Christian Anarchism

[Soma-Sight]

Christian anarchism

(also known as Christian libertarianism) is the belief that the only source of authority to which Christians are ultimately answerable is God, embodied in the teachings of Jesus. Christian anarchists feel that earthly authority such as government or the Christian Church do not, and should not, have power over them.

Some Christian anarchists, such as Ammon Hennacy, are pacifists opposing the use of both proactive (offensive) and reactive (defensive) physical force. These individuals believe freedom will only be guided by the grace of God if they show compassion to others and turn the other cheek when confronted with violence. Other Christian anarchists, like Jacques Ellul, believe in self-defense when confronted with violence [1]. However most would traditionally agree that violence on behalf of what is essentially an abstraction like a country or a government would not be acceptable to them. Many arrive at Christian anarchism as they oppose governments using physical force.

Anarchist Biblical literalists also suggest there is complete compatibility between the Bible and anarchism. They claim that one of the reasons Jesus was so unpopular with the Sanhedrin is that he was viewed as an anarchist inspiring a rebellion and a threat to the status quo.

Adherents believe freedom is justified spiritually through the teachings of Jesus, some of whom are critical of the Church. They believe all individuals can directly communicate with God and will eventually unify in peace under Monotheism.

Many regard Leo Tolstoy's The Kingdom of God is Within You [2] (1894) to be a key text in Christian anarchism. Tolstoy called for a society based on compassion, nonviolent principles and freedom. Leo Tolstoy's work was one of the inspirations behind Mahatma Gandhi's use of nonviolent resistance during India's struggle for independence.

Some Christian pacifists oppose war and other statist aggression through tax resistance, while others submit to taxation. Adin Ballou wrote that if the act of resisting taxes requires physical force to withhold what a government tries to take, then it is important to submit to taxation. Ammon Hennacy, who like Ballou also believed in nonresistance, managed to resist taxes without using force.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_anarchism

 

[Soma-Sight]

Anarchist Biblical views and principles

Many Christian anarchists hold a higher critical view of the Bible and therefore do not feel obliged to follow the complete text as law. They base their beliefs on what they think are the simple principles and historic messages of Jesus, rather than obediently following every passage in the Christian Bible. Leo Tolstoy and Ammon Hennacy subscribed to this philosophy. Thomas Jefferson, antifederalist, deist, and the third president of the United States, said that the actual teachings of Jesus of Nazareth are as easy to distinguish as diamonds in a dunghill. His textual extraction, "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth", preserves Jesus' views against human intervention.

Anarchists advocating self-defense often cite Luke 22:36, where Jesus told his followers they should "sell their garment" to buy a sword if they didn't have one. Other anarchists point out that Jesus often spoke in riddles and parables, and that this verse is no different. These individuals believe that garment (or cloak) is a metaphor for self-protection, and sword for a righteous tongue preaching God's words, even if this meant martyrdom.

A few of the key historic messages many Christian anarchists practice are the principles of nonviolence, nonresistance and turning the other cheek, which are illustrated in many passages of the New Testament and Hebrew Bible (e.g. the sixth commandment, Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17, "You shall not murder"). Some Christian anarchists, such as Tolstoy and Hennacy, even extend this belief to include animals through vegetarianism or veganism.

Some regard groups like the Amish and Mennonites, who even though they may not see themselves as such, as anarchists by their complete dedication to pacifism and opposition to participate in coercion or violence sanctioned by the state. However many Mennonites vote, participate in political campaigns, even run for public office, accept protection by police and governmental institutions, or serve on juries which are ostensibly not characteristic of anarchists. Being pacifists though limits their participation in the state.

One challenge to the legitimacy of states and state control is found in Luke 4:5-8, during the Temptation of Christ, where the Bible quotes Satan as claiming dominion over all the nations of the earth and Jesus replies that not only will he not worship before Satan, but that God is the only authority to be "served". This passage does not directly refer to human rulers. However sometimes it may be necessary to disobey human rulers in order to obey God (Acts 4:19).

The most common challenge for the Biblical literalists is integrating the passage in Romans 13:1-7 where Paul defends obedience to "governing authorities." Christian anarchists who subscribe to Paul's teachings argue that this chapter is particularly worded to make it clear that organizations like the Roman Empire cannot qualify as governing authorities. If it could, then, according to Paul, "they [Christians] would have praise from the authorities" for doing good. Instead the early Christians were persecuted by the Roman Empire for doing good, and became martyrs. Further, the "governing authorities" that are legitimate in the passage were never given the authority to make laws, merely to enforce the natural laws against "doing harm to a neighbor" in verses 8-10. This interpretation makes all statute laws of states illegitimate.

Ernst Kaseman, in his "Commentary on Romans," has challenged the usual interpretations of Romans 13 in light of German Luthern Churches using this passage as justifacation to support the Holocaust.


Biblical passages cited by anarchists

You shall not murder (Exodus 20:13).
At the end of every seven years you shall grant a remission of debts (Deuteronomy 15:1).

You shall not charge interest to your countrymen: interest on money, food, or anything that may be loaned at interest.You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your countrymen you shall not charge interest, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land which you are about to enter to possess (Deuteronomy 23:18-19).

6 Is this not the fast which I choose,To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke? 7 Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh? (Isaiah 58:6-7).

Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword (Matthew 26:52).

Do to others what you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12).

Love your neighbour as yourself (Mark 12:31).

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you (Luke 6:27).

But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also (Matthew 5:39).

If someone wants to sue you and take your coat, let him have your shirt as well. (Matthew 5:40).

Do not judge, less you be judged. (Matthew 7:1).

Do not swear oaths at all (Matthew 5:34).

Let he who has not sinned throw the first stone (John 8:7)

We must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).

Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.(Luke 6:30).

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined, let man not separate.(Matthew 19:6)

If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. (Matthew 19:21)

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:27-28)

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12).

Anarchist Biblical interpretations

All of the Book of Exodus, seen as a revolution inspired, lead, and achieved by God on behalf of the oppressed.

To seek rule by man is to reject the rule of God (1 Samuel 8).

Honest people are too busy making an honest living to accept political power, so only the corruptible will accept political power (The Parable of the Trees Judges 9:7-15).

The devil controls man-made governments (Matthew 4:8-10).

The gentiles have rulers over them, but it shall not be so among Christians (Mark 10:42-45). (Notice that the word for rulers here in the Greek version is archos. Therefore some say Christians are by simple deduction an-archos or in English anarchists).