UK gathering explores Christianity and anarchism

-04/06/06

For people who think of Chri


UK gathering explores Christianity and anarchism

-04/06/06

For people who think of Christianity as an establishment religion and anarchism as a nihilist creed, a gathering this weekend organised by the group Jesus Radicals may come as a shock. It suggested that the two traditions can have a fruitful exchange.

The conference at All Hallows Church centre in Leeds brought together a range of thinkers and activists formed in their justice and peace work by their Christian faith, but also appreciative of the non-statist, autonomous progressive viewpoint associated with non-violent anarchism and syndicalism.

There have been parallel events taking place simultaneously in New Zealand and the United States.

They are influenced by Christian theologians such as Jacques Ellul, Walter Wink and Vernard Eller ñ who stress that the coming of the kingdom (or kin-dom) of God in Jesusí teaching and action is about the transformation of social and personal relationships and the abolition of hierarchies.

Leo Tolstoy, best-known for his classic War and Peace, is another thinker regularly name-checked. Many would also cite poet, artist and spiritual dissident William Blake, as well as historical movements like the Levellers and Diggers.

The evangelical writer Dave Andrews introduced some of these people and concepts to a wider audience some fifteen years ago with a book called Christianarchy, which stressed the biblical roots of rebellion against oppression.

And Jonathan Bartley, co-director of the UK Christian think-tank Ekklesia, has provocatively chosen to sub-title his forthcoming book on Faith and Politics After Christendom ìthe church as a movement for anarchyî ñ as a way of emphasising the role of small-scale communities and initiatives in helping to reshape the agenda once Christianity has ceased to collude with power and seek domination.

Jesus Radicalsí spokesperson Keith Hebden told Ekklesia on Friday that the popular perception of anarchism as a matter of lawlessness, beards and bombs is way out of date.

As well as pointing to a surprising strand of Christian thought on the matter, he says that ìlike the democratic tradition, anarchism is not one thing but a spectrum of ideasî, of which some are amenable to followers of Jesus and others are definitely not.

The meeting involved brainstorming sessions, opportunities to reflect, shared meal times, creative worship, and opportunities for dialogue with secular anarchists.

Perhaps the best-known political and academic figure to talk positively of anarchism these days is Noam Chomsky, described by Time magazine as maybe the most influential intellectual alive today.

Besides his pioneering work on linguistics at MIT in the USA, Chomsky (who has no religious affiliation) is a long-standing critic of American foreign policy and the political and religious right-wing. In a stream of books, interviews and broadcasts he has attacked the ëmilitary-industrial complexí and the stateís ëmanufacture of consentí.

The Christians and anarchism gathering, entertainingly entitled ëGod Save the Queení (the title of the Sex Pistolsí hit) stressed that discerning and critical faith is the heart of the matter, but also translating ideas into practical discipleship.

Some of the discussions and workshops were down-to-earth, said participants, and others more academic. The aim was an inclusive event to move forward radical Christian thinking and action.

Jesus Radicals, also a website (http://uk.jesusradicals.com/), has supporters in the USA too, including two Mennonites from the Anabaptist peace church tradition.

Being anti-war, communitarian and opposed to state religion, some modern Mennonites are seen as having an affinity with the peaceful wing of anarchism ñ though they can be deeply conservative, too, in places like Lancaster County.

ìIn an age of state violence and asymmetric terrorism, terms like ëradicalí and ëanarchistí can be off-putting and readily associated with unpleasant and coercive extremism,î one commentator told Ekklesia.

ìBut subversive, people-oriented ideas are at the heart of the Jesus movement, and were instrumental in Christís death at the hands of a political and religious elite.î

Those involved in the Christians and anarchism conference point positively to the new, levelling energy created out of the resurrection community and to the song by Mary mother of Jesus (The Magnificat) which talks of God ìbringing the mighty from their thrones, and exalting the humble and weekî.

[Also on Ekklesia: Faith and Politics After Christendom: The Church as a Movement for Anarchy – news about the forthcoming book by Jonathan Bartley. Purchase the book here; Faith and Politics after Christendom – the conference; Mission After Christendom by David Smith – Metanoia Books; The Church After Christendom by Stuart Murray Williams]


UK gathering explores Christianity and anarchism

-04/06/06

For people who think of Christianity as an establishment religion and anarchism as a nihilist creed, a gathering this weekend organised by the group Jesus Radicals may come as a shock. It suggested that the two traditions can have a fruitful exchange.

The conference at All Hallows Church centre in Leeds brought together a range of thinkers and activists formed in their justice and peace work by their Christian faith, but also appreciative of the non-statist, autonomous progressive viewpoint associated with non-violent anarchism and syndicalism.

There have been parallel events taking place simultaneously in New Zealand and the United States.

They are influenced by Christian theologians such as Jacques Ellul, Walter Wink and Vernard Eller ñ who stress that the coming of the kingdom (or kin-dom) of God in Jesusí teaching and action is about the transformation of social and personal relationships and the abolition of hierarchies.

Leo Tolstoy, best-known for his classic War and Peace, is another thinker regularly name-checked. Many would also cite poet, artist and spiritual dissident William Blake, as well as historical movements like the Levellers and Diggers.

The evangelical writer Dave Andrews introduced some of these people and concepts to a wider audience some fifteen years ago with a book called Christianarchy, which stressed the biblical roots of rebellion against oppression.

And Jonathan Bartley, co-director of the UK Christian think-tank Ekklesia, has provocatively chosen to sub-title his forthcoming book on Faith and Politics After Christendom ìthe church as a movement for anarchyî ñ as a way of emphasising the role of small-scale communities and initiatives in helping to reshape the agenda once Christianity has ceased to collude with power and seek domination.

Jesus Radicalsí spokesperson Keith Hebden told Ekklesia on Friday that the popular perception of anarchism as a matter of lawlessness, beards and bombs is way out of date.

As well as pointing to a surprising strand of Christian thought on the matter, he says that ìlike the democratic tradition, anarchism is not one thing but a spectrum of ideasî, of which some are amenable to followers of Jesus and others are definitely not.

The meeting involved brainstorming sessions, opportunities to reflect, shared meal times, creative worship, and opportunities for dialogue with secular anarchists.

Perhaps the best-known political and academic figure to talk positively of anarchism these days is Noam Chomsky, described by Time magazine as maybe the most influential intellectual alive today.

Besides his pioneering work on linguistics at MIT in the USA, Chomsky (who has no religious affiliation) is a long-standing critic of American foreign policy and the political and religious right-wing. In a stream of books, interviews and broadcasts he has attacked the ëmilitary-industrial complexí and the stateís ëmanufacture of consentí.

The Christians and anarchism gathering, entertainingly entitled ëGod Save the Queení (the title of the Sex Pistolsí hit) stressed that discerning and critical faith is the heart of the matter, but also translating ideas into practical discipleship.

Some of the discussions and workshops were down-to-earth, said participants, and others more academic. The aim was an inclusive event to move forward radical Christian thinking and action.

Jesus Radicals, also a website (http://uk.jesusradicals.com/), has supporters in the USA too, including two Mennonites from the Anabaptist peace church tradition.

Being anti-war, communitarian and opposed to state religion, some modern Mennonites are seen as having an affinity with the peaceful wing of anarchism ñ though they can be deeply conservative, too, in places like Lancaster County.

ìIn an age of state violence and asymmetric terrorism, terms like ëradicalí and ëanarchistí can be off-putting and readily associated with unpleasant and coercive extremism,î one commentator told Ekklesia.

ìBut subversive, people-oriented ideas are at the heart of the Jesus movement, and were instrumental in Christís death at the hands of a political and religious elite.î

Those involved in the Christians and anarchism conference point positively to the new, levelling energy created out of the resurrection community and to the song by Mary mother of Jesus (The Magnificat) which talks of God ìbringing the mighty from their thrones, and exalting the humble and weekî.

[Also on Ekklesia: Faith and Politics After Christendom: The Church as a Movement for Anarchy – news about the forthcoming book by Jonathan Bartley. Purchase the book here; Faith and Politics after Christendom – the conference; Mission After Christendom by David Smith – Metanoia Books; The Church After Christendom by Stuart Murray Williams]