Theological Journal – July 31 Lee Camp: Scandalous Witness (8)

PROPOSITION 8 Every Empire Falls

Every empire rises and falls. Their pride and overreach eventually undoes them.

“if (a) we recognize that Jesus explicitly rejected the so-called satanic imperialist shape for his kingdom, if (b) we recognize that the long history of the Christian church precedes the US empire, and if (c) we recognize that the Christian church shall extend well beyond the life cycle of the United States (for this is the very promise made to Peter by Jesus), then (d) we become free to be both judge and critic and contributor and citizen, knowing that the existence of the US empire is not our ultimate historical concern.” (Kindle Loc.1393-1399)

“. . . to be authentically conservative in a Christian sense is to make nonpartisan critiques of empire, with equal opportunity criticism of the imperialism of either right or left. It is neither naive nor idealistic nor the province of the haters to critique fetishes with military might, nationalism, and American exceptionalism. It is instead historically savvy, politically conservative, and theologically conservative.” (Kindle Loc.1409)

Critique of empire is a major emphasis of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

Pagan creation myths taught an “ontology of violence”- nature was grounded in war and bloodshed with the victors lording it over the losers.

Contra this imperial ideology the Genesis story taught an “ontology of peace” in “which the universe was ordered by the loving word of God and humankind lovingly created for communion with God, and, moreover, humankind—all humankind—was made an image of this loving God’s care and concern for all created things, good in themselves, indeed, very good.” (Kindle Loc.1422)

This imperial critique continues after the creation stories. When we reach the Exodus Pharaoh, the “biggest, baddest bully on the block” is soundly defeated by YHWH with his people merely serving as spectators to his great defeat.

Pathology of empire:

“One of the great ironies of the fall of the mighty: that which they inordinately fear often falls upon them. Their fears come upon them because of their own cowardice. Seeking to preempt that which they fear, they resort to injustice, violence, and oppression. Their focused energy brings the fear to life with a vigor and whirlwind perhaps not otherwise possible. Preemptive war is a privilege only of the mighty, a sowing of the wind to reap the whirlwind.” (Kindle Loc.1450)

A crisis arose in the days of Samuel when the people wanted a king to be “just like the other nations” to whom Israel was supposed to be a liberating alternative. The distinctive social practice of Israel (Sabbath, Sabbath year, Jubilee) were quite different from those of empire.

Empires do not forgive debt; they count on it. Empires, above all, are not willing to trust God to provide for their defense; they love accumulating to themselves vast might and power and glory.” (Kindle Loc.1455)

Israel continues to deal with various empires until finally Babylon comes to town in judgment on Israel’s persistent idolatry and injustice precipitating the great crisis of its existence. As the exile continued even after the return of the people to the land under the heel of the Persians the questions persisted: “Would God allow God’s people to continue to be dominated by the empires? Would the imperial word be the final word? Would the military might of the powerful determine the fate of human history or no?” (Kindle Loc.1492)

Jesus enters the scene amid revolutionary designs among the people for ousting the hated Romans who were now in charge of the world. Though revolutionary the ultimate hopes of the Israelites were equally imperial – only they were in charge and God was king.

But the kingdom Jesus brought was a very different kind of rule. Under God’s lordship “the bloodletting of history, the injustice of the nations, the brokenness of all manner of institutions, powers, and individual human lives are begun to be set right.” (Kindle Loc.1504)

“If we would be Christians, then, we must have faith to see the decline of empires—including those from which we may have derived many of our own benefits and power and personal privilege, often at the expense of others—as the inevitable consequence of the coming of God in Christ into the world. More, this does not even require Christian faith. This sort of realism about the manner in which might falls in upon itself is not a particularly novel observation, given that a simple historical survey indicates the inductively derived truth that all empires, in time, fall. What is novel, of course, is the manner in which we are called to participate in the redemptive politics of the world. It is not through imperial might and military prowess but through the sort of servanthood and mercy exhibited in King Jesus. This is the great political fact to which all who follow Jesus must ultimately submit and thereby know a new and good life.” (Kindle Loc.1511)