Christian radicalism

Christian radicalism (radical Christianity or radical discipleship) encompasses a number of different movements and actions in practical theology.[1] It entails a radical re-orientation towards the root truths of Christian discipleship through personal reflection and action.[2]

Contents

Radical re-orientation and reflection

Radical is derived from the Latin word radix meaning "root", referring to the need for perpetual re-orientation towards the root truths of Christian discipleship. One way Christians achieve this is to revisit the Sermon on the Mount or the Gospel of Mark, the earliest of the canonical gospels.[3][4] Alternatively this re-orientation may comprise of Christians re-examining their roots or discovering an anti-imperialist heritage within their own traditions, such as Methodists studying John Wesley, Baptists remembering the Anabaptists or Catholics finding Francis of Assisi.[2] Christian radicals, such as Ched Myers, Lee Camp and Shane Claiborne, believe mainstream Christianity has moved away from its origins, namely the core teachings and practices of Jesus such as turning the other cheek and rejecting materialism.[5]

Personal action

Radical discipleship calls Christians to follow the will of God through personal action and example.[6] This may encompass theological ideas and actions that are perceived to be subversive or extreme, and therefore unacceptable to either the Church or State. The methods by which radical Christians attempt to transform the social order can vary widely, from constructive activism to destructive fanaticism, as Christopher Rowland explains:

Christian radicalism has had its roots in the Bible. Both those committed to violence, and those who resorted to peaceful means to bring about change, have appealed to the Bible, albeit using different hermeneutical strategies. We cannot understand Christian history without recognising the interweaving of destructive fanaticism and constructive activism, and, what is more, the knee-jerk reaction to radicalism, of whatever hue, from the wielders of power, whether secular or ecclesiastical.[7]

Examples of nonviolent radicalism include Gerrard Winstanley, William Blake and Gustavo Gutiérrez, whilst examples of violent radicalism include the Münster Rebellion, Thomas Müntzer and Camilo Torres Restrepo.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Dancer, Anthony (2005). William Stringfellow in Anglo-American Perspective. Ashgate Publishing. pp. 16–18. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=de-LhhZNLd4C&lpg=PA18&dq=practical%20theology%20Radical%20discipleship&pg=PA18#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
  2. ^ a b Myers, Ched (1988). Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark's Story of Jesus. Orbis Books. pp. 7–8. "Radical Discipleship" 
  3. ^ Chia, Roland (2006). Radical Discipleship: Reflections on the Sermon on the Mount. Wipf & Stock Publishers. 
  4. ^ Myers, Ched (1988). Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark's Story of Jesus. Orbis Books. p. 13. "As the earliest Gospel, it has stood at the center of critical efforts to reconstruct the life of Jesus" 
  5. ^ Camp, Lee C. (2003). Mere Discipleship: Radical Christianity in a Rebellious World. Brazos Press. pp. 19–30. "Radical Discipleship" 
  6. ^ Camp, Lee C. (2003). Mere Discipleship: Radical Christianity in a Rebellious World. Brazos Press. p. 133. "The gospel is not merely a belief system...The gospel calls us to participate in the kingdom of heaven, to embody the will of God on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit to do so." 
  7. ^ a b Rowland, Christopher (2007). Timmerman, Hutsebaut, Mels, Nonneman and Van Herck. ed. Faith-based Radicalism: Christianity, Islam and Judaism Between Constructive Activism And Destructive Fanaticism. Peter Lang. pp. 115–129. ISBN 9052010501. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kIRq7DgTZV0C&lpg=PP1&dq=Faith-based%20Radicalism%3A%20Christianity%2C%20Islam%20and%20Judaism%20Between%20Constructive%20Activism%20And%20Destructive%20Fanaticism&pg=PA115#v=onepage&q&f=false. "Radical Christian Writings" 

Further reading

19th century

20th century

21st century