Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
More About “Christian Anarchism”

More About “Christian Anarchism”

Last updated on: June 25, 2025 at 11:29 am by Roger E. Olson

0 Comments

More About “Christian Anarchism” 2025-06-25T11:29:42-05:00 Roger E. Olson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Here I piggy-back on the immediately preceding blog post which was about Rodney Clapp’s chapter about Christian anarchism in his book Living Out of Control.

I have long been interested in Christian anarchy/anarchism which is one reason I chose to join a Mennonite church several years ago. Anabaptists have long adhered, more or less strictly, to Christian anarchism.

In the past and somewhat today, an “anarchist” is believed to be someone who is opposed to all government whatsoever. Actually, however, the label once meant a person who was opposed to monarchy. Being opposed to monarchy was considered anarchy/anarchism.

French Christian philosopher/ethicist/theologian Jacques Ellul wrote about Christian anarchy in a positive way. But the classic of Christian anarchy is by Brethren theologian Vernard Eller. Rodney quotes both of them in the chapter I reviewed and responded to.

What do I understand by “Christian anarchy/anarchism?” Simply a high level of discomfort with hierarchy and control—especially inside the church (including inside a denomination). Sure, there have two be leaders, but they should be daily accountable to those they lead. And those they lead should select them to lead. Decisions should be made by consensus as much as possible.

That has long been the standard procedure for operation within Quaker/Friends conferences and congregations and for Anabaptist ones (although in many conservative Anabaptist congregations such as some Amish there has been tight control by a small group of male leaders).

But what about outside the church? What is a Christian anarchist’s view of government and business? My preference is for every government entity and business to be led by people chosen by those who they lead and accountable to them. Someone might claim that is the case in any democracy, but I doubt it. However, a Christian anarchist will favor democracy over every other known type of government in the state. He or she will advocate for the democracy to be as close to the people governed as possible. A Christian anarchist will resist, nonviolently, of course, hierarchy even in the state and its government.

The one exception where hierarchy and control is necessary is the family. However, a Christian anarchist will minimize the need for control of parents over children and emphasize preparing children to make their own decisions. Control will gradually diminish. And “control” over children of any age will always involve as little coercion as possible (and no violence).

A Christian anarchist will want no church to dominate government. Domination itself is a bad thing according to Christian anarchism.

Theologian Juergen Moltmann gets very little attention as a Christian anarchist, but my reading and study of him leads me to believe he was one even though he was perhaps more realistic about the need for strong government than are many anarchists (Christian or secular). He taught me that hierarchy itself is evil as is domination. So did Walter Wink.

As a church historian I am convinced that the first century Christians did not live with ecclesiastical hierarchy. Sure, the Jerusalem Council guided the apostles, but Paul’s submission to them was purely voluntary. They did not dominate Christians. Some second century Christian leaders such as Clement of Rome departed from that first century pattern of independent apostles and congregations and began to insist on a dominating hierarchy with bishops to be obeyed even as Christ is to be obeyed. I see a major turning point, a “sea change,” in Clement’s attitude toward Christian leadership (in his Letter to the Corinthians). Other second century church fathers did the same (e.g., Ignatius of Antioch). But I do not see the first century Christian churches as falling into that trap of unaccountable leadership.

Anabaptists are noted as “restorationists,” Christians who want to recreate, as much as possible, the first century church of the New Testament.

To put it bluntly, I would not attend, let alone be a member of, any church where the pastor or elders are unaccountable decision-makers and not selected by the members to be their accountable leaders. That is my idea of Christian anarchy. And I prefer every government under which I live to be accountable to the citizenry. I am thinking, for example, of the famous model of New England town meetings. Government as close to the people as possible.

As far as businesses go, I prefer to do business with cooperatives,”co-ops,” of which there are many. Often, people don’t even know that the company they are buying from is a co-op. A co-op bank, for example, is a credit union. But there are many other types of co-op businesses owned by the customers and/or employees, not share-holders who have no direct connection with the business.

*Note: If you choose to comment, make sure your comment is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative), and devoid of pictures or links.*

Uncategorized

Previous Post

June 22, 2025

Christian Anarchy: Faith Beyond Politics and Power

Next Post

June 29, 2025 Gospel Before Government: Faith's Role in Politics

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"“Secular” means non-religious. No religion is embraced by American society anymore. Christianity remains the leading ..."

Roger Olson

Billy Graham’s Successor?

"I will look him up. Never heard of him."

Roger Olson

Billy Graham’s Successor?

"Where and when and how did I “support” a leader or church…? I said I ..."

Roger Olson

I’m Proud of Adam Hamilton (and ..."

"4-5% of the population is atheist or literally 'secular' not the entire country.Thats a really ..."

davidt

Billy Graham’s Successor?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Against Liberal Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month November 2026 October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which book of the Bible contains the phrase "Vanity of vanities"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Proverbs Job Psalms Ecclesiastes