Hey, #Christians on the #left: Can the hashtag #HolyAnarchy be a thing?

Here's what I mean: I look at the first-century #church, and I see an #egalitarian community which cared deeply about #equity, #inclusion, #MutualAid, and #CommunityCare.

Now, they had trouble figuring out how to do it, but what they were working towards looks like what I see a lot of #leftists working towards today, including those who choose the label #anarchism. If #anarchy basically means coming together as a #community without hierarchy, neighbor caring for neighbor, then I think there's a place for us to join in with the work.

I know many people have concerns about identifying as #Christian because at least since Constantine, #Christianity has been entwined with #empire and #power. If you want to #decolonize the faith, you have to go way back.

But for those of us who do so identify, who do see the importance of coming together without #nationalism, with an eye towards #antiracism and #disability equity, of building the common good through #solidarity -- for those of us who live out our #faith in that way, might that be called #HolyAnarchy?

Note: I wrote this from a Christian perspective, but if you are of another faith and find this resonates with you, I would welcome your thoughts. I find the intersection of #spirituality and #leftist action very compelling.

"There is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need."

-- Justin Martyr, First Apology, translation here: http://earlychristianwritings.com/text/justinmartyr-firstapology.html

#HolyAnarchy

Saint Justin Martyr: First Apology (Roberts-Donaldson)

Saint Justin Martyr: First Apology (Roberts-Donaldson). On Early Christian Writings.

@nicedragon
The Magnificat contains beautiful examples of #HolyAnarchy:
"The proud in mind and heart, God has sent away in disarray.
The rulers from their high positions of power, God has brought down low. And those who were humble and lowly, God has elevated with dignity.
The hungry—God has filled with fine food.
The rich—God has dismissed with nothing in their hands."
(Luke 1:51-53 VOICE)
@Raveler1 We're on the same wavelength! I just posted about that. The Canticle of the turning, based on the Magnificat, is one of my favorite Advent hymns. When you think about it, Christmas is not nearly the tame holiday it's made out to be.
interesting view...

@nicedragon I'd love to hang out with people with a spiritual side. For me, I'm into the cosmic Christ idea - not a man, but some form of connection; "god" all around and within; and the calling towards love. Not the oxytocin type of love (which does wonders for 'feels' but is actually a big driver for othering because it firms up group boundaries).

Holy is an odd word; as I understand it it means set-aside-for-[god]. And anarchy is another loaded word. Like "radical": many interpretations

@japonica

I intended #HolyAnarchy to be a thought-provoking hashtag, rather than a prescriptive one.

Instead of a new religious-political "system," I think of it more as an ethos of mutuality arising from the Spirit.

When I put the two terms together, it's "holy" as in "of or in service to God" and "anarchy" as in "voluntary cooperation for the common good, without top-down authority." A bit loose with those definitions, because, again, it's an ethos, not a method or prescription. More precise definitions might work better in other contexts.

So what I would say is that #HolyAnarchy is mutuality, solidarity, and community care which is intimately connected to our spirituality and religious service. It's an evolving idea, and I'd love to see others bring their own thoughts, but that's the gist.

@nicedragon yep, I love it as the ethos.

@japonica

For me, #HolyAnarchy is recognizing that sometimes the priest and and the Levite (the "good" religious people) walk on past the stranger lying in the ditch, but the Samaritan (the outsider, unbeliever, or heretic) stops to be a neighbor to the one in need.

It's about choosing to be in #solidarity with people, not because they believe the right #Christian things or because the law says we have to, but because it's the right thing to do -- dare I say, the #Jesus thing to do?

My purportedly "Christian" nation won't make laws or elect leaders who will ensure #equity and #justice to "the least of these." It's not going to come from the top down. If the #church is going to be what the church is called to be, rather than an imperial institution, we need to join in on God's work -- and I suspect we'll learn more of God in the process.

@nicedragon what you wrote is in great synchronicity with my own thoughts and writings. I look forward to reading more.