of himself and his followers.

    We reject as false doctrine that the use of power for personal advancement is compatible with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

  4. I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me … Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’ (Matthew 25:43, Mt 25:45–46)

    Jesus Christ was the Servant of Servants who cared for the powerless, even those were different from him, not allowing identity such as national or cultural to interfere.

    We reject as false doctrine that the Church can advocate the denial of the service to the powerless that Christ commands on any grounds, including national status, legal status, cultural origin, or the church's morality.

  5. If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone (Mt 4:6) … And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” (Mk 8:12)

    Jesus Christ always exercised power intentionally both in the service of the Father and others lacking power, never was the exercise of power or its display an end in itself.

    We reject as false doctrine that the display of power by the church, including political and economic, furthers the kingdom of God and brings new followers to the church.

  6. All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me … No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. (Mt 4:9, 6:24)

    Jesus Christ never allied himself with unrepentant powers that carry on committing evil in order to achieve a desirable end.

    We reject as false doctrine that the Church can control the powerful by supporting them as they perpetrate evil in exchange for favor, including in the political realm by electing unrepentant individuals to receive ends such a favorable judiciary.