Anarchy and Christianity

Description

Jacques Ellul blends politics, theology, history, and exposition in this analysis of the relationship between political anarchy and biblical faith. On the one hand, suggests Ellul, anarchists need to understand that much of their criticism of Christianity applies only to the form of religion that developed, not to biblical faith. Christians, on the other hand, need to look at the biblical texts and not reject anarchy as a political option, for it seems closest to biblical thinking. Ellul here defines anarchy as the nonviolent repudiation of authority. He looks at the Bible as the source of anarchy (in the sense of nondomination, not disorder), working through the Old Testament history, Jesus' ministry, and finally the early church's view of power as reflected in the New Testament writings. "With the verve and the gift of trenchant simplification to which we have been accustomed, Ellul lays bare the fallacy that Christianity should normally be the ally of civil authority." -John Howard Yoder Anarchy and Christianity Contents Introduction I Anarchy from a Christian Standpoint 1. What Anarchy? 2. Anarchy’s Complaints against Christianity II The Bible as the Source of Anarchy 1. The Hebrew Bible 2. Jesus 3. Revelation 4. 1 Peter 5. Paul Appendixes The Interpretation of Romans 13:1-2 by Karl Barth and Alphonse Maillot 1. Karl Barth 2. Alphonse Maillot Conscientious Objectors Testimony: Priest and Anarchist, by Adrien Duchosal Conclusion Index of Names Index of Scripture References