Counter-Power in Action

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 10 December 2011 09:53:52

So the other day I posted about Counterpower in relation to its use in the New Testament. Today I want to look at how those biblical models which involved idea counterpower, economic counterpower and physical counterpower might be used today by Christians in our resistence against spiritual oppression (which will include the effects of the oppression the secular world labels as political oppression).

Firstly, we need to look at the big picture through a different lens to the one the media provide us with. Jesus didn't take up arms with the zealots but engaged in a different and ultimately greater form of resistence. He saw the bigger picture and resisted wider forms of oppression which were taking place including those being engaged in by religious authorities. This is something we still need to be working out ways to appropriately engage in, (was disturbed to read this post by Richard Ormrod which together with other stories I have heard from those working in the church - in various denominations - do make me seriously wonder if I am insane following the call I believe I have).

I think idea counterpower - particularly challenging accepted truths in terms of accepted interpretations of the bible and tradition is important. Throughout history people have done this and this is part of what has produced change. In order to challenge these truths and dominant interpretations we need to know our bibles and know them well. Theology has to become something all of us do through reflecting on our daily readings, etc. We need to rescue it from the academics, whilst appreciating the gifts God has given them. Yet again I am back to the importance of the Methodist Quadrilatteral where we use reason and experience together with scripture and tradition. To do this we need to learn our histories and our scriptures. This does not require special courses; it requires us to listen to the older generations telling their stories aswell as reading books and going through archieves.

We need to be ready to engage in debates and say the things which will raise eyebrows using the official structures and committees aswell as standing outside and beyond those committees. This is where the internet gives us a really important tool. We have the chance to engage with "the official channels" but also to express ideas more widely. However, the physical world also has important spaces where we need to meet with people and just be and share. Jesus went where he was not expected to go - so do we. Refusing to obey authority is  one that we really need to take Jesus' lead on. He showed us that disobeying authority must always be rooted in compassion for the oppressed or in just being practical when authority is being absurd. Refusing to obey authority should never be for the sake of it or simply because you don't like who is in authority. It can be done in various ways - often creative. I am interested in the way that some people are seeking to see if they can declassify church halls in order to be able use them to bless civil partnerships according to a Church Times article. In terms of finding new channels of communication I think this is happening via the economic media and the use of idea counterpower and the way it challenges the religious authorities was effectively what Bishop Alan was talking about in his CODEC seminar a few months ago (a few audioboos of it available on P. Phillips blog).

In terms of the economic counterpower this is all about how we do and don't use our money. This involves us getting informed about who uses our money and how; what are the ethical principals they are working on and how do they live out these principals in practice. We then need to put this into practice and it does make a difference. I remember when I was about 16 I used to get a magazine called Ethical Consumerism and at that point fairtrade was pretty much a niche thing and something others in churches would often ridicule. Now the major supermarkets use it as a marketing tool.

Physical Counterpower as I showed the other day New Testament physical counterpower involved positive direct action rather than negative direct action. It involved using the gifts that come from God now associated with the charismatic movement together with having the bloody mindedness associated with very conservative Christians or very liberal Christians that leads them in to doing things the rest of us would view as extreme. I want to suggest that prayer and worship can be used as sources of physical counterpower rather than simply idea counterpower as Gee mentioned in his talk. The South African church put their bodies in the way of things physically, within worship acts as did some of the protesters at Faslane, (see Trident Ploughshares for further info on the campaigning). The way Christians have been amongst those who have on occassion sought to physically stop the removal of asylum seekers is another example of the way physicalcounterpower has been used recently by people of faith. The key thing for me though is that physical counterpower always involves being "out there" and "in the world" - it is not something which can be engaged in within churches unless we are actively doing things such as standing up to protect vulnerable people being prayed for in an abusive way.

Writing this has been more difficult for me than I thought it would be and at the end of it I feel like a hypocrite...but I think there is some useful stuff. The two difficulties for me are: (1) I am currently candidating and know if that is successful I will be in a position where the systems are set up in order to make the use of counterpower more difficult - ministers be they presbyteral or deaconal have to be way more careful in what they say and do - the job can act as a way of muting or atleast moderating people (I have seen this on many occassions and one dear friend a few years ago explained why it had to  be so) - something I have had in various ways communicated to me over the last few months. In our institutionalised system entering ministry actually becomes a form of incorporation. (2) The whole blessing of civil partnerships in churches thing has now kicked off again due to the change in the law. This is something I have always sought, however painfully, to sit on the fence on because I understand the pain on both sides. I find it painful that I can't have my civil partnership ceremony in church but understand why. Because I have had that personal thing going on and have been so busy seeking to tread a different middle ground I have ensured I have not thought about it as an injustice to be resisted. Even today on a Methodist FB thread I was doing my usual fudge it type comments. But writing this I realise that there is an alternative interpretation of the bible I believe to be correct which through the use of idea counterpower many now accept. There is an injustice and a form of oppression taking place - especially when the basis of it in some denominations appears to have more to do with not wanting to upset our ecumenical neighbours or risk internal arguments. This is an issue which needs to be faced with counterpower - again that becomes problematic in my mind because I am through candidating applying to work for one of the very organisations which is doing some of the oppressing. (Hugs and personal messages / advice via FB from those who know me, my journey and have been asked to support me on the candidating process would be appreciated). The thing is, though, this is not about sexuality - it is about people. It is about whether the church is still saying to a group of people God loves we cannot accept you as God made you -be that lesbian, gay or bisexual. This then goes further to what counter-power should be challenging - it should always, from a Christian perspective - be used when an individual; organisation; institution or regieme is acting in ways that stop people being all that God created them to be, (be that through oppressing them via poverty; on the basis of one of their social characteristics or in any other way).