Wednesday 14 July 2021
- Bible Book:
- Exodus
Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and of his officials he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the river, and all the water in the river was turned into blood, and the fish in the river died. The river stank so that the Egyptians could not drink its water, and there was blood throughout the whole land of Egypt. (vs 21-21)
Background
This text offers the idea that a system of oppression ultimately destroys the oppressor as well as the oppressed. If the state of a country's water supply is a symbol of the health of that nation, then Egypt at this time is clearly in deep trouble. We read that the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. Models of governance which aim to serve the needs of a privileged few and which rely on subjugation, exploitation, abuse of power and corruption (what has often been called ‘empire’) are poisonous to all with whom they come into contact.
For Jesus and the early Christian community, the only empire with which they were concerned was that of the kingdom of God. In this kingdom the river flows clear and free, right through the heart of the community, with the leaves of the tree offering healing for all. This is a kingdom in which all have access to the basic needs of life – food, water, clothing, freedom and love – and in which those who are least – the captives, the slaves, the marginalised, the lost – are those whose life experiences give them the authority and insight to offer a new kind of leadership and direction under the rule of God. In this kingdom all are blessed, not poisoned. Ironically, whilst the adoption of Christianity by the hierarchical and brutal Roman Empire in the 4th century facilitated the globalisation of Christianity, it also stilted and tilted its underlying spirit-led ethos, as matters of orthodoxy and orthopraxis (ie believing and behaving correctly) became paramount. This allowed divisions of practice and theology to become heightened. What had hitherto been primarily a movement of and for the poor became possessed and controlled by the wealthy and powerful. It’s unlikely that Jesus would recognise much about the way we 'do church' and live out our Christian faith across the world today.
During the height of the coronavirus pandemic I wrote this poem. It recognises that in modern society there are empires at work which poison humanity – consumerism, industry, self-centredness – and that during the pandemic, as a human race, living in the West at least, we had the opportunity to experience a simpler, cleaner and more generous way of life. It expresses the hope that as we move on from the pandemic we can work towards a permanent shift in our priorities.
The Empires of Things
We finally see the empires of things
for what they are;
purveyors of half truths
at best –
viral,
clogging the lungs of those
smaller kingdoms of kindness
that are our true breath.
This great death reveals one hope,
and one hope only –
that we, exiles from joy,
will now settle
in that land of promise
which has thus far in eternity
been mistook for folly.
To Ponder:
- What are the 'empires of the modern world' that poison the lives of people?
- The above poem, and some of the thoughts, were inspired by Graham Turner's book God’s People and the Seduction of Empire (Sacristy Press 2016). Do read it or use as a study guide if you are interested in exploring these ideas further.
- “Its unlikely that Jesus would recognise much about the way we 'do church' and live out our Christian faith across the world today.” Do you agree with this statement and if so, should it concern us? What can we do about it?
- Water Aid works to provide clean and accessible water for communities who do not currently have it. You can read about their work here wateraid.org.uk