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

The Pangea Blog

Home

Home
Progressive Christian
Prophetic Pepper Spray, Suffering, and the Revolutionary Kingdom: UC Davis and #OccupyWallStreet

Prophetic Pepper Spray, Suffering, and the Revolutionary Kingdom: UC Davis and #OccupyWallStreet

Last updated on: November 24, 2011 at 8:24 am by Kurt Willems

Prophetic Pepper Spray, Suffering, and the Revolutionary Kingdom: UC Davis and #OccupyWallStreet 2011-11-24T08:24:28-08:00 Kurt Willems

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.

Suffering. Not something that is glorified in itself in Scripture, but the glory is in the cause suffered for.

Suffering, most often, is the result of circumstances uncontrollable to the victim. Born into: an abusive home, a third world ghetto, a warzone, disease, broken family, poverty, famine, or _____________. Changes: job loss, regime change, governmental budget cuts, bad diagnosis, death of loved one, war, restrictions lifted off of big business, house burns down, bankruptcy, robbery, physical or economic oppression, or ___________. Suffering inevitably happens when circumstances reflect the brokenness of the kingdoms of the world.

Suffering of another sort exists. This suffering results when circumstances provoke action. Passivity perpetuates suffering. Action exposes the root causes of suffering. One question must be asked: What sort of action in the face of suffering will we take?

One sort of action reflects a first century reality – that of zealots. Zealots, exhausted by Empire overlords, chose the path of violent resistance. Such a response to the circumstances of one of the greatest examples of “99 to 1” in history is found in the early Roman Empire. Without a middle class of any kind, at least 97 percent of people in the Empire lived in poverty.[1]

Fed up with the pattern of suffering of the Jewish people (with the exception of those who compromised to line their pockets), zeal filled these men with violent rage. They vowed to bring the glory of God back to their people and land by force. Only then would justice be served. These attempts ultimately failed to produce lasting change.

Another sort of action presents a possibility in circumstances of suffering. Paralleling another first century path, the way of Jesus, is a vision of nonviolent prophetic resistance. Jesus taught his followers this response to suffering in places like Matthew 5 where he taught to “love your enemies,” to “go the extra mile” to “turn the other cheek” (exposing the dehumanizing systems of the day), and to “pray for those who persecute you.” Jesus demonstrates here that a third way exists between violent zealotry and unempowered passivity. Ultimately, this is the pathway to the cross.

Jesus modeled nonviolent resistance as reflected in 1 Peter 2.19-24. Here, Christians are encouraged to “bear up under the pain of unjust suffering;” to “suffer for doing good;” to endure after the pattern of Christ’s suffering as “an example… [to] follow in his steps.” Following Jesus in this way remembers how when he was insulted “he did not retaliate” or make “threats.” “Instead, he entrusted himself to God who judges justly.” And what was the result of this approach to the circumstances that caused suffering (both physical and spiritual)? The world was changed… forever.

Paul describes one aspect of the victory of Christ on the cross. He states:

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Colossians 2.15

Why did Christianity grow as it did following the death and resurrection of Jesus? One reason certainly includes the fact that those who were suffering under the thumb of the Empire understood that Christ’s sacrificial act, enduring the full wrath of the powers of the day (both in physical and spiritual manifestation), exposed the oppressive evil of the kingdom of the world. The suffering of Jesus on the behalf of the suffering people around him, shamed the governing authorities that put him on the cross. Suffering begets suffering – but when subverted – raises the awareness of the cruelty of systems of Empire. Movements like this create momentum that not even persecution can blot out. In fact, persecution fuels the refining fires of passionate justice.

Source: HuffPost

This is what took place this past Friday. I don’t know any of the peaceful protesters at UC Davis personally, so I can’t say that they were intentionally following the example of Jesus. Yet, they chose to take peaceful action in the face of a nation and world that is suffering. This nonviolent prophetic resistance resulted in further suffering as they endured the prophetic fumes of oppression, doused by weaponized pepper spray. Whether they knew it or not, in that moment with linked arms of solidarity, they were imitating the outstretched arms of the greatest Revolutionary in history.

Suffering for good in the first century and today disarms the powers and authorities, making a public spectacle of them. Zealotry destroys credibility and results in no change. Actions that model Jesus’ call to expose the dehumanizing systems of the world through enduring their wrath; these are what revolutions are made of.

[1] Warren Carter, The Roman Empire and the New Testament: An Essential Guide (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2006), 10.

Nonviolent Resistance

Previous Post

November 18, 2011

Wonderful, Frustrating, Incarnate: Reflections from a Catholic Convert (David Ozab)

Next Post

November 23, 2011 It’s Hip to Be a Purple Christian? Reflections on “Left Right & Christ”

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category (Series) All Out War-Spiritual Warfare (Series) Church Plant Journal (Series) Dear Reader... (Series) Earthquakes...Signs of the Times? (Series) Entering the... Conversation (Series) Evangelical Culture Myths (Series) Everything is Meaningless [Pete Enns] (Series) Evolving Evangelicalism (Series) Hell Yes. Hell No! Who Cares? (Series) Hidden Worldviews (Series) If Evolution is Right, what about Adam? (Series) in less than 300 words (Series) Jesus and Nationalism (Series) Liberating Women for Ministry? (Series) Life-Changing Books (Series) Markers of Church Plant Movement (Series) Nonviolence 101 (Series) Philemon - Reconciliation (Series) Quote to Ponder (Series) Red Letter Dialogues (Series) Resource of the Week (SERIES) Revelation Sermons (Series) Share Something Sundays (Series) Simplicity in the Burbs: $2 a day (Series) The Binding of God [Open Theism] (Series) The Creed: Anabaptist Reflections (Series) Values for Church Leadership (Series) Video to Ponder Anabaptism Animal Advocacy Books Church Ministry Church Planting Community Culture Eschatology Eucharist Evangelical Reject Evolution Fundamentalism Greek Greg Boyd Guest Contributors Hell Holy Spirit Israel/Palestine Kingdom of God Lent Missional N. T. Wright Nationalism New Creation Nonviolence Open Mic Open Theism Parenting Passover Paul Philemon Podcast Politics Restorative Justice Revelation (the book of) Rob Bell Ron Martoia Sermon Shane Claiborne Social Justice Speaking Engagement Spiritual Warfare Spirituality Temple Theology Tim Geddert Tribulation Uncategorized universalism Video Blog Women in Ministry Worship Music Youth Ministry

Select a Month August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 October 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 December 2016 October 2016 August 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 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 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 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was Timothy's mother?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Mary Priscilla Lois Eunice

Support this
Column