Today Brueggemann brings in the 'empire' of the Roman Catholic church through a look at Luther's images.
Martin Luther famously took the metaphor of Babylon in a very different direction in his context, as an indictment of the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church of his time. When I reread Luther's "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," I was surprised how little explicit use he made of the metaphor. Other than the title he observes in his introduction, "I now know of a certainty that the papacy is the kingdom of Babylon and the power of Nimrod the mighty hunter.
This opening edict is a double hit. In addition to the figure of Babylon, the reference to "Nimrod the mighty hunter" leads to this proposition: The papacy is the mighty hunting of the Roman bishop.
By this Luther means that the papacy is an arena for plunder and confiscation and the seizure of prey. He does not say much more about his lead image of Babylon. But given Luther's critique of the opulence and self-indulgence of the papacy, he then proceeds in an extended and closely argued statement to consider the ways in which the sacraments of the church - have ben distorted and abused by the papacy and robbed of their effectiveness as channels of free grace. The reference to Babylon and its imperial practice pertain to the ways in which empires - in this read the Vatican as well - seize for their own use and purpose what is not rightfully theirs.
I know that empire in this piece is now branching off into the realm of church, but in this imagery I was more caught up in the final line that ties everything together. (they) "seize for their own use and purpose what is not rightfully theirs." Whenever the power folks of the world - or empire - or church - forget about the well-being of the least among us, we are living in the realm of captivity. How is it for example that a corporation now has the rights of an individual. Is that to level the playing field between the ordinary citizen and big business. No. It is to set up a game in which there is no playing field -for now, the individual does not even have the power to get up onto the field. And let us remember, powerful corporate interest have always had a voice that was bigger than any other. That's called the world of lobbying. That is where the empire draws its power and support. So for the sake of corporate profits, they hare handed what is not rightfully theirs - the voice of the common person. Wow.
Connection: At the Lamb's High Feast, all are welcome and all have a seat. At the Lamb's High Feast, there are no seats out of reach or tucked back out of sights so that the few who have bought the table can eat and not be bothered by the ordinary and common. I'm hearing too many voices standing up for the well-padded, and well-fixed so that their padding can increase and they can continue to fix the game in their favor. So how do followers of Jesus step up in such a display of empire power and privilege?
Again, through stories you call us into new life today, O God. And yet, new life seems like a dream. Ignite in us, O God, the willingness to move along the path of Jesus and speak and act in ways that challenge the powers with lives that do no go along anymore. Amen.
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