Principles and Stories in a Time of (Rising) Fascism
Thursday June 11, 2026 – 7pm @ The Upper Room (AbbeyChurch office / Lending Library) – United Commons – on the lands of the Songhees and Esquimalt (Xʷsepsəm) Nations. Masking encouraged.
Folks who know me well will know that – though I’m a bit shy about labels – I have, for decades, considered myself to be both a Christian and an Anarchist.
With this, I’m beyond excited to be collaborating with the wonderful Denise Nadeau, author of the excellent book Unsettling Spirit: A Journey into Decolonization for this roundtable / discussion which is sponsored by my faith community, the AbbeyChurch .
I’m aware that the notion of Christian Anarchism will likely be provocative to many, given that so many forms of Christianity (liberal /progressive and conservative alike), bind themselves to the authority of the modern nation state and have a commitment to the mechanisms of democracy – or, in some extremely troubling cases event to fascism or theocracy.
At the same time, with their declaration of ‘no gods, no masters’, many forms of Anarchism adopt atheism; which is understandable given institutional ‘christian’ (and other religious) collusion in genocidal and colonial partnerships with the state – exemplified by examples such as the so-called “Indian Residential Schools” (as perpetuated by my own denominational home, The United Church of Canada) – or in the current rise of White Christian Nationalism.
I’m excited to engage these tensions in this conversation.
I think this is an important conversation in these times of (rising) fascism and theocracy and the ongoing violence of capitalism and colonialism – wed to the military industrial complex.
Christian Anarchisms are an oft-neglected voice in the ‘two-party’ view of liberal and conservative – and an much needed alternative to the mythology that democracy and the nation state are the only or best way to facilitate the common good of people and the planet.
My political orientation as an Anarchist is rooted (among other sacred texts and traditions) in the earliest model of Christian Beloved Community offered in the book of Acts 2: 43-47 and the belief that a foundation for good governance and a common life is best done on the smallest and most basic level (also known as subsidiarity in both ‘secular’ and Christian social thought) – that is, in small communities rather than the impersonal and hierarchical organs of the state.
I suggest that Christianity operates best as a small, countercultural, counter-empire movement without ties, partnerships or even expectations of the nation-state – taking us back to our origins as an illegal and countercultural D-I-Y (or D-I-O – do it ourselves) movement in the Roman Empire.
I believe this is a beautiful vision of faith – one rooted in smallness, the rhythms of creation and smaller scale working out difference, sharing and conflict via consensus – as well providing essential means of production (such as housing, food, art, sport, healthcare, economic enough-ness) in deep relational intentional spiritual community.
At its best, Christianity provides a cosmic story (of Jesus) – and a lower anthropology – which, I believe, provides a good foundation to sustain these (what I call) ‘communities of grace and resistance’. with shared practices like confession, prayer, ritual, direct action, contemplation and presence in our contexts.
Christian Anarchism adds a dimension to non-religious Anarchist movements rooted in decidedly non-violent (as opposed to some other Anarchisms) – and active resistance to war and oppression, hospitality to the stranger, a surrender of privilege (traditionally called ‘voluntary poverty‘ or kenosis (self-emptying)) – and personalism, including a recognition of the imago-Dei (Image of God) as present in all – and especially those in need – as demonstrated in Jesus’ parable of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25: 31-46.
Though I’m a protestant, I’m deeply influenced by the Anarchist (or more accurately distributist) Catholic Worker Movement (where I spent 5 years living in one House of Hospitality) [for more on Catholic Worker and Anarchism see here] as founded by Bl. Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin – as well as other historic and contemporary expressions of faith-based / spiritual / religious anarchisms such as radical anabaptists and some monastics.
Come on out and converse with us!
