A “Shalom Activist” Spirituality

Living non-violently is a deeply spiritual thing, a profoundly religious commitment.  For Anabaptist spirituality, non-violence is not a technique; it is a habitual expression of the imitation of Christ.  It is not a tactic or a tool; it is the primary evidence of attachment to Jesus. 

When early Christians dared to call Jesus Lord, saying Kyrios Christos, Lord Jesus instead of Lord Caesar, it was a political statement first and a religious confession second.  In a world where only Caesar could be called Lord – the official words were Kyrios Kaesar – Christians pledged allegiance to the non-violent suffering prophet Jesus as their exclusive master, final authority, and political head of the state beyond and above all earthly states.  No wonder they were seen as subverting the established political order.

David Augsburger, “Dissident Discipleship: A Spirituality of Self-Surrender, Love of God, and Love of Neighbor” page 143

It’s frightening really, as heading to the movies is about as regular activity as heading out for dinner.  To think that during such a regular activity, something so horrific could happen most certainly strikes fear, or at the very least the uncomfortable association that something so horrific could happen at a place many people frequent on a regular basis.  It breaks down our insulation from the violence of this world and becomes a reminder that if it can happen there, violence seemingly has no limitations or restrictions on place.

The call for shalom activists is as pressing as ever.  Deeply engrained within the spirituality of Anabaptism is non-violence and pursuit of shalom which finds it’s grounding in the heart of Jesus.  Even in the regular activities such as going to the store for food, or to a movie, may we be reminded that those moments are not forgotten or cast aside as too regular or mundane for peace.  May we, in our spirituality be reminded that as acts of violence make devastating impacts on our world in seemingly regular places, that our acts of peace, in the regular places become acts of redemption to our world that is screaming with brokenness.  Let us not insulate shalom from our particular time and place.  Anabaptist spirituality seeks to embody shalom.  In this way, Anabaptist spirituality is a gift.

How about you?  Where do you see the need for shalom in the regularity of your day-to-day life?

Eschatology for the Present

From a ‘Theology of Hope‘ by Jurgen Moltmann

Anabaptist Quietism

The early Anabaptists were enthusiastic and vocal in sharing their faith with any who would listen to them, urging people to repent and become followers of Jesus.  Their testimony, even as they were led to the stake, was so worrying to the authorities that tongue screws were used to silence them.  But the pressure of persecution gradually convinced Anabaptists that keeping quiet about their faith was the only way to survive, and most adopted this stance (some even signed agreements exchanging vows of silence so as to be left in peace).  They became known as “the quiet in the land.”

While quietism was understandable in such contexts, like separatism, it has become embedded in the Anabaptist tradition.  Not speaking openly about one’s faith is now defended by some Anabaptists as a mark of humility, rather than as a hangover from a history of repression.  Their emphasis is on living out their faith, rather than talking about it.  But this approach to bearing witness to Jesus Christ is seriously deficient in a post-Christendom culture that knows little of what Christians believe and lacks the tools to interpret the way we live.

Stuart Murray, “The Naked Anabaptist” Page 165

Vacation time. We are in Winnipeg for 2 weeks.  I am hopeful that this time will be a restful.  Therefore I will be staying away from social media and the blog.  I will however schedule posts on the regular Tuesday and Thursday’s which will be excerpts from books that have been significantly formative for me during this past year.  I hope they will be a blessing to you also.

Thanks for reading.  

Gelassenheit: An Old School Anabaptist Spirituality

Gelassenheit is a word the Anabaptists borrowed from the mystics.  It refers to a deep sense of yieldedness to God’s will.  While mystics generally understood Gelassenheit to be an inner quiet that, it could be argued, resulted in a sort of detachment, the Anabaptist ethical emphasis understood it practically.  Gelassenheit isn’t simply about an individual’s interior life, but their relationships with one another.

Gelassenheit is about ridding one’s life of all obstacles to love of God and neighbour.  As the early Anabaptist Hans Haffner wrote in his devotional tract Concerning a True Soldier of Christ “When we truly realize the love of God we will be ready to give up for love’s sake even what God has given us.”

This commitment to yieldedness was central to the early Anabaptist understanding of discipleship.  Unfortunately it has largely disappeared from modern Anabaptist awareness.  I am convinced that a spirituality of Gelassenheit  is central to discipleship today.  Far from being a pietistic relic of the past, it is a timely necessity.

What we need now, more than ever, is a new spirituality of Gelassenheit.  One that seeks to remove all the obstacles to our love.  One that understands the intrinsic relationship between love of God and love of others.  One that will gladly set aside all privilege, wealth, honour – or any gift of God – for loves sake.

Mark Van Steenwyk, contributing author to “Widening the Circle: Experiments in Christian Discipleship” page 157 – 158

Vacation time. We are in Winnipeg for 2 weeks.  I am hopeful that this time will be a restful.  Therefore I will be staying away from social media and the blog.  I will however schedule posts on the regular Tuesday and Thursday’s which will be excerpts from books that have been significantly formative for me during this past year.  I hope they will be a blessing to you also. 

Thanks for reading.  I’ll see you in a few weeks.

“your kingdom come…”

Jesus goes on, teaching us to declare, “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  This declaration for his kingdom is one that is affirming a distinct future hope.  It is a declaration that God will, in human history, fulfill his covenant promises and establish his kingdom in fullness.  It holds in its simple, few words the eschatological promise that their suffering would end and that their hopes would be fulfilled.  Salvation, in its fullest sense and for all of creation, is working toward completion.  And by linking this affirmation with fulfillment on earth in the here and now, Jesus is promising that the blessed kingdom of shalom is breaking through, if only in part, into the world here and now.  Even under the devastating rule of pagan empire.  God’s kingdom was breaking through.  Born out of the hearts of women and men, it is a present reality that defies circumstances and makes us truly blessed.

Jamie Arpin-Ricci, “The Cost of Community” page 151.

Vacation time. We are in Winnipeg for 2 weeks.  I am hopeful that this time will be a restful.  Therefore I will be staying away from social media and the blog.  I will however schedule posts on the regular Tuesday and Thursday’s which will be excerpts from books that have been significantly formative for me during this past year.  I hope they will be a blessing to you also. 

Thanks for reading.  I’ll see you in a few weeks.