Christian communism
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Christian communism is a theological view that the teachings of
There are those who hold the view that the
History
Christian communism was based on the concept of
Church Fathers
The early
European High Middle Ages
From the
Around 1300, the Apostolic Brethren in northern Italy were taken over by Fra Dolcino, who formed a sect known as the Dulcinians, which advocated ending feudalism, dissolving hierarchies in the church, and holding all property in common.[18] The Peasants' Revolt in England has been an inspiration for "the medieval ideal of primitive communism", with the priest John Ball of the revolt being an inspirational figure to later revolutionaries,[19] and having allegedly declared that "things cannot go well in England, nor ever will, until all goods are held in common."[20]
Renaissance
In the 16th century, English writer
Reformation and early modernity
Several groupings in the
The
Beginning of the Age of Enlightenment
Criticism of the idea of
Late modern period
In
In the earliest years of the
In 1914 the American socialist leader
Early 20th century science fiction author and socialist Olaf Stapledon stated that "Marxism and Christianity spring from the same emotional experience".[43] Fidel Castro believed, "Christ chose the fishermen because he was a communist",[44] In his book "Fidel and Religion", Castro states that there is a "great coincidence between Christianity's objectives and the ones we Communists seek, between the Christian teachings of humility, austerity, selflessness, and loving thy neighbour and what we might call the content of a revolutionary's life and behaviour". Castro saw a similarity to his goals with the goals of Christ: "Christ multiplied the fish and the loaves to feed the people. That is precisely what we want to do with the Revolution and socialism", adding that, "I believe Karl Marx could have subscribed to the Sermon on the Mount".[45]
Nicaraguan
China
The participants of the
Basis
Christian communists typically regard biblical texts in Acts 2 and Acts 4 as evidence that the first Christians lived in a communist society.[10][11][12] Scholars generally agree that the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel of Luke were written by the same person. In Luke 12:33, Jesus commands his disciples to sell what they have and give alms, and in Luke 14:33 says that no one can be his disciple who has not forsaken all his possessions. Historians generally confirm the view that a form of communism was taught by Jesus and practised by the apostles.[3]
"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. ... 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. ... 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."[49]
— Acts 2:44–45, Acts 4:32–35
Among those historians who support the Christian communist view, Montero offers anthropological evidence that the practices recounted in Acts 4:32–35 were historical and were practised widely and taken seriously during at least the first two centuries of Christianity.
Various authors, including Thomas Wharton Collens,[54] José Porfirio Miranda ,[55][56] and José Míguez Bonino, describe biblical sources supporting a common-property society. Bonino wrote: "Is it altogether absurd to re-read the resurrection today as a death of the monopolies, the liberation from hunger, or a solidary form of ownership?" Bonino and Miranda argue against the belief that "Scripture has various meanings", which in their view allow Western conservative theologians "to prevent the Bible from revealing its own subversive message", and that "use the Biblical text ... to defend the status-quo of a pre-revolutionary situation", as summarized by Andrew Kirk. Miranda said: "I am not introducing the Bible to Marx. ... I only wish to understand what the Bible says. ... We want to take the Bible seriously."[57]
Christian communism does not depend merely on the principles of the early apostles, and Christian communists argue that anti-capitalist ideals are deeply rooted in the Christian faith. While modern
Groups
Several Christian groups formerly practised common ownership and others continue to do so. They may or may not have explicitly used the English term communist for self-identification. Extant groups include:
- Bruderhof[59][60][61][62]
- Church of Bible Understanding
- Cutlerites
- Evangelical Association of the Israelite Mission of the New Universal Covenant
- Gloriavale Christian Community
- Hutterites
- Jesus Christians
- Jesus People USA[63]
- Koinonia Partners
- Padanaram Settlement
- Reba Place Fellowship
- Shakers[64]
- Sojourners Community
- Twelve Tribes communities
Historically, many groups have practised Christian communism, and may or may not be extant, depending on the case, including:
- Aaronic Order
- Adonai-Shomo
- Amana Colonies (Community of True Inspiration)[65]
- Followers of Thomas Müntzer[26][27][28]
- Aurora Colony
- Batenburgers
- Diggers[22][23][66]
- Dulcinians[18]
- Jesus Army
- Labadists
- Levellers[67]
- Harmony Society
- Oneida Community
- Peoples Temple[68]
- Society of Separatists of Zoar
- United Order Family of Christ
- Waldensians[18]
- Zwijndrechtse Nieuwlichters
Reception
Both Christian communism and
In a September 1962 sermon,
"Communism in society is a classless society. Along with this goes a strong attempt to eliminate racial prejudice. Communism seeks to transcend the superficialities of race and color, and you are able to join the Communist Party whatever the color of your skin or the quality of your blood, the quality of blood in your veins. ... No one can deny that we need to be concerned about social justice. ... Karl Marx arouses our conscience at this point. ... So with this passionate concern for social justice, Christians are bound to be in accord. Such concern is implicit in the Christian doctrine of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Christians are always to begin with a bias in favor of a movement which protests against unfair treatment of the poor, but surely Christianity itself is such a protest. The Communist Manifesto might express a concern for the poor and the oppressed, but it expresses no greater concern than the manifesto of Jesus, which opens with the words: 'The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captive, recovering the sight of the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.' ... We won't have to worry ... [about] communism. ... It can never be defeated with ammunition. It can never be defeated with missiles. ... The only way that we can defeat communism is to get a better idea, and we have it in our democracy. ... We have it in our Christianity."[79]
The
Relation with Marxism
Christian communists may or may not agree with various parts of Marxism, such as on the way a socialist or communist society should be organized.[85][86] Christian communists also share some of the political goals of Marxists, for example replacing capitalism with socialism, which should in turn be followed by communism at a later point in the future. The young Louis Althusser and Denys Turner are among Christian or Christianity-influenced philosophers who asserted the coherence of Christianity and Marxism.[87][88] Althusser said: "I became communist because I was Catholic. I did not change religion, but I remained profoundly Catholic. I don't go to church but this doesn't matter; you don't ask people to go to church. I remained a Catholic, that is, an internationalist universalist. I thought that inside the Communist Party there were more adequate means to realize universal fraternity."[89]
Roland Boer, the son of a
Latin American liberation theology influenced parts of the
While the
See also
- General
- Catholicity
- Che Jesus
- Christian left
- Christian views on poverty and wealth
- Doctor Communis
- Ebionites
- "He who does not work, neither shall he eat"
- Jesus in Christianity
- Jesuism
- Jesuit reduction
- League of the Just
- Marxism and religion
- Materialism and Christianity
- The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
- People
- Alain Badiou
- John Goodwyn Barmby
- Étienne Cabet
- Terry Eagleton
- Denys Turner
- Katayama Sen
- Y. T. Wu
- Slavoj Zizek
- Other Christian left perspectives
References
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- ^ a b Kautsky, Karl (1953) [1908]. "IV.II. The Christian Idea of the Messiah. Jesus as a Rebel". Foundations of Christianity. Russell & Russell.
Christianity was the expression of class conflict in Antiquity.
- ^ a b Bang, p. 24; Boer (2009), p. 120; Ehrhardt (1969), p. 20; Ellicott & Plumptre (1910); Guthrie (1992), p. 46; Halteman Finger (2007), p. 39; Lansford (2007), pp. 24–25; The London Quarterly and Holborn Review, Volume 26 (1866), p. 502; Renan (1869), p. 152; von Mises (1981), p. 424; Montero (2017); Unterbrink (2004), p. 92
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I am going to argue that the accounts found in Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-37 describe historical economic practices found within the early Christian community; practices that were taken very seriously, which were widespread over different Christian communities around the Roman world, and which lasted for at least well into the second century. I am also going to argue that these economic practices were grounded in both Jewish and Christian theology and had precedent in Jewish tradition and practice; as well as the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.
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Early Christian communities also practiced the sharing of goods and labour, a simple form of socialism subsequently followed in certain forms of monasticism. Several monastic orders continue these practices today.
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That we may work in righteousness, and lay the Foundation of making the Earth a Common Treasury for All, both Rich and Poor, That every one that is born in the Land, may be fed by the Earth his Mother that brought him forth, according to the Reason that rules in the Creation. Not Inclosing any part into any particular hand, but all as one man, working together, and feeding together as Sons of one Father, members of one Family; not one Lording over another, but all looking upon each other, as equals in the Creation; ... .
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After turning the convert into a capitalist, the Calvinist doctrine of predetermination then made him comfortable with the uneven distribution of wealth. ... Weber's central thesis on the relationship between Calvinist ethics and the rise of capitalism is that the former directly led to, and sustained the growth of the latter.
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Bibliography
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- Halteman Finger, Reta (2007). "Reactions to Style and Redaction Criticism". Of Widows and Meals. Communal Meals in the Book of Acts. Cambridge, UK: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-8028-3053-1.
- Johnson, Daniel (1 December 2013). "Winstanley's Ecology: The English Diggers Today". Monthly Review. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
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{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Montero, Roman A. (2017). All Things in Common The Economic Practices of the Early Christians. Eugene: OCLC 994706026.
- Renan, Ernest (1869). "VIII. First Persecution. Death of Stephen. Destruction of the First Church of Jerusalem". Origins of Christianity. Vol. II. The Apostles. New York: Carleton. p. 152.
- ISBN 0-684-80577-4.
- Unterbrink, Daniel T. (2004). "The Dead Sea Scrolls". Judas the Galilean. iUniverse. ISBN 0-595-77000-2. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
- ISBN 9780913966624. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
Further reading
- ISBN 0-930464-38-9. Available online for free.
- John Cort. Christian Socialism: An informal history.
- Metacosmesis: The Christian Marxism of Frederic Hastings Smyth and the Society of the Catholic Commonwealth. By Terry Brown (1987).
- Montero, Roman A. 2017. All Things in Common: The Economic Practices of the Early Christians. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock. ISBN 9781532607912.
- Myles, Robert J. 2019. Class Struggle in the New Testament. Lanham: Fortress Academic/Lexington Books.
External links
- Crises In European History Socialist Labor Party says that the early Christian Church practised "pure communism". pp. 23–25 (PDF).
- Modern History Sourcebook: William Bradford From Bradford's journal Of Plymouth Plantation.
- "Preaching". March 1868. Judge Thomas Wharton Collens.
- The Sources of Early Christian Communism July 30, 2019. Church Life Journal. University of Notre Dame. Roman Montero.
- Are Christians Supposed to Be Communists? November 4, 2017. Archived from the Wayback Machine. The New York Times. Orthodox theologian David Bentley Hart.