Ethics Reflection: Re-imagining

Ethics Reading Reflection – Erin Kruger April 16^th

Occupy Religion and The Occupy Handbook

Rieger and Pui-lan present a theology of the multitude grounded in the Greek ekklesia nature of church, God’s place in restoring relationships while siding with the abused and exploited, and a consideration of ecclesial practices and rituals that could structure this faith community.  Within light of the Ocuppy Movement’s focus on the ineffectiveness of a top-down economy and the oppressive powers in a hierarchical economic structure, these authors point out that the default images of God are dominant and powerful.  The classic theism originating from dominant Roman philosophical ideas of God as omnipotent, immutable, and impassable contributes to another oppressive hierarchical power system in which God is at the top.  Striving to reimagine these concepts of God through scriptures in which Jesus lives and teaches mercy, kindness, and a preference to the poor also means a reimaging of neighbor towards appreciation and respect. 

            The articles in the Occupy Handbook range in topics from Voluntary Financial Transaction Tax and Medicare to Global Capitalism through Smuggling.  Each author offering different critiques on the current economic system supporting their understanding as to how America (and the world) got here and what could perhaps change towards something more positive.  I must admit, I am still very fuzzy within Gross’s explainations of Procyclicality as to the physics of leverage, and find While and Li’s background on the difficulties of bankruptcy legislation and reform fascinating, mortgages in general I find an elusive realm.  It was Mathews article on a “Globalization from Below” that struck a chord with my worldview.  In response to a story of the reality of a merchant being cheated, Mathews explains “It’s a common story, but most merchants talk neither or cheating more of being cheated, but only of their ongoing efforts to make a living in a business whose parameters, due to ever-changing rates, an ever-changing flow of customers, and an ever- change array of phones for sale, are always difficult.”  (Kindle, 462) 

            In a world in which making a living is always difficult, the theology of the multitude attempts to give a deep sense of hope rooted in God.  Addressing these very real everyday concerns, so quickly can become life or death especially in developing countries, also must address who God is and as followers of God how to live within broken relationships, class oppression, and as events of Monday April 15^th feature – violence.  Rieger and Pui-lan’s question if the dominant images of God speak to our experiences (especially in The Occupy Movement) and the implications to how we understand both humanity and divinity.  Although ones own anthropology does impact their theology, I have become suspicious of approaching God through human experience if not also explicitly also through scripture and tradition.  My own human experience is, like so many others, very broken, and it becomes easy through that brokenness to want God on “my” side.  Grounding in study, solidarity with the community, and scripture all guide me to agreeing with many of the solutions offered in envisioning what church could mean from the bottom up.  I simply hold tightly to keeping the focus of the faith and the church on God, and allowing a firm grounding in the love of God to be what nurtures and inspires people of faith to care for every other living thing.    

I am drawn to this quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer (in Letters and Papers from Prison) "It is only by living completely in this world that one learns to have faith.... In so doing, we throw ourselves completely into the arms of God, taking seriously, not our own sufferings, but those of God in the world."  

Yes - let's reimagine God together.  

Yes - let's live in solidarity with one another with appreciation and mutual respect.  

Yes - it's going to be hard.  

Yes - let's challenge oppressive hierarchical systems like the economy.  

Always through and with the Triune God who lives and walks in the world as is it, guiding us towards a world as it should be.  

Wading through the mess of the economy, TOGETHER.

Ethics April 9^th

Readings from The Occupy Handbook and Making a Way out of No Way – Monica Coleman

Monica Coleman presents in the later half of her book, a well presented framework for a post-modern womanist theology as an action seeking wholeness and healing.  In comparisons with process theology, Coleman ties strongly to Cobbs (and others) use of the concept “creative transformation” to address salvation as a process or a change.  Also essential to Coleman’s format is the previous chapters work on understanding the communal aspect of life, and also of sin.  Salvation then is as well communal.  This deep creative transformation Cobb finds as the central piece of his Christology.  While Coleman respects this, she does not require it in a theology of “making a way out of no way”.  Chapter 4 goes on to highlight the crucial connecting piece of ancestors and the past within a salvation of change.  “Rememory” and being in touch with ones ancestors are ways of keeping the past alive and not repeating the mistakes of history.  These concepts help one to be grounded in tradition as a way of working towards the future.  Coleman demonstrates the concepts of destructive transformation, creative transformation, ancestral immorality, saviors, and the challenge of salvation through an analysis of two pieces of black literature.  Alongside an excellent and detailed exploration into traditional African religion, Coleman presents a moving and dynamic theology of salvation through transformative change as “making a way out of no way.” 

The combination of articles in The Occupy Handbook for this week (pg 309-396) highlighted and offered solutions to the broken economic systems of capitalism around taxation, legislation, corporate personhood, and higher education costs.  The statistics and facts around each of these aspects of the current financial system and crisis are complex and overwhelming to many, including myself.  The concepts of corporate ethics and self-regulation have proven to be idealist and detrimental.  Solutions seem to be offered in every which direction, beginning with a basic understanding that financial crises will happen in free market economies (Martin Wolf).  Constitutional amendments seem to offer hope that self-regulation did not live up to, equal percentage taxation is not a reality and seems to be a more just option, and the concept of “smart loans” by Eliot Spitzer where student loans are not a flat rate but a percentage of income offers hope to many crumbled by debt.  Yet, as as Cowen and de Rugy remind us, the claims of the OWS movement are complex and perhaps should be reframed, opening up the concepts of income inequality from the 99% versus the 1% to a more multifaceted view of society. 

Many of the solutions offered echo Monica Colemans post-modern womanist theology are echoed in the solutions of so many of these authors.  Salvation and change are incredibly difficult, but necessary and must happen communally.  There is an important place for the past, however not as something to cling to.  The Occupy Movement has done amazing and difficult work around exposing the destructiveness of the modern free market capitalist economy.  There are not easy answers, and much of the situation is intertwined within systems that both provide order and oppression.  Conversations and knowledge must be the first place the community can turn to.  The creative transformation has to begin somewhere, perhaps with the Occupy Movement.  There is hope for authentic healing and wholeness yet, if we are willing to wade through the mess together.