Why is it that whenever people like myself criticise capitalism and the influence it is having on evangelical forms of the church, that we are then automatically accused of being socialists? I declare, that one can be critical of capitalism as a social system and not thereby be an avowed Marxist socialist. Indeed, the argument I am seeking to make space for, and to flesh out, is how the church provides space to be an alternative politic that lives “in but not of” capitalism.
This is why I am excited to be presenting at the AEF Conference this year. For it gives me the opportunity to flesh out some of these very ideas.
For those of you who don’t know, the Ancient-Evangelical Future Conference (AEF) was begun at Northern Seminary by Robert Webber before he passed away. The conference was founded upon the Ancient-Evangelical Call document which had four editors (Kevin VanHoozer, Howard Snyder, D H Williams, Hans Boersma) and over 400 signatories. This year’s conference is now the third AEF conference. Every year the conference brings in outstanding presenters on the fundamental issue of the AEF Call – including Brian McLaren, Martin Marty, Lauren Winner, Frederica Mathews-Green and last year Scot McKnight, Edith Humphrey and Kevin Van Hoozer. This year Howard Snyder, D H Williams. Janell Williams Paris, and Rick Richardson along with myself. The conference is Oct 9-11. See here for more details.
Last year the theme was on the way we speak and practice Scripture. This year, the theme is on way we speak about and practice church. The section of the AEF Call on “the church” reads as follows:
We call Evangelicals to take seriously the visible character of the Church. We call for a commitment to its mission in the world in fidelity to God’s mission (Missio Dei), and for an exploration of the ecumenical implications this has for the unity, holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity of the Church. Thus, we call Evangelicals to turn away from an individualism that makes the Church a mere addendum to God’s redemptive plan. Individualistic Evangelicalism has contributed to the current problems of churchless Christianity, redefinitions of the Church according to business models, separatist ecclesiologies and judgmental attitudes toward the Church. Therefore, we call Evangelicals to recover their place in the community of the Church catholic.
I relish the chance to interact with these ideas. The title of my presentation will be Can Evangelicalism and Capitalism (Not) Get Along? On the Church as Counter-Narrative to American Capitalism. I will flesh out why being critical of capitalism does not necessitate that one then has to be a socialist, that indeed the church is a third alternative form of political organization that must live in – but not of – capitalism. I thn make suggestions on what possibly this look like in modern American evangelical churches.
My presentation will go like this:
1.) A brief outline of the postmodern critique of capitalism including snapshots of Deleuze, Foucault, Bauman, Zizek, Hauerwas, Milbank.
2.) What these people help us see about the current practice of the church as seen in American Evangelicalism and described by the AEF Call
3.) Some basic practices we can start with that create spaces of resistance to capitalism and thereby create space for koinonia, spiritual formation and mission in and amidst capitalism.
Interested? Come to the conference. As always, there’s a break for seminary/college students. Just e-mail the site or call them at the Grow Center at 630-620-2197.
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This sounds like an excellent and needed talk. Here in South Africa we also need to work out how to critique the pervasive capitalistic mindset within the church itself. Would have loved to be at your talk. Shalom from Africa.
Great topic, Dave. A key issue will be differentiating between participating in a capitalist economy on a secular (i.e. civic/state/governmental) level and following capitalist principles in our distinctive practices as churches, and the Church. I respect the need to avoid drawing too stark a line between the sacred and secular, but do recognize that approaching such “secular” spheres of life as civil government in a “spiritual” manner will look considerably different than if we were apply such criteria to, say, a literal theocracy or, of course, ecclesiastical government.
How old do you have to be to qualify as an ancient evangelical?
Okay, okay, I took the lay-in, but it had to be done.
I eavesdropped on a post-seminar scrum as a student asked author Ron Sider about capitalism at a social justice conference in Toronto about a year ago.
Sider basically was saying that of all the various economic models, capitalism is “the best we’ve got.”
It is within a capitalist system that we as churches have the freedom to act contrary to capitalism. In fact, as we do live our lives as Peter suggested in his first letter (chapter 2):
“10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority,
14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.
16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.”
Peter seems to point to a way to be subversive within the system by being the most loving servants of all and following the most loving Servant of All’s example. To have the freedom to do it within our system may make it harder because to not serve is easier, but true lovers of people (and not just people who talk about it all the time) will stand out.
The idea that capitalism is “the best we’ve got,” is exactly what I heard from my seminary professor who specializes in economics at Regent College. He could see all the problems capitalism creates, but also noted all the benefits it has provided (even for the poorest of the poor), and then said, “basically, it’s not perfect, but it’s the best we’ve got.”
This has never been a satisfying response to me. It’s an answer that lulls us into thinking there’s nothing better out there, so why try to fight it? Though I will have to live within (and will benefit from) capitalism for my whole life, I also wish to aid those who are its casualties and point a large sign toward God’s Kingdom in the midst of it.
So David, I’m wanting to hear an outline of what it means for the church to function as an alternative polis. Is this like a churchy version of ethnic minorities who set up their own mini-economic systems (I’m thinking of the Chinese in Vancouver)? I imagine not, but don’t have any other analogies to consider.
I’m looking forward to hearing more.
Matthew, Paul .. I engage Sider on his benign view of capitalism on page 164ff. of The Great Giveaway in a section entitled “Evangelicals and Our Liberal Ways of Justice.” I strongly suggest that Sider does not see the pernicious ways capitalism defeats the justice of God as illuminated by Milbank et al. Instead we must learn to live in but not of capitalism.
Hello,
I was wondering if your talk will be recorded and available for download. I can’t make the conference but would very much like to hear what you will say.
Capitalism is like the law. Generosity is like grace. We need both. But grace triumphs over the law.
Michael …
all the talks will be available … unfortunately I think they charge (darn capitalists – wink, wink)
DF