Extravagant Community

I cringe when I hear Christians respond to the "spiritual but not religious" by extolling the importance of community. Yes, we all need community for spirituality. We are social creatures. 

They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each
as any had need. Acts 4:35 NRSV  Photo by Tim Graves

But, while there is truth in this response it is based upon an unproven assumption. That is, that the "spiritual but not religious" lead the lives of hermits never talking with friends about their faith journeys. The community-defense also assumes that community must take an organized form. It does not.

More troublesome about the community-defense, however, is that it allows followers of Jesus to avoid our own failings. Too often churches are not places of community. Community is about caring for one another in deep ways. It is about assuring that everyone has their basic needs met. The reality is we spend more time worshiping consumerism and capitalism than we do sharing with our neighbor--even those within our churches. 

Too many churches have within their midst those struggling in very real ways while others live in relative laps of luxury. Aside from this being contrary to the teachings of our purported savior, the attitude of the relatively wealthy community members disturbs me. In my experience, when help is provided it comes with strings and pettiness. We reflect the resentment of a culture that elevates rugged individualism to idolatry.

Within this context of blaming the victim, we operate not out of extravagant love but out of begrudging duty. We do not believe that Jesus fed the whole crowd with a few loaves and fish. We fear that if we give too much to someone, even someone within our own community, there will not be enough for us. 

Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ Mark 12: 29-31 NRSV (Read in context.)

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.  Acts 4: 32-35 NRSV (Read in context.)

Trustworthy God of Abundance,

You give extravagant,

   undeserved grace.

We give out of love,

   limited by our human fears and worries.

Help us to trust in your abundance,

   help us to love you as you love us.

Help us to give lavishly to others,

   within the koinonia,

   and to the whole human family.

Amen  

Capitalism & Christianity?

"The poverty of our century is unlike that of any other. It is not, as poverty was before, the result of natural scarcity, but a set of priorities imposed upon the rest of the world by the rich. Consequently, the modern poor are not pitied...but written off as trash. The twentieth-century consumer economy has produced the first culture for which a beggar is a reminder of nothing." -John Berger

I'm as guilty as the next American. I have more than I truly need while others, in this country and world, do not have what they need. We are part of a sinful system. This is the systemic sin of radical, globalized capitalism. Do not misunderstand me; this is not the community-focused capitalism of the past. 


In community-focused capitalism a shopkeeper, for example, provides products to the community. The shopkeeper, who lives in the community and is invested in its survival, provides this product because it is needed. Product decisions are made primarily based upon what is good for the community. The shopkeeper earns a fair profit for his or her troubles. This model can co-exist with the values Jesus taught because all in the community play a role in seeking the common good.


In radical, globalized capitalism products are marketed to communities based on profit potential. The corporate shopkeepers, who make decisions, do not live in our communities so they have no idea what is good for it. Profit is the prime motivator. If profit could be raised by moving a factory from one place to another, it is done. Because profit is the goal, the devastation to communities is irrelevant. This model cannot exist with the values Jesus taught because the common good is not the goal.


The culture of radical, globalized capitalism creates a mythology that teaches that wealth equals high morals. It teaches that poverty is the result of poor morals. It teaches that our purpose in life is to accumulate things. Things, using creation and others for our own profit are the focus. 


This is not the gospel of Jesus. The teachings of Jesus lead us to economics that focus on relationship, on the one-ness of humanity, on the wholeness of creation.  


Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. Acts 2: 43-47 NRSV Read this passage in context.

Learning to Share

There is an image, images really, that has been going around Facebook and Google+ during the last week. The top image is of protesters from Occupy Wall Street and the bottom image is of emaciated, starving children reaching for food. In the image are the words, "In America, you are the 99% but to the rest of the world you are still the 1%." The caption below the images reads, "When you win your battle, remember the war is not over yet."

I was reminded of this image this morning as I sought to start the coin-operated dryer in my building. It didn't start. I pulled my smartphone out of my pocket, called the service number, and took my wet clothes out of the dryer. I got into my not-very-old car and drove three-quarters of a mile to the laundromat. Aggravating? Annoying? For sure.


I am wealthy by world standards. I use more than my share of resources. If you're American, you likely do, too. 


We are a wealthy nation. We are only 5% of the world population using far beyond our share of global resources. For example, the United States "uses about a quarter of the world’s fossil fuel resources." (1) Despite my efforts at downsizing, I never worry about my next meal (2). Despite the growing inequity between the American 99% and the 1%, that needs to be addressed, my problem this morning was miniscule.


Abundant Creator God,


Thank you for the gift of a world of abundant resources. May I be more generous and less selfish. Help me focus more on gathering only what I need today and leave the rest for others. Help me to share the abundance that you provide so that all of your people will have enough, wherever they live on this planet.


Amen.


(1) Worldwatch Institute, The State of Consumption. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/810


(2) See my previous posts on "Emptying Barns"

We are the 100%!

We are the 99%! This catchy and effective mantra of the Occupy Wall Street movement is helping protesters to point out the shameful disparity in power and income in our country. I fully support and stand with the protesters. The growing gap between the haves and have nots is troubling and has infected our political system and governance. In short, money talks. Money buys power. Money and power isolate the 1% from the 99%.

I have no doubt that Jesus would stand with the disenfranchised, the poor, the marginalized. (See especially Matthew 25: 31-46 but also read the full breadth of Jesus' teachings.) He stood with the 99% over two-thousand years ago. A core tenet of faith for followers of Jesus is care for all but particularly for the "least of these." Liberation theologians, with whom I have much affinity, believe that Jesus professed a "preferential option" for the poor and oppressed peoples of the world. 

My concern is that a small minority of the rhetoric of the Occupiers demonizes the 1%. As a follower of Jesus, the One who fully took in the breath of God and responded lovingly to God's luring, I believe that both the 99% and the 1% possess the Divine within them. When we demonize the 1% or the 99% or any individual or group, we have failed to respond to God's will. When we demonize others, we imply that they are less than human. 

When we demonize the 1% we undercut the implicit claim of the Occupy Wall Street movement: all people are worthy of the abundance of the Earth's resources. 

Human beings are social, communal creatures. As such, we instinctively know that we need one another. The infant reaches out to the parent for nourishment and protection and receives it. "Is there anyone among you who . . . if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion?" (Luke 11: 11a, 13b NRSV See in context.)

We are the 100%. Those who use their power and money for their own gains at the expense of the whole should and are being called out for their excesses, just as I am calling out the minority among the Occupiers who demonize the 1%. The well-being of each individual and of the whole of humanity is harmed by current global economics. We are all interconnected whether we like it or not. 

When the Occupiers call for a more equitable economic system, for a voice in the political system, for a level playing field, they are calling for something that is good not just for the 99% but for the 100%. 

We are the 100%, each of us created in the image of an abundantly loving God who has provided enough for all of us. Our job is to share.

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. (Acts 4: 32-34 NRSV See in context.)