Christian anarchism

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AO; a symbol that is sometimes used

Various attempts to combine Christian faith with anarchist ways of thinking and acting are referred to as Christian anarchism . The Bible as well as the life and work of Jesus serve as the basis for a draft of an unruly and egalitarian social order that is identical or very similar to that of anarchism. Christian anarchists hold that "the premise of anarchism is inherent in Christianity and the gospel message ". Depending on the denominational starting point and the interpretation of various biblical passages, the specific design can differ from one another.

Definition and key aspects

A well-known definition of Christian anarchism comes from the autobiography of the American activist and Christian anarchist Ammon Hennacy :

“ A Christian anarchist is [...] someone who turns the other cheek, knocks down money changers' tables and doesn't need a police officer to behave well. A Christian anarchist does not depend on ballot boxes or bullets to achieve his ideal; he achieves this ideal every day through the One Man Revolution, with which he encounters a decadent, confused and dying world. "

Sebastian Kalicha describes Christian anarchism as follows:

“ Christianity is conceived in a way that ultimately amounts to something politically active in the workers' movement of the late 19th century began to refer to as' anarchism 'or' libertarian socialism '- and not, on political and social issues in spite of, but because of, what is written in the Bible. It is an anarchism that derives from the Bible and the life and ministry of Jesus. The Bible and the message of Jesus thus serve as the basis for arriving at similar or the same conclusions as those formulated by anarchist theorists: to regard the state with all its institutions and representatives as illegitimate, to reject capitalism as an economic system and an egalitarian, decentralized and A non-violent social order, free from oppression and exploitation, to be implemented in their place. "

The decisive factor is a libertarian reading and interpretation of the Bible - an anarchist exegesis . The Sermon on the Mount is often referred to in detail here , whereby this focus on the Sermon on the Mount is especially characteristic of the Christian anarchism of Tolstoism . Some Christian anarchists not only refer to the Bible in order to draw their anarchist conclusions, but also have reference points in "classical" anarchism, revolutionary socialism or (anarcho) syndicalism and connect these with their Christian faith. The French sociologist and Christian anarchist Jacques Ellul, for example, located his anarchism “close to Bakunin ” and had a. a. great sympathy for Spanish anarcho-syndicalism. Another example is the founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, Dorothy Day , who was heavily influenced by the writings of the anarcho communist Peter Kropotkin and the unionist Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). She was also on friendly terms with communists like Mike Gold and the IWW activist and feminist Elizabeth Gurley Flynn throughout her life .

Central to Christian anarchism is the conviction that God - embodied through the teachings of Jesus - is the only authority responsible for believers, and that the person is therefore solely indebted to their conscience . Therefore, the individual anarchism of Henry David Thoreau exercised a great attraction to Christian anarchists.

Most Christian anarchists believe that governments and churches should have no power over them or other people. Many believe that only anarchism in the form of a refusal to accept any institutional interpretation of the rules of faith is compatible with Jesus' preaching . They assume that they can come into direct contact with God and that they do not need a priesthood. In many cases, anarchist criticism is expressed in latent or open anti-clericalism . Christian anarchism appeals to early Christianity with the community of goods of the early Jerusalem community and its demand for a simple life .

The majority of Christian anarchists are strictly pacifist or non-violent - for example Tolstoy, Ellul, Ortt, Day, Hennacy, and many others. Radical non- violence is often the decisive foundation for the rejection of rule and exploitation in non-violent and Christian anarchism. In terms of content, there is therefore overlap with religious-pacifist currents, but also with liberation-theological , religious-socialist and Christian-mystical approaches.

Christian anarchists criticize the development of the Christian churches. In many cases Paul is held responsible for turning away from the early Christian principles of non-violence, simple life and freedom. The Constantinian turning point as a connection between state and religion is particularly rejected . At this point, Christian anarchist and non-religious anarchist criticism often overlap.

History of Christian Anarchism

There are some historical groups and personalities who are traditionally considered to be the inspiration and impetus for Christian anarchism. These include, for example , the Waldensian movement, which was founded in the late 12th century and was persecuted by the Inquisition , and the lay theologian Petr Chelčický (probably inspired by Waldensians) in the 15th century . Leo Tolstoy, in turn, referred positively to his teachings and ideas, as did the anarchist Gustav Landauer , for example . In his work, The Revolution, Landauer wrote about Chelčický that he had tried “to save Christianity as a spirit” and that he had recognized that “Church and state are the mortal enemies of Christian life”. But Francis of Assisi and his poverty movement are also considered by many Christian anarchists of the 20th century to be the forerunners of Christian anarchism. It is no coincidence, for example, that the co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, Peter Maurin , is repeatedly compared to Francis of Assisi. The English Diggers , founded by Gerrard Winstanley in 1649 , also have a clearly recognizable Christian-anarchist dimension. The abolitionist , socialist and Tolstoyan Adin Ballou , who founded the Christian, egalitarian-socialist Hopedale Community in the US state of Massachusetts in 1842 , is also considered an early representative of Christian anarchism.

An influential book was and is Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy's The Kingdom of Heaven in you , which was decisive for the development of so-called Tolstoyanism . The Christians among the Tolstoyans tried to develop his ideas further in the sense of Christian anarchism. Tolstoyans tried to live and spread Tolstoy's ideas in different parts of the world, for example by founding settlements, setting up schools or with magazines. In Austria there were z. B. The Tolstoy-influenced magazine Der G'rode Michl by the Christian anarchist Franz Prisching. In the Netherlands, Christian anarchists such as Felix Ortt and Lodewijk van Mierop founded the Tolstoyan magazine Vrede . Tolstojanism had its heyday between 1890 and 1930.

In the Netherlands, after Tolstojanism gradually lost its importance as a movement, many Tolstojaners and Christian anarchists got involved in the Association of Religious Anarcho-Communists ( Bond van Religieuze Anarco-Communists ; BRAC), which was active between 1920 and 1932 and also non-religious Had members. The Christian anarchist pastor Année Rinzes de Jong was the chairman of the BRAC. The organization was considered "a lot more radical [...] than the old Vrede movement of the Tolstoyans".

In the 20th century, the founders and many activists of the Catholic Worker Movement have an anarchist background. Although the role of anarchism has been critically discussed among Catholic Workers, many in the movement - including founders Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin - have consistently and positively related to it. In addition, the Catholic Worker movement - in addition to the numerous religious and spiritual points of reference - is influenced by different left currents and theories such as revolutionary syndicalism ( IWW ), anti-authoritarian socialism , personalism ( Emmanuel Mounier , Nikolai Berdjajew ), English distributism , the Tolstojanismus , the communist anarchism and the pacifism and anti-militarism .

Current structures and activities

The Catholic Worker movement currently has 216 communities in the US and 33 in other countries. Catholic Worker Communities in Europe organize, among other things, an annual conference called European Catholic Worker and maintain ten communities in six countries. For several years now, the “European Christian Anarchist Conference” has been taking place on the Catholic Worker Farm in England , parallel to the annual meetings of the European Catholic Workers.

As a subgroup in the British Anarchist Studies Network (ASN), the group Academics and Students Interested in Religious Anarchism (ASIRA) was formed in September 2008 during an ASN conference at Loughborough University . ASIRA is therefore primarily active in the academic field, promotes scientific research on the subject of religious and Christian anarchism and participates in the annual ASN conference with its own lectures and workshops.

In the USA , Christian anarchists organize among others with Jesus Radicals . Jesus Radicals sees itself as a "network of Christians who are also anarchists" and was founded in 2000. The network has held several meetings and conferences and publishes the Christian-anarchist online magazine Rock! Paper! Scissors! as well as a podcast called Iconocast . In addition, Jesus Radicals provides online texts on topics such as anarchism , biblical exegesis , liberation theology , direct action , feminism , nonviolence , queer theory , veganism and anti-racism in their “People's Library” .

In Australia and New Zealand there is the Christian anarchist group South Pacific Christian Anarchists (SPCA). It was founded in July 2006 at a conference in New Zealand and has been active in various fields since then. At SPCA, people organize themselves who, according to their own account, “want to explore the similarities between Christian and anarchist traditions”. SPCA also holds regular meetings and has so far published two editions of a zine called Co-opted - Kia Ngaatahi . Acts of civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance were also initiated by members of the group, primarily in anti-militarist and globalization-critical contexts.

Well-known representatives

literature

  • Jens Harms (ed.): Christianity and anarchism. Contributions to an unresolved relationship . Athenaeum, Bodenheim 1988, ISBN 978-3-610-09111-8 .
  • Sebastian Kalicha (ed.): Christian anarchism. Facets of a libertarian current . Verlag Graswurzelrevolution, Heidelberg 2013, ISBN 978-3-939045-21-2 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Ciaron O'Reilly (1982): The Anarchist Implications of Christian Discipleship . In: Social Alternatives Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 9–12, here p. 9.
  2. ^ Ammon Hennacy (1965): The Book of Ammon . Salt Lake City, no page number.
  3. ↑ Sebastian Kalicha (2013): Dimensions of Libertarian Exegesis. Reflections on the relationship between anarchism and Christianity. P. 13–49, here P. 14. In: Sebastian Kalicha (Ed.): Christian Anarchismus. Facets of a libertarian current . Verlag Graswurzelrevolution, Heidelberg.
  4. ↑ Jacques Ellul (2011; orig. 1988): Anarchy and Christianity . Eugene / Oregon, Wipf and Stock Publishers. P. 13.
  5. ↑ Dorothy Day (2006; orig. 1938): From Union Square to Rome. Maryknoll / New York, Orbis Books.
  6. ↑ Wojciech Iwanczak (1997): Between pacifism and anarchy. Peter Chelčický's teaching about society . In: Journal of Medieval History, Vol. 23, No. 3, p. 272.
  7. ↑ Gustav Landauer (2003; orig. 1907): The Revolution . Unrast Verlag, Münster, p. 67.
  8. ^ Tripp York (2009): Living on Hope while living in Babylon. The Christian Anarchists of the 20th Century. Wipf & Stock, Eugene / Oregon, p. 54.
  9. ^ Peter Marshall (2008): Demanding the Impossible. A History of Anarchism . Harper Perennial, London, New York, Toronto, Sydney, pp. 74-86, pp. 96-108.
  10. ↑ Alexandre Christoyannopoulos (2010): Christian Anarchism: A Political Commentary on the Gospel , Imprint Academic, Exeter, pp. 202f.
  11. ↑ Alexandre Christoyannopoulos (2010): Christian Anarchism: A Political Commentary on the Gospel , Imprint Academic, Exeter, pp. 19 and 208.
  12. ^ Reinhard Müller (2006): Franz Prisching. G'roder Michl, pacifist and self-employed. Verlag Graswurzelrevolution / Verlag Gemeinde Hart bei Graz, Nettersheim / Hart bei Graz.
  13. ^ Karl Lammerhuber (1993): The "G'rode Michl". Portrait of an anarchist magazine. Publisher Monte Verita, Vienna.
  14. ↑ Dennis de Lange (2016): You are the revolution! Tolstojanism as a social movement in the Netherlands. Verlag Graswurzelrevolution, Heidelberg, pp. 77-106.
  15. ↑ Dennis de Lange (2016): You are the revolution! Tolstojanism as a social movement in the Netherlands. Verlag Graswurzelrevolution, Heidelberg, p. 139.
  16. ↑ Tom Cornell (2013): Dorothy Day, Ammon Hennacy and Anarchism. Life and Work of Two Catholic Workers . In: Sebastian Kalicha (ed.): Christian anarchism. Facets of a libertarian current . Verlag Graswurzelrevolution, Heidelberg 2013, cf. especially pp. 140-144.
  17. ^ Mark Zwick / Louise Zwick (2005): The Catholic Worker Movement. Intellectual and Spiritual Origins. Paulist Press, New York / Mahwah.
  18. ↑ Sebastian Kalicha (2013): Dimensions of Libertarian Exegesis. Reflections on the relationship between anarchism and Christianity . In: Sebastian Kalicha (ed.): Christian anarchism. Facets of a libertarian current . Verlag Graswurzelrevolution, Heidelberg 2013, p. 15.
  19. ^ Directory of Catholic Worker Communities at catholicworker.org , accessed May 3, 2018.
  20. ↑ Annual Gathering at eurocatholicworker.org , accessed on May 3, 2018.
  21. ↑ European Christian Anarchist Conference 2018 at thecatholicworkerfarm.org , accessed on May 3, 2018.
  22. ↑ ASIRA website at anarchist-studies-network.org.uk , accessed on May 3, 2018.
  23. ↑ About Jesus Radicals , accessed May 3, 2018.
  24. ↑ Rock! Paper! Scissors! , accessed on May 3, 2018.
  25. ↑ Iconocast , accessed May 3, 2018.
  26. ↑ Jesus Radicals Library , accessed May 3, 2018.
  27. ↑ About SPCA , accessed May 3, 2018.
  28. ↑ SPCA Resources , accessed May 3, 2018.
  29. ↑ See Simon Moyle (2013): Christian Anarchism. Thoughts on theory and practice. In: Sebastian Kalicha (ed.): Christian anarchism. Facets of a libertarian current. Verlag Graswurzelrevolution, Heidelberg 2013, pp. 105–115.
  30. ^ Giuseppe Galzerano: Giovanni Passannante . Galzerano editore, Casalvelino Scalo, 2004.