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Being the Church in the Midst of Empire TLC 1 TLC TheOLOGY IN the LIfe OF the ChuRch Vol. 1 The church has often been complicit with the dynamics of empire. Nonetheless, it also needs to critique and embody alternatives to it, especially in and through communities of faith. Here, theologians take up the daunting challenge of Being in the Church Empire the Midst of developing constructive theological responses, grounded in the Triune God, which have the potential to counter, transform and nurture long-term resistance to empire today. “This book took shape in discussions at an LWF seminar convened at Luther Seminary, but it is part of discussions occurring among Christians all over the world as they seek to give public evangelical witness to Jesus Christ in the midst of empire. The call to faithfulness in these pages is filled with insight, struggle and hope.” Richard H. Bliese, President, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. “Standing in the tradition of courageous contextual Lutheran theology (e.g., the Confessing Church and status confessionis), writers here offer deep ecclesiological insights into ecumenical processes for nurturing resistance to today’s expressions of totalitarianism.” Ulrich Duchrow, Kairos Europa, Heidelberg, Germany. “Essential reading for the call to resist the USA’s insatiable quest for domination under the guise of freeing the world. An extraordinarily important book.” Being the Church in Norma Cook Everist, Professor of Church and Ministry, Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, USA. the Midst of Empire The editor, the Rev. Dr Karen L. Bloomquist, is Director of the Department for Theology and Studies, LWF, Geneva, Switzerland. Trinitarian Reflections The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF now has 140 member churches in 78 countries all over the world, representing 66.7 million Christians. LWF The Lutheran World Federation – A Communion of Churches DTS-TLC01-Empire-cover.indd 1 12/07/2010 09:45:30 AM DTS-Studies-201002-text.indd 10 02/03/2011 15:55:18 PM Being the Church in the Midst of Empire Trinitarian Reflections edited by Karen L. Bloomquist On behalf of The Lutheran World Federation Lutheran University Press Minneapolis, Minnesota DTS-TLC01-Empire.indd 3 16/10/2007 10:34:35 AM Being the Church in the Midst of Empire Trinitarian Reflections Editorial assistance and layout: LWF-DTS Design: LWF-OCS Artwork on cover: LWF-OCS. Photo © Corinna Ascher Copyright 2007 Lutheran University Press and the Lutheran World Federation All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in articles or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior permission. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Lutheran World Federation Published by Lutheran University Press under the auspices of: The Lutheran World Federation 150, rte de Ferney, PO Box 2100 CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland This book is also available in Europe using ISBN 978-3-905676-57-0. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Faith and human rights : voices from the Lutheran Communion / edited by Peter Prove. p. cm. -- (Documentation series; no. 51) ISBN-13: 978-1-932688-20-7 (alk. paper) ISBN-10: 1-932688-20-X (alk. paper) 1. Human rights--Religious aspects--Lutheran Church. 2. Lutheran Church-- Doctrines. I. Prove, Peter N. BX8074.H87F35 2007 261.7088’2841--dc22 2006102424 Lutheran University Press, PO Box 390759, Minneapolis, MN 55439 Manufactured in the United States of America DTS-TLC01-Empire.indd 4 16/10/2007 10:34:35 AM Contents 7 Foreword 9 Preface: “Theology in the Life of the Church” Karen L. Bloomquist 13 Introduction: Being the Church in the Midst of Empire Karen L. Bloomquist Empire as Entwined in our History and Faith 25 Empire and Its Religious Legitimation: Betrayed by a Companion Charles Amjad-Ali 43 Faith and Empire: Some Biblical Perspective Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer 55 The Knot: Autobiographical Reflections on Citizenship and Faith within Empire William R. Strehlow What or Where is the Church 71 The Church as Confessing Koinonia of the Spirit Cheryl M. Peterson 91 The Space in Between Spaces: The Church as Prophetic Pest/Parasite Mary Philip Criteria and Power for Confessing Today 109 Confession and Empire: How the Gospel is at Stake Michael Hoy 125 The Holy Spirit: Power for Confessing Faith in the Midst of Empire Cynthia Moe-Lobeda DTS-TLC01-Empire.indd 5 16/10/2007 10:34:35 AM Being the Church in the Midst of Empire – Trinitarian Reflections Trinitarian Resistance to Empire 149 Desire in Consumer Culture: Trinitarian Transformations John F. Hoffmeyer 163 Mutuality, Kenosis and Spirited Hope in the Face of Empire Allen G. Jorgenson Theology of the Cross Instead of Prosperity Theology 181 Empire’s Export of Prosperity Theology: Its Impact on Africa Faith K. Lugazia 193 The Cross, Friendship and Empire Deanna A. Thompson The Public Vocation of the Church amid Empire 209 An Ecclesiology of Belonging Through Otherness Johannes Gerhardus Jacobus Swart 223 Ecclesial Communion, God’s Publicity and Global Citizenship Gary M. Simpson Fundamentalism, Democracy and Empire 241 Some Fundamental Lutheran Problems with Fundamentalism Wanda Deifelt 257 Tolerance and Democracy Instead of Fundamentalism and Empire Guillermo Hansen 283 Contributors DTS-TLC01-Empire.indd 6 16/10/2007 10:34:35 AM Foreword Through the centuries, Lutherans have emphasized how important theology is for the life of the churches and the challenges they face in society. This is reflected in the extensive theological work that has long been associated with Lutheran churches, the importance placed on theological education, how “good theology” continues to be associated as a distinguishing mark of Lutheranism and in how Lutherans have led many ecumenical and interfaith developments. This is still largely the case, or at least the stated assumption. Nonetheless, there are also indications that theology is at risk of losing its central role in the life of the churches and for critiquing what churches teach and practice when this compromises what is central to the church’s identity, confession and witness in society. This is why I welcome the “Theology in the Life of the Church” initiative that the LWF Department for Theology and Studies has undertaken. The background for this first book in the Theology in the Life of the Church series is the overarching reality of empire. Many of us have lived under various kinds of political and economic empires, and directly experienced some of the positive but also the oppressive effects these can have. Empire can be so much a part of who we are and how we think that we do not even realize how much it shapes and influences us. The new forms and expressions of empire today, which this book addresses, are increasingly giving rise to concern. How religion supports the ways of empire—or critiques and counters it—is highlighted throughout the articles here. Theologians, mostly from or currently living in the USA, were asked to draw upon theological insights that can counter the logic and realities of empire today—as a witness to the wider ecumenical family. What can we learn from what they write here? How can this provoke us to do similar theological work in relation to the related critical challenges we need to face in our respective contexts? Ishmael Noko General Secretary The Lutheran World Federation DTS-TLC01-Empire.indd 7 16/10/2007 10:34:35 AM DTS-TLC01-Empire.indd 8 16/10/2007 10:34:35 AM Preface: “Theology in the Life of the Church” Karen L. Bloomquist The overall program In 2004, an overall LWF study program was begun in the Department for Theology and Studies under the title, “Theology in the Life of Lutheran Churches: Revisiting Its Critical Role.” One of its central objectives is to deepen and expand how theology is understood and pursued in relation to the actual challenges or realities that Lutheran churches—along with others—are facing in today’s world. This entails not just talking about but actually carrying out theological work that has rigor and integrity with regard to the tradition and current contexts, so as to be able to meet emerging ecumenical, interfaith and ethical challenges. As Christians we live out our faith according to a grammar that is grounded in God’s promises. This calls for imaginative and critical theological reflection within and across contexts, such as when • We face systemic death and injustice that sap our energy and overwhelm us (track 1). • We are overwhelmed with the presence, influence and challenges of multifaith realities (track 2). • We are caught off guard by the popularity of charismatic move- ments and Pentecostal churches (track 3). • Moral differences overwhelm what we thought was the faith that unites us (track 4). Many have responded with an immediate sense of the contextual relevance that one or several of these tracks have for them and their church. It seems far more difficult, however, to draw upon Christian theology (not to mention Lutheran emphases) in order to deepen or elaborate theological DTS-TLC01-Empire.indd 9 16/10/2007 10:34:35 AM 10 Being the Church in the Midst of Empire – Trinitarian Reflections responses to these challenges. Actually to confess and live out faith in the Triune God in the midst of massive death and injustice in our world today, the influence of other faiths, competing spiritualities and differ- ences that threaten quests for church unity—this explicitly theological move is a formidable challenge. Yet, it is happening in preaching and other ongoing practices to make the faith meaningful and persuasive in local settings. Some of the early responses to this appeal were posted on a special Web site, (www.luthersem.org/lwfdiscuss), but it soon became apparent that face-to-face seminars would become important venues for pursuing the purpose of this program.
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