Anarchism has always been looked at as a ridiculous ideology by most Christians. I do not detest that train of thought, yet I think at a closer look we can discover some cries of the heart within anarchy, which Christianity answers. Being a pseudo-anarchist turned Christian I found the comparison between the two ideologies interesting. This is a comparative essay built from my knowledge and experience of both.
-My Understanding of Anarchism
Anarchism as a theory has been defined, yet as a practiced ideology, there is still some debate even between anarchists. In this consideration, the following is my understanding, as it would be, of anarchism that may be practiced.
Anarchism is meant as a personal philosophy that should produce a utopian society through the absence of all order and replaced with chaos. Yet chaos cannot be achieved in a reality already establish in order. What I mean is that through human effort we can not change the rotation of the seasons, revolution of the solar system, or even time itself. All of these things are considered Nature and none of them can be manipulated into chaos by human hands or thought. (If however, we were to change the rotations of the seasons to “shuffle” they would eventually find a pattern in what chaos they existed thus creating order)
So, If anarchy induced by mankind, It could only exist within Human Nature. Yet even then order must be established in the functionality of human perspective. (For example: Do I take four hits of acid, or five to produce a state of anarchy?) This, in itself, is a decision based off of conscience and consequence which inadvertently denounces anarchism. For pure anarchy to extend to the utmost essence of the human mind, none could function on the point of making any decision because it invokes governing oneself through decision making. So, for anarchy to be logically possible, order must extend to at least ones own self. This would bring anarchy from simple theory to a somewhat able practiced state and how, I assume, most now-a-days anarchist practice it themselves.
-Christianity( in surface comparison)
Christianity, in a condensed paraphrased comparison, believes in a God of order, whom created the order of the universe and time. Whereas one can govern his or her own self, under the governing of God, through absolute truth, and that order exists for the benefit of humanity by a God who wishes humanity to benefit. There is much more to be said, but I feel no need since much will be discovered from the rest of the essay.
-Corruption of Human Nature (aka the Fall of Man)
Anarchism proves, through is own absence and desire, that Human Nature is ideally corrupt; greed, power, control, etc. Whereas Christianity explains this corruption through the “fall of man”; Adam and Eve, the forbidden fruit and the snake, and what have you. (Genesis ch.3) Through this occurrence, sin was introduced into the genetics of mankind, aka Human Nature, which not only corrupted humans but also Nature. And if humans have dominion over creation established by God, then man’s sin might also be responsible for natural disasters along with those created by their own hands, but that’s for another time. Overall, Christianity and anarchism both agree that there is something wrong within human state of mind, and/or heart.
-Authority Destroys Humility
One of the biggest ideologies of anarchism is built off the fact that in most cases authority destroys humility, thus anarchy would relinquish all authority over any society and base it only in oneself (even to the point that authority could not even be established in ones household over their own family). Anarchy hangs on the hope that with the absence of authority, humility will be created and through it, the establishment of a pure utopian society.
Christianity also persuades that Human Authority is easily corrupt and destroys ones sense of humility. (See Old Testament) But it does not believe the absence of authority creates humility, on the other hand, it believes through the truth of Sin, pure humility should produce pure authority. This brings us to our next point.
-King or No King
The concept of no governing authority such as a monarchy, democracy, King or President is not a thick dividing line between anarchism and Christianity. Where anarchism beckons society to function through peace and humility without an established human authority is something we find in the Old Testament (Samuel ch.8) God wished his people to have Him as their governing authority, yet Israel wish to be like the other nations and have a King. God, after warning them of the corruption to come through this human King, did as they asked. The rest of the Old Testament reads God basically saying over and over again. “I told you so” and “I warned you.”
Eventually, Christ, incapable of corruption, came to claim God’s authority on earth. But, because God’s plan to bring salvation to the world and not just Israel, they rejected Jesus (Hence Christ came to save the world through the payment for sin by the Cross). So, biblically speaking, God wished to be the Divine Authority over the earth which would relinquish any human governing authority.
As Christians, we believe Christ to be our governing authority and working through our “Christian Constitution” aka the Scriptures, we know this. We have his command to follow who ever is in earthly authority to preserve peace and unity as long as the Word of God is not forsaken in doing so. (Romans ch.13, Matt 5;9, John 18;36) Christ is the authority over Christians and he beckons to keep peace as much as possible. (Eph 4;3, Mark 9;50)
-Personal God or Personal Intellect
In anarchism we have to assume our only authority is ourselves hanging our understanding off of our intellect and what we deem as true or false, justice or injustice. Since anarchy commonly follows suit with atheism, we must believe that our moral understanding can not be cooperative unless established as authority, yet since that is contradictory to anarchism, morality, in this case, would have to be relative and we could not act on absolute truth. This would create the most opposing idea to a utopia where all is well through the same understanding. It could not be proved that killing an innocent person is wrong for our measure of morality would not always be the same. (Note: Science in no way can prove morality, making moral law a theory by which our conscience suggests)
So because morality, in this case, would be relative, this makes a utopian society only possible through absolute agreement between all parties. Yet, since this is highly unlikely because of the corruptibility of human nature (Fall of Man), an elimination of society must occur because no law or boundaries could be established or enforced. For anarchy to be possible without morality, we literally could not be aware of the existence of others.
In Christianity, we find that our intellect is not the highest authority, but instead a God who has created moral law, and through it established justice. Since we know humanity is corrupt and we believe God is not, we establish Him over our own intellectual thoughts on morality. And while morality proves corruption exists, it does not fix it. Yet, as Christians, we believe in Christ who alone has paid for sin and offered the world of corruption justification through faith in his death and resurrection. Through faith, we cooperatively agree, and though morality we cooperatively exist.
-Utopia aka Kingdom of God
Through the concept of human corruption and moral law, anarchism states “utopia” as a dream by which none can obtain (because corruption can not be annihilated or justified). Christianity is persuaded on the Kingdom of God in which corruption has already been defeated by the only One who has not been corrupted. The concepts of these two ideas are not far apart, yet how we think to achieve them is. (That is even if you can achieve “utopia”, while the “Kingdom of God” stands out as something not to be achieved, but accepted) However we deem these two “paradises” we know that the desire for a world absent from corruption is buried deep inside of mankind.
"Where mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other." -Psalms 85;10
In conclusion, though anarchism desires the existence of purity, in my understanding, Christianity is the only logical theory that suggests it. Where anarchism begins to ask questions, Christianity answers. Yet only through the belief that Christ being 100% God (incorruptible) and 100% Human (face to face with corruption) would prove him applicable payment for sin, thus the only solution for corruption. And only through this would a utopian society exist, not through pure chaos, but through pure order. Not achieved, but accepted.
When we step back and look at these two ideologies in comparison it is at least interesting. It is, however most interesting to see that though these concepts are flip sides of a coin, they are apart of the same coin. The coin is there common understanding, the acknowledgement that humanity is not at its best left alone. We see desire of the absence of pain, suffering, injustice the common song between the two, and I would suspect the same with most ideologies.
"Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in Love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back." –Isaiah 38:17
