The power of non-violent resistance

Thank you Imperial Valley for your peaceful response to violence on Monday! We are living in the midst of the worst pandemic since the flu epidemic of the early 20th century, the worst economic situation since the Great Depression of the ’ 30s, and the worst outbreak of protests and violence since the ’ 60s.

It’s overwhelming.

These last few weeks I’ve been thinking and writing about how we must not lose heart, or maybe another way of saying this is not becoming heartless. And I’ve tried to point to a Christian response revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The protests over the murder of George Floyd cry for such a response.

Walter Wink was a Biblical scholar and professor at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City. His most important writings were on the use of power language in the New Testament, how power was used for good and evil.

Engaging the powers is about recognizing the systems and structures of power that, like individuals, have “fallen,” have become, to use a Biblical word, sinful, but that institutions as well as humans are redeemable. As Wink would write, “Because institutions have fallen in time, they are redeemable in time.” Just like us.

And one of the key ways he understands the redemptive work of Jesus is Jesus’ advocacy of non-violent resistance to the fallen nature of institutions. The classic illustration of this is Jesus response to institutional violence by turning the other cheek in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:38-41).

“You have heard that it was said, ‘ An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.”

So let’s unpack this passage.

Where is your right cheek? Someone throwing a punch, considering left handedness is considered “unclean” in Jesus setting, would mean using one’s right hand, and implies more like a slap, and not a punch. A slap is demeaning to the one being slapped, indicating you are not an equal, but “less than.”

Turning the other cheek returns power to the “less than” and says if you’re going to hit me, hit me as an equal. Non-violent resistance.

Taking one’s coat by suing was often a way for those in power to exploit and oppress the poor, most of whom had only two articles of clothing, an outer coat and an undergarment or cloak.

Taking off both would mean the one being sued would be naked, rendering the entire courtroom unclean, in Jesus’ time, giving power to the one being exploited. Another form of non-violent resistance.

There were regulations within the Roman Army that said a soldier could demand a civilian carry his pack. But only for one mile. There were consequences, punishments, for forcing a civilian to do more than that. So, to carry a soldier’s pack two miles gave power to the one being oppressed.

Jesus recognized that the institutions, the systems and structures of society had become corrupted, giving power to the super wealthy who exploited the majority of people by using economic advantages backed up by law enforcement policies that protected them.

If you think about it the justice/ righteousness envisioned by God and revealed in Christ and the prophets is economic justice/righteousness.

So here we are. How can we make a response to all that is going on now? Not through violence, but through non-violent resistance.

By acting justly, loving tenderly, and walking humbly with God.