Christians, Empire, and the Economy
Mike recently brought to my attention a letter written by Pliny the Younger to the Emperor Trajan written around 111 AD concerning persecution of Christians. I found it fascinating for the insight it gave into what Christian communities were like back in the early days of the church. Pliny obviously was trying to figure out what to do with this strange bunch of heretics and was seeking advice from the Emperor as to how he should proceed in the persecutions. I found it interesting, from an egalitarian perspective, that when he wanted to find out more about these Christians Pliny mentions capturing and torturing two slave girls who were deaconesses in the church. But beyond that what I found most fascinating were the impact Christians were having on the local economy.
Pliny mentions that once he ramped up the persecution of Christians and insisted on their following Roman customs (like venerating the emperor), certain changes occurred in the culture. He mentions that the Roman temples, once deserted, were once again being filled, and religious rites practiced. And that the market for sacrificial animals, which had all but dried up, was once again flourishing. He proudly asserts that these Christians had been reformed into dutiful citizens of the Empire.
It intrigues me that Christians simply being who they are could so impact an economic system to the point that suppliers for animals to sacrifice to idols almost died out. It took the Empire persecuting and torturing Christians in order to restore that way of life and for the economic system to revert to the way things had been. I can’t help but notice how the situation is reversed for Christians today. Instead of subverting the unjust economic systems of empire, we have married it to our faith. For many it is our Christian duty to uphold the economic system of our government. In fact those who question the system, or even question small parts of that system, are labeled as unpatriotic and (therefore) unchristian. It is those who stand with the poor and the oppressed, who choose not to give their money to false gods and unjust entities, that face ridicule for their faith these days.
I wonder what it would take for Christians these days to have such a significant economic impact on a part of our culture that it starts freaking the government out. What if we all choose not to buy products made by slave labor? What if we choose not to invest in companies that provide brothel visits with trafficked children as incentives for businessmen? What if we only bought clothing or food for which workers were paid a living wage? Would we maybe then be known for being something other than the lapdogs of Empire? I don’t want to incur persecution, but if you are messing with the powers that be (especially the economic powers that be) then persecution is bound to follow. These Christians lived out their beliefs and seemingly had profound impact until the Romans started pressuring them to abandon their values. Are we even ready to admit that our faith has something to say to economic systems much less live out Christian values in that realm?
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And even then, is our faith ready to uphold the pressure that we most certainly will receive when the “pressure” is put on by those around us? It breaks my heart. I AM seen as unpatriotic and a raging liberal by many who claim to love Jesus, but if for one second they could see a body of believers acting out their faith in this way maybe they would get it. I try, but I feel uninformed on so many issues. The corrupt ways of corporations and systems have become so commonplace that no one talks about them and it almost feels as if there are no safe places. Thank you to those organizations that are making it easier, and blogs like this that remind us what it is we’re fighting for.
Andrea – with so much systemic injustice out there, it’s definitely hard to stay informed. I don’t mean to just give a shameless plug for Julie’s book (okay, maybe I do a little bit
, but that’s exactly what she has written about. It doesn’t come out till October, but when it does, hopefully it will help you feel a little more informed, and a little more empowered to make a difference.
Don’t even dare suggest that torture is unChristian … oh, the names that you get called.
I began my rants against Wal-Mart (for example) years ago long before anyone else even recognized the problem and people laughed. I’ve always tried to watch what and where I purchase and use my money wisely and long before anyone talked about it. I’ve been purchasing eco-friendly cleaning solutions since my kids were babies … waaaaayyyyy before it was trendy. People laughed and told me I was being silly.
If you’ve ever seen a salmon just before they spawn that’s what I feel like right now. Tired, worn out and with very little skin left from swimming against the stream for so long. I’m not going to stop. But it’s exhausting.
Julie, you are so right. Thanks for reminding me that what we choose to do with our money can make a huge difference. As to feeling uninformed – maybe we should be far more investigative with regards to the companies we buy things from, and remember that there is power in numbers – I think we need to bring these conversations into our church gatherings and when we know something isn’t right in a company or organisation, try to raise people’s awareness and encourage alternative choices. I’m really looking forward to your book! By the way I think it’s really exciting that organisations like Stop the Traffik have been putting pressure on chocolate companies like Cadburys and Mars to go traffick-free in their products – and are succeeding! Also I don’t know about the situation in the US but here in the UK, retailers are becoming much more aware of ethical issues. There is still a long way to go, but some of our high street stores are starting to make changes to the conditions under which their clothes are produced.
Great post. I’m now a) really interested to track down a copy of this letter myself. It sounded familiar to me when you mentioned it, but I can’t believe I’d have missed the mention of two slave girls as deaconesses, so now I don’t think I’ve read it. b) I’m more aware how little I’ve done to inform myself about choices I make as a consumer. Companies use child prostitution to incentivize? My God, what a bankrupt and lost people we are.
Thanks for the post. Now I’ve some research to do, and some changes to make.
I agree that it largely goes unquestioned that the church should support the state economy. One frustration I’ve had about that, though, is that often the proposed solutions involve a politics of consumption–boycotts or ethical consumption practices such as the ones you list. These aren’t nothing–I’m actually starting a dissertation around this broad issue. But it fails to recognize how consumers’ choices are limited by what’s provided to us by producers. It also tends to atomize action, making it the responsibility of individual consumers rather than communities, as well as avoiding talking about the politics of our workplaces. So that’s all to say that I think part of the goal here is to reconceive the whole economy, not just consuming differently.
Sonja – it is hard. and this example even shows that things went back to the way they were when the persecution started – those Christians gave up their values. so i understand why christians rarely make an impact.
Chris – I linked to the letter in the post, but a number of different translations do exist.
Jerry – I’m torn about the issues you raise. I think a reimagining of the economy is needed – but i see that as such a pipe-dream that will never work that I would rather concentrate my efforts on thing that have the potential to actually make a difference. The economic world as we know it will continue to exist even if every Christian applied their values in the marketplace – but there are ways to redeem that economy and help make it more just. Our choices are limited, but we can still effect change within those choices. And it doesn’t have to be individuals. Churches have a huge role to play in setting the example in these areas – consuming ethically, helping members live differently, supporting local businesses, putting pressure on those who support unjust systems. A lot of crap occurs in the world because businesses are accountable to no one. Churches don’t seem to care as long as those businessmen dump a bit of what they are making (often at the expense of others) into the offering plate. This is a huge opportunity for churches to step up and call their members to actually live by their faith.
Great insights. This primary source has great significance because it allows us to step back in time and develop a more accurate view of the early church.
This letter may be the subject of a future post on my own blog…
Great thoughts. I don’t think its easy to change, but for that reason precisely we need to encourage one another