The Cosmic Conflict The Cosmic Conflict and the Future and the Future

(of America)(of America)

Loma Linda Loma Linda

June 4, 2011June 4, 2011

The Cosmic Conflict, The Cosmic Conflict, Power, and the PoorPower, and the Poor

1. The Church has historically been insensitive to the plight of the poor and preferential to the interests of the rich.

2. Evangelical Christians and the American political system favor the wealthy at the expense of the poor.

3. The Sabbath in its original intent and eschatological role is not only a contest for another ‘day’ but for a different ideology.

Re-acceptances

1.1. Re-acceptance of the Re-acceptance of the Church as StateChurch as State

2.2. Re-acceptance of Re-acceptance of extreme economic extreme economic inequitiesinequities

3.3. Re-acceptance of Re-acceptance of unaccountable authorityunaccountable authority

4.4. Re-acceptance of the Re-acceptance of the mother mother

Biblical Perspective Biblical Perspective for Today’s Topicfor Today’s Topic

Jesus answered, “I have spoken openly to Jesus answered, “I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret” (John 18:20).nothing in secret” (John 18:20).

From the beginning I have not spoken in From the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have secret, from the time it came to be I have been there (Isa 48:16).been there (Isa 48:16).

Christian Imperial Christian Imperial Authority Authority

““There could only be one There could only be one orthodoxy. The ministers orthodoxy. The ministers of the Supreme God of the Supreme God would speak with one would speak with one voice only. …In practice, voice only. …In practice, the ancient world had the ancient world had exchanged the guardian-exchanged the guardian-

ship of one set of divine masters, capricious but generally benevolent, for another that would brook no opposition.” - Frend, The Rise of Christianity, 505.

Unaccountable AuthorityUnaccountable Authority

Constantine, “in adopting their Constantine, “in adopting their faith, intended neither to faith, intended neither to abandon his predecessor’s abandon his predecessor’s scheme of policy nor to scheme of policy nor to renounce the fascinations of renounce the fascinations of arbitrary authority, but to arbitrary authority, but to strengthen his throne with the strengthen his throne with the support of a religion which had support of a religion which had astonished the world by its astonished the world by its power of resistance…”power of resistance…”

--Lord Acton, Lord Acton, Essays on Essays on Freedom and PowerFreedom and Power, 82., 82.

Hierarchy and AuthorityHierarchy and Authority

““No one is to do anything with No one is to do anything with reference to the church without reference to the church without the bishop. That Eucharist is to the bishop. That Eucharist is to be considered valid which is be considered valid which is [celebrated] by the bishop or by [celebrated] by the bishop or by a person he permits [to a person he permits [to celebrate]. Wherever the bishop celebrate]. Wherever the bishop appears, there the assembly is toappears, there the assembly is to

be…Apart from the bishop it is not lawful to baptize or to hold the sacred meal.” - Ignatius of Antioch, Smyrneans 8:1-2, ca. 105-115 AD.

The Shape of The Shape of Unaccountable AuthorityUnaccountable Authority

1.1. Imperial legacy and mindset: Imperial legacy and mindset: imperatorimperator = ‘ruler answerable = ‘ruler answerable to none’to none’

2.2. Hierarchical structure: Hierarchical structure: authority from above down, authority from above down, not from below upnot from below up

3. Fraternity (e. g. male only) 4. Patronage5. Notion of infallibility

Unaccountable Authority:Unaccountable Authority:Dictatus Papae Dictatus Papae (1075)(1075)

2.2. That the Roman pontiff alone That the Roman pontiff alone can with right be called can with right be called universal. universal.

3.3. That he alone can depose or That he alone can depose or reinstate bishops. reinstate bishops.

8.8. That he alone may use the That he alone may use the imperial insignia. imperial insignia.

18.That a sentence passed by him may be retracted by no one; and that he himself, alone of all, may retract it.

19.That he himself may be judged by no one. 27.That the Roman church has never erred; nor will it err to

all eternity, the Scripture bearing witness.

Inquisition and AuthorityInquisition and Authority

Inverse and impossible Inverse and impossible burden of proofburden of proof

The Inquisition “did not The Inquisition “did not allow defendants to allow defendants to confront or often even confront or often even to know the names of to know the names of their accusers” their accusers”

- Cantor, - Cantor, Middle Middle AgesAges, 426. , 426.

High Tide High Tide of Arbitrary Authorityof Arbitrary Authority

““When the rack did not produce When the rack did not produce the desired result, the church-the desired result, the church-men turned to the water torture. men turned to the water torture. In this hideous remedy, the In this hideous remedy, the prisoner was tied to a ladder that prisoner was tied to a ladder that was sloped downward, so that was sloped downward, so that the head was lower than the feet. the head was lower than the feet. The head was held fast in The head was held fast in position by a metal band…Theposition by a metal band…The

mouth was forced open with a metal piece and a cloth placed over the mouth. Then a pitcher of (cont.)

High Tide High Tide of Arbitrary Authority (cont.)of Arbitrary Authority (cont.)

(cont.) water was brought, and (cont.) water was brought, and water poured over the cloth. water poured over the cloth. With each swallow, the cloth With each swallow, the cloth was drawn deeper into the was drawn deeper into the throat, until in gagging and throat, until in gagging and choking the victim nearlychoking the victim nearly

asphyxiated. The terror of suffocation was extreme, and the process was repeated endlessly, bloating the body grotesquely until the victim was ready to confess.” - James Reston, J. Dogs of God: Columbus, the Inquisition, and the Defeat of the Moors (New York: Random Books, 2006), 200-201.

Re-acceptance of Unaccountable Authority

Did the US president under-Did the US president under-stand that he was talking to a stand that he was talking to a power constitutionally opposed power constitutionally opposed to the separation of church to the separation of church and state?and state?

Did the US (president) understand that the partner in conversation was (and is) committed to unaccountable authority?

Unquestioning ObedienceUnquestioning Obedience

Josemaria Escriva (1902-1975), Josemaria Escriva (1902-1975), The The WayWay

617. 617. Obey, as an instrument obeys in the Obey, as an instrument obeys in the hands of an artist, not stopping to hands of an artist, not stopping to consider the reasons for what it is doing, consider the reasons for what it is doing, being sure that you will never be being sure that you will never be directed to do anything that is not good directed to do anything that is not good for the glory of God. for the glory of God.

520. Catholic, apostolic, Roman! I want you to be very Roman. And to be anxious to make your ‘path to Rome’, videre Petrum – to see Peter.

SubmissionSubmission

61. 61. When a layman sets When a layman sets himself up as an expert on himself up as an expert on morals he often goes morals he often goes astray; laymen can only be astray; laymen can only be disciples. disciples.

62. A Director. You need one. So that you can give yourself to God, and give yourself fully….by obedience. A Director who understands your apostolate, who knows what God wants…

Scandals of UnaccountabilityScandals of Unaccountability

Jason Berry and Gerald Jason Berry and Gerald Renner, Renner, Vows of Silence: Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul the Papacy of John Paul II II (New York: Free Press, (New York: Free Press, 2004). 2004).

John Paul II and Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, founder of the Legionaries of Christ, in 2004. “By 2009, U.S. dioceses have paid more than US$2.6 billion in abuse-related costs since 1950.”

Childhood RevisitedChildhood Revisited

““When I look back on my childhood I When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all. It was, of wonder how I survived at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserablemiserable childhood is the miserable

Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood. . . . the poverty; the shiftless Catholic childhood. . . . the poverty; the shiftless loquacious alcoholic father; the pious defeated mother loquacious alcoholic father; the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire; pompous priests; bullying moaning by the fire; pompous priests; bullying schoolmasters; the English and the terrible things they schoolmasters; the English and the terrible things they did to us ..“ did to us ..“ - Frank McCourt, - Frank McCourt, Angela’s Ashes . Angela’s Ashes .