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Challenging Empire, A Call to Community
Mark 12:13-17
A sermon by K. Toivanen at EMUC, 1/11/2009
In 2006, in Thunder Bay, at the meeting of the 39th General Council of the United Church of Canada, a report called ‘Living Faithfully in the Midst of Empire’ was presented. It was a document that grew out of the work of previous United Church General Councils and global church organizations such as the World Council of Churches.
The purpose of the 2006 report was to encourage United Church folk to reflect on the impact of the empire in Jesus’ time and Jesus’ alternatives to the empire; and to explore the presence of empire in the world today and faith-filled and hope-filled alternatives for our time.
In approving the report, the 39th General Council declared that the ‘empire theme’ would be the church’s national mission focus from September 2007 until June 2009. To that end, a number of resources have been made available along with two issues of 'Mandate’, the UCC Mission Magazine.
Some of you may be thinking that this is the first time that you’ve heard about this Empire theme; but in fact it isn’t. I spoke briefly about this theme in worship last summer, but here at EMUC we’ve been addressing issues of the empire each time we’ve talked about or taken action in the areas of consumerism, the environment, fair trade, poverty, the economy, violence, racism, and other justice issues.
We don’t normally use the word ‘empire’ in describing the world today. The word ‘empire’ often makes of think of past civilizations, like the Roman Empire with its legacy of roads and aqueducts that still dot the global landscape, or perhaps more recently the British Empire. Many of us grew up with very visible and concrete expressions of the British Empire, as we sang "God Save the Queen" in opening exercises at school, or studied geography where the world maps showed all of the commonwealth countries coloured in pink, and of course any time we handled money with the image of the sovereign on a coin or bill.
For some of us, empire reminds us of the ‘Star Wars’ films and the battles between Luke Skywalker’s eclectic companions of the New Republic and the menacing Darth Vader and Emperor of the Empire.
As we speak of empire today, we are speaking not about the power, authority and influence of a single nation-state, but rather about systems and networks that cross international boundaries and show up in areas such as globalization, militarization, consumerism, environmental destruction, racism, and sexism.
The ‘Empire’, is not some force ‘out there’, but rather the empire is woven into the systems and networks that impact our lives day in and day out. Building a protective wall won’t keep the empire out, and amassing an army won’t defeat it in battle and so we need instead to find ways to ‘Live Faithfully in the Midst of the Empire’.
As Christians, it makes sense to look for inspiration and guidance in Jesus’ life and teachings; after all, he lived in the midst of the Roman Empire and experienced first hand how it dominated and oppressed the lives of so many in his homeland.
In the first century, the Roman Empire, dominated not just Palestine, which included the territories of Galilee, Samaria and Judea, but also much of the Mediterranean. At its peak, Rome controlled nearly 6 million square km of land in the greater Mediterranean region. In classical antiquity, it was the largest of all empires.
There were four strands in the Roman Empire that allowed it to flourish:
1. Rome had military power. This power was based on legions; each legion had six thousand fighting engineers. At their height, 28 legions built well-paved all-weather roads and bridges and with this infrastructure they could move all their equipment and soldiers at a guaranteed 15 miles a day - giving them mobility to crush a rebellion anywhere in the empire
2. With this military power came economic power. Those same roads that ensured the safe and predicable travel of the legions also became available for trade and commerce, opening a way for Rome to collect, to consume and to grow rich on the resources of many nations.
3. The political power of Rome succeeded by co-opting the local leaders and elites of regions and nations to work with Rome. In so many words, Rome said to the leaders in Palestine and other occupied nations, "if you give up your control over foreign affairs, we will back you up in local affairs (policing, protection) and we will make you wealthy if you agree."
The way to this wealth was through taxation, mostly on the backs of the peasants. These elite upper class folk, (about 1% of the population) already maintained their position by taking in taxes, one half to two-thirds of the annual production of the peasants. And in order to maintain their privilege and power, the upper class had to pay a tribute to the Roman Empire and they acquired this money through more taxation of the peasants.
4. And finally Rome had ideological power - what we might call a Roman theology and this Roman Imperial Theology was ‘Peace Through Victory’
Succinctly, it was an ideology that said that when Rome goes to war it leads to victory which leads to peace. And therefore the Emperor of Rome, the Caesar Augustus of Rome became synonymous with peace; and eventually as the Caesar took on godly authority, he became known as the Son of God, a ‘Prince of Peace’. But let us never forget that it was a peace gained primarily through a victory accomplished through violence and war.
When Jesus, through his words and actions, proclaimed the Kingdom of God, he deliberately challenged the power and authority of the Empire or the Kingdom of Rome by reversing the usual expectations of how a kingdom would operate. Jesus’ teachings about the kingdom turned things upside down, turning on their heads, the powers, ethics, policies and the infrastructures of powerful empires such as that of Rome. In word and action Jesus proclaimed that:
- the last shall be first
- children are not to be sent away to the periphery of a community, but are to be placed in the centre of a communities concern and care
- the poor and lame and social outcasts - all whom a dominant culture might be inclined to marginalize are to be honoured guests in God’s Kingdom banquet
- the hungry will be filled and the rich will be sent away
- the sorrowful will laugh
- the meek will inherit the earth
Above all, Jesus proclaimed that in this Kingdom of God, peace is gained, not through war or violence but through justice. And justice happens when not just the elite of this world, get what they want, but when everyone in this world gets enough. And they get enough, not through acts of violence but through acts of love. For Jesus, love and justice are bound together, for love is the soul of justice just as justice is the body of love.
Because of Jesus’ challenge to the Roman Empire and his revolutionary understanding of God’s kingdom here on earth, those in power during his time tried to silence him. And that is why for many years, the early Christians were also persecuted…they were persecuted because as they tried to live faithfully in the way of Jesus; they continued to challenge the Empire of Rome. Until the 4th century, the church was an irritant to Rome - that is until Constantine.
Over time, with a drift away from some of the core teachings of Jesus particularly on the issues of economic justice and the rejection of violence, the way was paved for the conversion of Constantine. When Constantine, who was the Roman Emperor at the time, embraced Christianity he wedded Christianity with the dominant empire; giving birth to Christendom.
Of course, it is too simplistic to dismiss all the expressions of Christendom as negative; however, whenever religion is linked with a dominant power or state there is the danger of embracing the ethos and actions of the empire. Over the years, we’ve seen the negative impact of Christendom in the militarism of the crusades; in the church’s vast accumulation of wealth and property; in ‘conversions’ by the sword; in missionary activity that failed to respect the dignity, spirituality and heritage of various cultures; in silence or complicity in events such as the Holocaust; in persecutions of peoples outside the ‘faith’ and in the treatment of the earth as a commodity.
According to Douglas John Hall, a Canadian theologian, the church is susceptible to adopting an empire mentality when it stresses that its greatest good is ‘unity’ and in doing so, adopts a ‘mono-culture’ that fails to affirm the distinctiveness and the richness of diversity that comes with age, cultures, genders, and heritages.
The church is more likely to abuse its power and to justify actions where ‘might is right’ when it stresses a triumphant Jesus Christ who is resurrected as the ‘ultimate and universal sovereign’; while overlooking that Jesus is also the ‘crucified one’ who suffers with and for the persecuted, victimized and oppressed of the world.
Doug Hall points out that when the church fosters a faith of ‘personal morality’ and downplays a faith that also addresses social ethics and justice issues of the larger community, then there will be passiveness or even complicity with the empire’s agenda.
So, it’s important in our critique of empire to look closely at the values and practices within church communities as well as in the larger context.
So far I’ve provided you with some theological, biblical and historical contexts for understanding the theme of empire. Now, let’s look at one example of how empire operates today and alternatives to that way.
On the screen you see a photo taken from inside the Eaton Centre in Toronto. Now although shopping malls may differ in architectural design, they are virtually the same when you think about the stores that they house.
In fact, if we were some how able to be magically transported and dropped into to any number of malls across the country and even across the continent, we would be hard pressed to discern where we were; for such is the flattening effect of globalization that minimizes diversity and local or regional variety in order to control, manage and placate the consumer no matter where he or she may be.
Add to this how hard it is to readily find out who made the piece of clothing we are buying, or where the gift we purchased came from, or what the conditions of the workers in that industry are, or how the resources to make the product were obtained and you begin to touch on some of the issues of the empire as it impacts economic, social, health and environmental issues. And in an empire model, the primary focus is on pleasing the consumer and the shareholder of the company often at the expense of local and regional economies, the justice to the workers or the sustainability of environment.
Compare the shopping mall model of retail with the model of a fair trade organization like 10 Thousand Villages who deliberately seek to create opportunities for producers who have been economically disadvantaged or marginalized by conventional trading systems. In a 10 Thousand Villages store you are provided easy access to information about where your purchases came from and in what conditions they were made. Prices are often higher than other retail prices, not to bring a greater return to the shareholder, but so that local producers, farmers or crafters may be paid a just wage.
Many fair trade organizations also work with the local community or region to not only help finance and build a business that ensures just wages with environmental sustainability, but also to strengthen the community with the resources of health care, education, and social services.
This is just one example of the way that empire can manifest itself in today’s world and alternatives to that way that can restore justice to people and to the earth.
There isn’t enough time today to share more specific examples of empire and alternatives that reflect the justice and love of God. I commend to you the Mandate Magazines which offer other stories and wisdom along with the inspiring actions of individuals and faith communities. I also invite you to take time to explore the websites and the other resources that I have made available for you today in the handouts.
And I remind you that in the weeks that follow, we will continue to lift up alternatives to the empire, as we focus on creation-centred theologies, as we listen to the witness of Aboriginal communities; as we offer opportunities to purchase fair trade and local products; as we establish a ‘Green Team’ to guide us in concrete ways to live with respect in creation; as we continue to reflect on God’s word for us in our time through worship and Bible study, and as we prayerfully listen to the wisdom of Christ in the voices of folks in this church and in the larger community.
Prayer:
O God,
For all that we do, we pray your love guides us
For all that we dream of, we pray for your gifts of courage and insight
For all that we fear, we pray that your strength will hold and protect us;
For all that we are, we pray that our love will make a difference in this community, in our nation and in your world.
We pray. We pray. We pray. Amen.
Information and illustrations in this sermon was gleaned from a number of sources:
Mandate, Special Editions, May 2007, 2008 - The United Church of Canada’s Mission Magazine
"Living Faithfully in the Midst of Empire" - Report to the 39th General Council 2006
"Challenging Empire" - Intergenerational Conversations, Stories and Activities to Transform Your Community
God and Empire, Jesus Against Rome Then and Now, by John Dominic Crossan
Living Faithfully in the Midst of Empire Resource Sheet
Definitions of Empire & other quotes:
The logo designed for "Challenging Empire" is by Joyce Cosby. The net represents the unjust systems and structures - for example, globalization, militarization, consumerism, environmental destruction, racism, and sexism - that work together to oppress some people while allowing others to flourish. People working together pull at the net to help release the earth from these constricting forces. No only humans, but all of creation, symbolized by the birds, begins to burst free. - UCC Logo for Mission Focus
Empire is the convergence of economic, political, cultural, geographic and military interests, systems and networks that seek to dominate political power and economic wealth. It typically forces and facilitates the flow of wealth and power from vulnerable persons, communities and countries to the more powerful. Empire today crosses all boundaries, strips and reconstructs identities, subverts cultures, subordinates nation states and either marginalizes or co-opts religious communities. - World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC)
Empire is a metaphor for interconnected systems of domination that affect all levels of human relationships and in which all people participate in some way.
Empire-lie behaviour can be found in
- relations between states
- international trade agreements
- forms of institutional governance, including within the church
- interpersonal relationships, including families
The common thread is the unjust use of power by some resulting in the disempowerment, abuse, or destruction of others. - Gary Kenny, UCC Program Coordinator for Southern Africa/Emergency Response
Empires are about allegiances and values. The nature of the ‘Basilea’ or ‘kingdom’ of heaven or of God was contrasted with the nature of kingdoms of the earth from the beginning of the gospels. Claiming Jesus as ‘Lord’ meant rejecting that Caesar had your ultimate loyalty.
Empires of this world are complex and multifaceted. They can now be bigger and affect life in more places more quickly than in previous eras because of innovations in communications, transportation, and other technologies. History recodes the rise and fall of empires on all continents but Antarctica - and even there empires have staked claims and have had their impact. - Marilyn Leuty, minister at Trinity United, Grimsby & member of the UCC Mission Theme Consultation Group
We can see empire-like relationships when powerful nations, economic institutions, and large corporations sustain unfair systems and relationships that take advantage of workers and smaller businesses and economies. There is often no concern for the environmental effects of the goods and the way they are produced. Consumers often unknowingly participate in empire by purchasing the cheapest goods and services that are offered. - ‘Challenging Empire’ p. 11
Social statisticians tell us that if the earth’s population were a village of 100 people:
- there would be 60 Asians, 12 Europeans, 14 Africans, 13 people from North & South America, and 1 from the South Pacific
- 82 of the people in this village would be people of colour
- 67 would be people of faith traditions other than Christian
- 80 would live in sub-standard housing
- 67 would be illiterate
- 33 would be without access to a safe water supply
- 50 would be malnourished, and 1 starving
- 1 would have a college education
- 5 people would control 32% of the village’s wealth, and all of them would be Americans
Are there prayerful decisions we can make about where and how we spend our money so that we reduce our contribution to the modern-day economic empire? - ‘Challenging Empire’, p. 17
So who is Caesar today? There are many Caesars… They are the states that use their overwhelming economic and military power to subdue other states and impose their political and cultural preferences. They are the international trade regimes that use the language of fairness but in reality render unfair advantage to those in already affluent, developed countries. They are the transnational corporations that exploit the natural resources of impoverished, indebted countries with few regulations to hold them accountable. They are the religious institutions that distort and use Holy Scripture to suppress free critical thought and promote imperious behaviour among their members.
The Caesars of our time may also be you and me—to the extent that we participate, knowingly or unknowingly, in a hyper-consumer society, the wealth of which has been accumulated at the expense of vulnerable people and countries and the global natural environment. - Gary Kenny, "Seeing Ourselves", Ethnic Ministries, The United Church of Canada.
Websites:
United Church of Canada Empire Report, along with other links:
www.united-church.ca/economic/globalization/report
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives is a dynamic church-based social justice movement of which the United Church of Canada is a member. Their site has many resources and articles and suggestions for action that encourage alternatives to the ways of the empire:
www.kairoscanada.org/en/
- prepared by Kathy Toivanen, January 11, 2009.
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