We think that the implications of this
text are staggering. We also are aware that a lot of pew sitters today, if they
hear this text rightly proclaimed, will make the same sad decision as did the
young man of the Markan story. It is inevitable. There is a common excuse given:
‘How am I supposed to live without money?” ‘What am I supposed
to do…trust God?’ As Bill Cosby would say ‘Rriigghhtttt.’
Let’s see, how long have humans
been around? Figure somewhere between 2-3 million years. How long has money/medium
of exchange been around? Maybe 10-20,000 years. How do you suppose we did
without it for so long? What would it mean for you to be free from the shackles
of mammon, desiring what others desire, programmed to the hilt by a consumer
culture? We wish to remind you once again of Walter Wink’s trilogy on
The Powers. The final volume, Engaging the Powers, is rich in suggestive ways
Christians can become actively involved in the world without succumbing to
the mimetic snares of the world.
God bless you today as you work this
one, don’t get into too much hot water. Oh, and watch out when you turn
around, the devil is there waiting, aiming at your …….
The devil was on the prowl one day out
to get the Christian. When he saw the Christian he shot one of his fiery darts
and it struck the Christian in the chest. The Christian had on the breastplate
of righteousness so he wasn’t harmed. The devil shot at the Christian’s
head but that was protected by the helmet of salvation. The devil figured everyone
has an Achilles’ heel, so he shot at the Christian’s feet that were
shod with the gospel of peace so no harm was done. The Christian smirked and
turned around to walk away. The devil fired an arrow into the Christian’s
wallet and killed him.
And that’s about the extent of
it. You can talk about just about anything you want when it comes to religion
but DO NOT talk about my money. It is my money, I earn it, I can earn as much
of it as I want or is possible. But did you know that almost 40% of everything
Jesus has to say recorded in the Synoptics is about money or utilizes economic
metaphors. Why is this? Does he not say that you cannot serve God and mammon?
Jesus relationship with the economic
system is of a piece with his entire program to demythologize the Powers.
His halakic debates with the Pharisees, his criticism of Herod, his disdain
for the Sadducees and the religious system, his exorcisms and healings are
all aspects of the overthrow of the Powers. His refusal to use money also
constituted an element, a key element, in his mission.
Why do we value colored paper and worthless
coins? Why is everything else in turn valued by this colored paper and worthless
coin? What is money? Money is a form or medium of exchange. It is a form of
substitution. And because it is so clearly so, it is also a sign of the sacrificial
system. We exchange ourselves for money. With money we make an exchange called
a purchase. Ergo, we exchange our selves for our purchases. We are the things
around us. Since we value ourselves so highly, we value our exchanges just
as highly, and viola!, our relationships with things around us becomes the
focus of our desire. Our mimetically conceived desire is stoked by the geniuses
on Madison Ave who know how to get you to want what they have and furthermore
to believe that you will be a better, sexier, cleaner, cooler person for it.
These desires get embedded in our social consciousness and we turn our mimetically
conceived desire into something positive called the ‘American dream.’
The American dream is all about the ability to accumulate capital or mammon.
It depends on sacrifice and exchange or substitution. It is thoroughly mimetic.
Little wonder we cannot serve God and mammon.
In addition to seeing mammon as an aspect
of the ‘bigger mimetic picture’ (as we can when we utilize Walker
Wink’s thesis), it is important to note that economists have begun to
see their discipline through the lens of mimetic theory. Furthermore there
are wonderful congruencies between a Girardian economic approach and that
of Jacques Ellul. One of the more cogent Girardian examples is Andre Orlean’s
essay. He says, “ [The] tension that runs through the economic agent
leads to the emergence of a specific desire, the desire for wealth. Wealth
is that principle that Girard calls desire’s ultimate goal, the possession
of which would finally allow the subject to accede to self-sufficiency. It
is what all things are measured against; it is the very substance of social
evaluation. The determination of wealth of wealth is thus the fundamental
economic problem. The dominant strategy in political economy consists in deriving
the definition of wealth from a law at the basis of exchange: Value. There
would thus reside, at the foundation of the social order, a principle of coherence
manipulating the agents without their knowing.” Andre Orlean, “Money
and Mimetic Speculation” in Paul Dumouchel, ed. Violence and Truth (Stanford:
Stanford University Press, 1988).
Contrast this with the interesting fact
that most books on Jesus do not examine his relationship to money. This is
especially the case with literature on Jesus and violence. It is as if money
is not an essential component of the problem of desire. If money/capital/wealth
is dealt with, it is usually in terms of a reflected mimetic desire where
the poor have ‘a right to the wealth’ of the rich. This is also
usually spun from the liberation theological angle (which in turn depended
upon the Christian-Marxist dialogue of the 60’s and 70’s) where
too frequently the violence of the poor and disenfranchised is good violence
and the powerful violence of the rich is evil. This focuses the debate on
the right to the medium of exchange (and the concomitant right to ‘good
violence) whereas Jesus gives no right to the medium of exchange.
Postscript: The economic aspect of Jesus’
teaching is ignored at the church’s peril. With Jesus’ teaching
in mind we renounce the so-called ‘prosperity gospel’ in all of
its forms; this is nothing more than middle class consumerism with Bible verses.
The ‘prosperity gospel’ is a religious multi-level marketing scheme
used in the churches to make the few at the top wealthy at the expense of
the masses under them. (Hhhmmm, sorta sounds like capitalism, eh?) Fans of
Jacques Ellul may recall what he has said in Money and Power.
William Countryman makes the observation
that “only those Christian writers, therefore, who had a close connection
with the primitive Palestinian church treated wealth as culpable in itself.”
Countryman further suggests that the concept of mammon as being intrinsically
evil derived from the “Jewish sectarian theme” of ‘the righteous
poor.’ As the church became less centered on Jerusalem and Jewish Christianity
after the destruction of the Temple, it began to ‘accommodate’ Jesus’
economic thinking. “It remains true, however, that the Early Christian
authors generally spoke negatively of wealth, even if they were not prepared
to rule it out altogether for Christians.” The
Rich Christian in the Church of the Early Empire: Contradictions and Accommodations.
Fortunately, this accommodation has not occurred in the gospel tradition itself.
There is a clear economic aspect to Jesus’ ‘program’ and that
involves seeing mammon as a correlate to the ‘Satan.’ The renunciation
of one means the renunciation of the other. This correlation can be seen when
the lens of mimetic theory is applied to the gospels.
Martin Hengel has written the valuable
resource Property
and Riches in the Early Church (London: SCM, 1974).
Scholars talk about the need for objectivity
but we casually wonder how they can objectively treat Jesus’ teachings
on money/wealth when they depend on a paycheck? How ‘bout clergy? We
have read some serious ‘scholarly’ distortions in which Jesus
sounds now like Adam Smith, now like Karl Marx, and others who make Jesus
out to be a full blown market capitalist (can’t you just picture Jesus
saying ‘greed is good?’ NOT!). The bondage we have to money is
a sign of our bondage to the Powers and thus the Satan, the victimage mechanism
in its lies and death. You can’t bring that into the Kingdom of God.
You have to choose one or the other that’s just the way it is. Whew,
Talk about puttin’ the hurt on. No wonder the rich young man was sad,
huh?
Either this page has not yet been completed, or we have not found any significant textual issues in the lectionary texts for this Sunday.
Introductory Articles
We will add articles as we are able,
or as users of the site request them, so if you have suggestions for additional
pieces, please write to us!
"Introduction
to Mimetic Theory"
"Mimesis"
"The
Scapegoat"
"The
Pillars of Culture"
"Jesus"
"The
Four Gospels"
A Brief Introduction
to Luke
What's New: (Hover your mouse over to pause cycling)
Jb 23:1-9,16-17 or * Am 5:6-7,10-15
Ps 22:1-15 * Ps 90:12-17
Heb 4:12-16
Mk 10:17-31
(Job 23:1-9)
Then Job answered: "Today also my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy
despite my groaning. Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might
come even to his dwelling! I would lay my case before him, and fill my mouth
with arguments. I would learn what he would answer me, and understand what
he would say to me. Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
No; but he would give heed to me. There an upright person could reason with
him, and I should be acquitted forever by my judge. "If I go forward,
he is not there; or backward, I cannot perceive him; on the left he hides,
and I cannot behold him; I turn to the right, but I cannot see him.
(Job 23:16-17)
God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me; If only I could
vanish in darkness, and thick darkness would cover my face!
* (Amos 5:6-7)
Seek the LORD and live, or he will break out against the house of Joseph like
fire, and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it. Ah, you that turn
justice to wormwood, and bring
righteousness to the ground!
* (Amos 5:10-15)
They hate the one who reproves in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks
the truth. Therefore because you trample on the poor and take from them levies
of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. For
I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins-- you
who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and push aside the needy in the
gate. Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time; for it is an
evil time. Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the
God of hosts, will be with you, just as you have said. Hate evil and love
good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God
of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
(Hebrews 4:12-16)
Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able
to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature
is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom
we must render an account. Since, then, we have a great high priest who has
passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our
confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with
our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we
are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(Mark 10:17-31)
As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and
asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery;
You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud;
Honor your father and mother.'" He said to him, "Teacher, I have
kept all these since my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and
said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money
to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many
possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How
hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"
And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again,
"Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for
a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to
enter the kingdom of God." They were greatly astounded and said to one
another, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said,
"For mortals it isimpossible, but not for God; for God all things are
possible." Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything
and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one
who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children
or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive
a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children,
and fields with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life. But many
who are first will be last, and the last will be first."
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright
1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches
of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Occasional Articles
As with the Introductory Articles, we
will add other articles as time permits or as our readers request. If you
have a suggestion for anything, please let us know.
Michael Hardin
Is the Apocalypse Inevitable?: Native American Prophecy and the Mimetic Theory presented to the Colloquium on Violence and Religion 2008
Michael's Essay for a Celebration Volume honoring Rene Girard
Michael's Response to Willard Swartley's Covenent of Peace at the November Colloquium and Violence Meeting
Does
Peace Make A Difference? - Michael's essay in response to Rick
Warren's P.E.A.C.E. plan (which somehow never mentions peace).
An Analysis of Rick Warren - Michael's response to "The Purpose Driven Life."
"The
God of Pat Robertson" - a response to Pat Robertson's words
to the people of Dover, PA.
"A
response to Charles Stanley's "A Nation at War"
"Must
God be violent? A Diagnosis and Prescription for Modern Christianity"
The
Scapegoat: Christologies in Conflict - A Study in Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Biblical
Testaments as a Marriage of Convenience: Rene Girard and Biblical Interpretation
Finding
Our Way Home: A Brief Note On The Authority and Interpretation of Scripture
"Does
The Passion of the Christ Preach the Gospel?"
A
sermon for the holiday devoted to Dr. Martin Luther King. (requires
Adobe Acrobat Reader.)
GRASPING
GOD: Philippians 2: 1-11 in the Light of Mimetic Theory
Rene Girard and the Recovery of Early Christian Perspectives (Brethren Life and Thought)
The Dynamics of Violence and the Imitation of Christ in Maximus Confessor (St. Vladimir's Theological Quarterly)
"EcoSpirituality"
Or What Happens When You Sit Down With A French Literary Critic
Jeff Krantz
Mighty
One or Crucified Messiah? Competing Christologies and the Chiastic
Structure of Mark's Gospel
There's
No Such Thing as the Rapture - A sermon preached at the Church
of the Advent, Westbury (requires Acrobat Reader)
Holy
Scripture and the Consecration of Gene Robinson - a response
to the request of the Windsor Report for a Scriptural rationale. (requires
Adobe's Acrobat Reader)
Worship - The Redemption of Desire by Jeff Krantz
Myth
and Film - a piece written for the City of Angels Film Festival
The Stations of the Cross - Rewritten by Jeff Krantz
A Dramatic Presentation of the Stations of the Cross for Youth by Barb Fabijan-Waddell
Escaping
the Power of "My" - A NonViolent Approach to Stewardship
Preaching
Peace in Hollywood: The Theologies of Terminator, Lord of the Rings, and the
Matrix
V
for Vendetta - The Name Says It All A review of the movie.
Essays, Sermons and Liturgical Pieces by Friends of Preaching Peace
"Jesus and the Gibeonites: Reading the Bible from the Perspective of the Hidden Victim" by James Warren.
Mark Heim's "No More of This" - A hymn on Nonviolent Atonement
Kate Layzer's "No More of This" - A hymn on Nonviolent Atonement (and inspiration for Mark Heim's hymn!)
Alan Cork, "Transformation" in L'Arche: A Mimetic Account presented to the Colloquium on Violence and Religion 2008
"The Wisdom of God's Peace" a sermon by Jim Amstutz, co-pastor of Michael's church.
Girard's Christology - Per Bjornar Grande
Violence, Anarchy and Scripture: Jacques Ellul and Rene Girard - Matthew Patillo
Comparing
Plato's Understanding of Mimesis to Girard's - Per Bjorner Grande
C. Frank Terhune, an Easter Sermon: "God's Big But" (no kidding!)
Gerald Biesecker-Mast's paper from Theologia Pacis on Pacifist Gospel Epstimology.
An essay by the Rev. John Hill on Mimetic Theory and Catechesis
