Biblical scripture does not tell us about the death of the Apostle Paul. How did he die? In 2 Timothy 4:6–8, Paul is said to have been in prison and claims to have finished his course, fighting the good fight of faith. The last we hear about him he is in prison in Rome in Acts 28 under some sort of house arrest. Acts leaves Paul’s final days in question.
The January 6 committee has subpoenaed former president Donald Trump to produce requested documents by Nov. 4 and to sit for a deposition on Nov. 14. Whether a former president can be forced to testify before Congress or not is a complex legal question beyond my purpose today. Rather, I want to ask whether this issue advances autocracy or democracy and then to think biblically about the enormous ramifications of this issue for our lives and for our nation.