- Aug 14, 2017
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So I recently published a book on Communism in the early Christian Communities, laying out the evidence for it and for it's Scope and durability. Here is an interview about it on youtube, and on the radio program's site.
To be Clear (there's been a lot of confusion on this in the past, and unfortunately a lot of People got upset without listening to the interview and Reading the book) when I use the term "communism" I am using it in the strickly anthropological sense, NOT the political sense. That's why I don't use softer terms (communalism, communitarianism, socialism or something like that), because those terms have different meanings, but communism has a specific technical definition in some branches of sociology and anthropology (I lay it out in detail in the book and somewhat also in the interview).
The basical idea is that communism is not a political system, or a system of property but rather a moral ground for social relationships; as opposed to other grounds like heirarchy, Exchange, and so on. The moral ground of communism for social relationships basically is "from each according to his ability to each according to his need": As would apply to relationships ranging from a hunter gatherer tribes to friends taking a trip together, to a marraige to a Cooperative business and so on.
In the book I start With Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-37 and compare it with supporting evidence in the first and second Century. Such as the Pauline letters setting boundaries and regulations on the "communism", the re-enforcement of it in the Didache, Epistle of Barnabas. You also have the later second Century Works like the apologias of Justin Martyr and Tertullian and the writings of the Roman poet Lucian that give evidence that the practice continued well into the second Century. I also compare the practice to the Qumran community (the Essenes), and the Hellenistic concepts of communism and the poor, as well how the practices came directly from Jesus's teachings and the belief in the eschaton and Kingdom of God.
Listen to the interview and/or read the book and tell me what you think .
To be Clear (there's been a lot of confusion on this in the past, and unfortunately a lot of People got upset without listening to the interview and Reading the book) when I use the term "communism" I am using it in the strickly anthropological sense, NOT the political sense. That's why I don't use softer terms (communalism, communitarianism, socialism or something like that), because those terms have different meanings, but communism has a specific technical definition in some branches of sociology and anthropology (I lay it out in detail in the book and somewhat also in the interview).
The basical idea is that communism is not a political system, or a system of property but rather a moral ground for social relationships; as opposed to other grounds like heirarchy, Exchange, and so on. The moral ground of communism for social relationships basically is "from each according to his ability to each according to his need": As would apply to relationships ranging from a hunter gatherer tribes to friends taking a trip together, to a marraige to a Cooperative business and so on.
In the book I start With Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-37 and compare it with supporting evidence in the first and second Century. Such as the Pauline letters setting boundaries and regulations on the "communism", the re-enforcement of it in the Didache, Epistle of Barnabas. You also have the later second Century Works like the apologias of Justin Martyr and Tertullian and the writings of the Roman poet Lucian that give evidence that the practice continued well into the second Century. I also compare the practice to the Qumran community (the Essenes), and the Hellenistic concepts of communism and the poor, as well how the practices came directly from Jesus's teachings and the belief in the eschaton and Kingdom of God.
Listen to the interview and/or read the book and tell me what you think .