Day 2: Guiding Texts

Biblical Texts: Leviticus 25 and Matthew 6:12

Leviticus 25 is, of course, the Old Testament command to celebrate the Sabbatical Year, and the Year of Jubilee. There is some disagreement among scholars as to whether or not the Year of Jubilee ever took place, as well as whether the math meant that it was supposed to be celebrated every 50 years or 49 years. Either way, the one thing we can know for sure is that the Jubilee Year in particular was a radical departure from the way most people in the region (as well as the world) lived. The speech of Moses in Lev 25 is a prophetic act, pointing people towards a mode of living that, regardless of whether or not they live into it, is a scriptural utopia. It is not practical, but then again, neither is following Christ.

John Howard Yoder, following the lead of Andre Trocme, makes the claim that throughout the gospels Jesus was proclaiming "the inauguration of the year of jubilee" (The Politics of Jesus, p. 60). So, for instance, he points out that Matthew 6:12 (forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors) is literally referring to money! It's Jubilee-talk! Jesus is declaring that we must restore others to their fair share, just as we are to be restored to ours.

The painful truth to the Year of Jubilee is that there were also people who had acquired much in 50 years, and now had to return it. In other words, it required sacrifice by the wealthy, as well as blessings on the poor. Unfortunately, you just have to read the books of Samuel and Kings to see that wealth and power don't often equal out to genoristy and care.

We are people who have been given much. And now more than ever, much is required of us. What does this mean for white people living on Native American land? Beyond that large problem, the division between the poor and the rich has never been higher in our country. Africa is basically being devestated by a number of things, but all of which lead to continued, destitute poverty. Much of South and Central America continues to battle poverty, which is alleviated temporarily by logging rain forests and ruining undiscovered tribes of people. Southeast Asia, North Korea, the Middle East - poverty is everywhere. How will we care?

Secondary Text #1: George Orwell

The following comes from the introduction to Orwell's Keep the Aspidistra Flying, and is an adaptation of 1 Corinthians:

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not money, I am become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not money, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not money, it profiteth me nothing. Money suffereth long, and is kind; money envieth not; money vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things...And now abideth faith, hope, money, these three; but the greatest of these is money."

Secondary Text #2: The Onion

The following was in an Onion article, Feb. 9, 2000:

"Cincinnati - The blank, oppressive void facing the American consumer populace remains unfilled despite the recent launch of the revolutionary Swiffer dust-elimination system, sources reported Monday. The lightweight, easy-to-use Swiffer is the 275,894,973rd amazing new product to fail to fill the void - a vast, soul-crushing spiritual vacuum Americans of all ages face on a daily basis, with nowhere to turn and no way to escape... Despite high hopes, the Swiffer has failed to imbue a sense of meaning and purpose in the lives of its users."

Peace,
Matt