The sessions of the monthly colloquium in the spring term will be occupied with ideas and drafts for John Vincent’s new project of writing a volume on ‘Jesus and Politics’.
The December 13th meeting will discuss and plan the process of study sessions. Please bring suggestions on New Testament issues and passages and our own political issues and scenarios. We will decide together how to tack the work moving forward. This is an opportunity to get on board with a new writing project from the foundations.
UTU members welcome: 12 till 1:30 pm. Bring your own lunch, drinks are provided.
The Spring dates are 16 February, 14 March and 11th April. All at 12 noon.
Get in touch if you would like to join us or find out more.
I would like to know more about this undertaking.
When I, in my own experience, come across the work of, for example, the man who was the subject of the BBC documentary “Accidental Anarchist”, and his evolving passions, and too the written and everyday-living works of a guy like “Christi-Anarchy” author Dave Andrews, I am very much reminded of Christ, and that from that spirit and truth comes a power from within the people themselves to effect change, and true justice -as opposed to mere punishment- outwith corporate and governmental agendas, and that almost all true change has never really come from “the powers that be” but “bottom-up” from the people, whether it be workers rights, human rights, gender issues, health and safety at work, and so on.
It will often be argued by those who have vested interests in the powers that be, that if it weren’t for those powers that be, then none of the great social benefits or tenets would exist. And we must see that this is erroneous because the powers that be, and the big industries fought against abolition of slavery, fought against workers right, fought against pease movements, fought against human rights, racial right and so on almost EVERY TIME! And it was in fact from we, the little people, that the great positive social changes, transformations, have all mostly comes through by personal action in our own lives and communities.
Anarchism tends to have the accusation thrown at it for being the tool of bombers, terrorists, and so on, yet, when we have an unblinkered look at the world around us we tend to see UK and US policy more I line with terrorism and violence, and intimidation and the creation, deliberately mostly, of all those negative connotations.
To me Christ appears as both respectful of, and able to work alongside”Rome”, yet has that subversive anarchism at heart of ever a politic could be assigned Him.
Anarchy here meaning, of course, a humble, social way of people voluntarily or intentionally forming alliance and community, and by thus means empowering themselves to have worthwhile, or worthy lives.
And government, corporates, and even many local councils, rather than embracing any of this, seem not only at odds with it, but dead set against it! Which is pretty ignorant of all of them -and I can include many churches among this- as it would be through the encouraging of these truly Non-Governmental-Organizations (NGO’s) that they themselves would be best in turn served.
Taking away hierarchy does not tale away genuine authority.
For example, I may be an everyday anarchist, but I may also be studying, for example, how to paint a house. Therefor I go to one who is an authority in that matter, or even, a teacher.
NOTE: authority “in” and not over!
The powers that be would tend to imply that being anarchistic is anti-authority, however, in real life we find it the reverse, as in the main, current powers that be are generally not the “authorities” they visibly project themselves to be, but tend to impose (impostors) themselves OVER any persons who genuinely are the true authority in these matters (why do not teachers themselves make up a greater majority of members of education ministries in so called “democratic” “nations”?)
We see day in day out the continued abuse of power in the land to disempower it’s SUBJECTS (we are not truly citizens in this land having a Royal Family through whom we are legally subject and bound which was signed for us at birth via certification , which is rather dubious since we were not conscious as such at birth to have made this choice of sound mind) and take away anything which might strengthen their daily hand, be it libraries, welfare, and various institutions which technically were owned by us all and for all, which have been sold off and re-centralized in private hands, and now seeing more rights for corporations than which there are for real people.
Christ saw through all of this for what it was and is “..for those that persecute me will they also persecute you…”
He saw too religious powers who were more interested (how clever were Rome?) not losing their own gain from Ceasar, and also not losing their own power more than were they interested in the people.
The peolple had simply become a commodity for, for example the Passover celebrations which attracted thousands of people from all over the Hebrew lands, and almost all would have been paying tribute to the religious powers that were. Those powers were more interested in empowering their own institution and mechanisms than they were ever concerned about the people. Some may, however have resonated with that inner empathy and compassion, but felt stifled or too afraid to do anything about it. After all, any equivalents to publications would be owned by them, so, one step out of line would have you as the butt of their ostracism/excommunication.
It seems what many of us now call authority is but an intimidation bully of an imposter -that is who imposes oneself on a situation, institution, or person/s and by which means is not who they pretended to be in the process, much like education is less educating anymore, the health service is less healthy, the ministry for the environment is actually a body for tearing any greenness from this once green land apart for corporate benefit, and the list endlessly goes on untill WE STOP IT!
Everyone is essentially the same, whichever gender orientation, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion: we all are at some stage in turning towards, or away from Christ. And whether we are the figure-head of some body, or the street cleaner, it is up to us all to face Love, and face up to our personal.way to fit in and work for the greater good of our once green planet, and the dear creatures and people around us.
Hi John, I’m happy to contribute but need to know from you personally if you would want a contribution from me.
If I may on John’s behalf, he’d be very happy to have your contribution as would I.