Ellul Clarification

In order to understand yesterday's Ellul remarks regarding anarchy, it would be helpful for me to explain where he is coming from in terms of philosophy or world view. To do this I will cite a few additional passages from his book Anarchy & Christianity.

For Ellul, Jesus never intended to see a new institutional religion created in His name after dismantling the institutionalized religion of the Jews, the Old Covenant of Law having been replaced by a New Covenant: Love. The word of God is not a religion. As regards Christian faith, the truth is a person. Jesus said, “I am the truth.”

It is self evident that faith cannot be coerced. We cannot be manipulated to believe anything, at least not in our most inward being.

Sadly the whole of history is littered with examples of coercion and force being utilized in the name of religion. The Muslim world is famously brutal, but Christianity has had its share of lurid moments. Charlemagne, after conquering Saxony gave the Saxons a choice of either becoming Christians or being put to death. (“Gee, Regis, if I still have a lifeline left, I’d like to phone a friend.”) Over 6,000 were slaughtered. Witch hunts, crusades, Constantine’s exploits, and sadly even Augustine gave in to the admonition that force was acceptable to defend civilization.

“In his cynical way,” writes Ellul, “Napoleon said that the clergy control the people, the bishops the clergy, and he himself the bishops. No one could state more clearly the real situation that the church was an agent of state propaganda. Obedience to the authorities was also a Christian duty.”

I’m sorry, but when the same things happen in our own time, wrapped in an American flag, why are so many so enamored? The sincerity of those taken in is not in doubt. But sincerity has never been truth. As I am fond of repeating, a person driving West can sincerely believe they are driving east, even when they are not. And sincerity does not make it so.

Well, it’s time to turn the page. Anyone wishing to dialogue further can send a note to ennyman at northlc dot com. And as we head toward Election 2008, we do well to heed the admonition, “Let the buyer beware.”