“What is interesting here in Daniel (Daniel 3: 13-18)…is the conflation of anarchism and atheism. You’ll recall that the word “atheist” was coined by the Romans to describe the early Christians. This was because Christians rejected the gods of the Romans, denied their legitimacy, ultimacy and existence.

In short, there is a conflation between the rulers/rule of a nation and the pantheon of gods supporting it and conferring legitimacy. To be an anarchist, then, one also has to be an atheist. The two go hand in hand. And we see this clearly in Daniel. To say no to the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar is to refuse to worship his idol.

This duality sits at the heart of the Old Testament in the experience of the Exodus. Moses emancipates slaves by revolting against both the rule and divinity of Pharaoh. To the Egyptians Moses was both an atheist–in his denial of their divinities, Pharaoh among them–and an anarchist. The political and the spiritual go hand in hand.”

The above quote comes from Richard Beck as he reflects on the writing of Jacques Ellul. I really do appreciate their collective ideas here surrounding idolatry, atheism, and anarchism and submit that this is why apophatic theology, such as that explored by the Christian mystical tradition, and taught by contemporary folks like Catherine Keller, Pete Rollins, Richard Rohr etc., is so necessary in not just faith-life but life as a whole.

Anyway, I once heard a theologian say that every time they prayed, they prayed to an idol. At the time I didn’t really get what was being said but now I have a better understanding. My, my, how quickly we create idols. Let us pay attention to these idols together and refuse them as they arise the way Daniel did by refusing Nebuchadnezzar‘s defiling wine and flesh, perhaps becoming anarchist-vegan-punks in the process who take seriously Jesus’ radical nonviolence which always pursues universal love, universal peace, and universal compassion for all God’s creatures and the Earth. Amen.

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Painting above by i wayan sudarsana yansen

Tags:anarchyAtheismchristian anarchyJacques EllulJesuspoliticsRichard Beck