The Whitworthian

Issue date: 10/9/07

Karl Marx. It’s not a name that typically inspires warm fuzzies in the cockles of your average American Christian’s heart (unless they’re confusing him with Groucho). As the founding father of communism, he’s one of the first links in the chain that led to the creation of the Soviet Union and the Cold War. He also saw religion as part of the same system that was oppressing the common man.

But is the personal philosophy that underpinned Marx’s concept of communism so antithetical to Christianity? Not really, no. In fact, the roots of communism can be found in places very dear to Christian hearts, and the two not only can, but should be united together.

“From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” It’s a phrase incorrectly attributed to Marx, and one that should find an echo in the Christian mind. Marx didn’t invent the phrase – it was popular with other early communists before Marx – nor did he invent the sentiments within it.

Consider the book of Acts: “Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.” (Acts 4:34-35, KJV)

“Every man according as he had need…” It sounds like the first case of Christian Socialism. It’s certainly an eerily similar line – too similar to be coincidence, and it’s far from unbelievable to propose that Marx and others found the inspiration for their credo in the words of the Bible. And it isn’t quite accurate to point to Marx’s “opiate of the masses” remark to establish a disconnect between himself and the ideals of Christianity.

In fact, “opiate of the masses” is a slight mistranslation of the original German line, and an excerpt from a larger context. It’s true that Marx was a steadfast materialist, and spends much time criticizing the concept of a God as “inverted thinking” in the essay the classic line is from – yet he follows his criticism with this:

“Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.”

How you then view that last sentence depends very much on how you interpret “opium.” Understood as a medicinal painkiller or sedative, as it then was, it can be taken very positive. Then again, as a serious (though legal) mind-altering addictive drug, it can seem just as negative as ever.

The point is this: even the anti-religion Marx recognized the power of religion for good, and built upon an example of it to create his own philosophy. The ideal of Christian Socialism, then, builds not on Marx or other communists and socialists, but on the Bible itself, and the history of Christianity.

Again in Acts: “And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.” (Acts 2:44-45, KJV)

If Jesus and Marx would agree on anything, it’s that the pursuit of money turns a free man into a slave. Why then the almost perverse attachment of Christian Americans to capitalist economic and social systems?

It boils down to the split between Christianity and Marxism over what the cause of humanity’s greed, unhappiness, and other social ills are: for Marxists, the problem is the class struggle between haves and have-nots. For Christians, it’s that sin and disconnection from God make all people innately broken.

To some Christians, that makes the goals and precepts of Christian Socialism untenable. Yet the Bible itself gives us a working example, free from the problems that Christian critics of communism and socialism so frequently cite.

This isn’t faith-based interest groups – Christian Socialism is not charity. It’s a system for reworking the very shape of the world we live in, and in doing so help it conform to the Christian utopia of peace and equality.

If the phrase “What Would Jesus Do” occurs to you as you read this, it’s only natural. It’s from the 1896 book “In His Steps” by Charles Sheldon – and he was a Christian Socialist, too.

Nathan Harrison is an opinions columnist and a senior majoring in journalism. Contact him at nathan.harrison@whitworthian.com.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools

The Whitworthian encourages readers to comment on any content on the whitworthian.com. Article comments can be posted by anyone. The opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinion of The Whitworthian, its editors or its staff. The Whitworthian strives to monitor and delete comments with profanity, advertisements, obscenity, plagiarism, personal attacks, threats of violence or that violate the law or common decency. However, since The Whitworthian does not control user submitted statements, we cannot promise that readers will not find offensive or inaccurate comments on occasion.

For this reason, The Whitworthian asks readers to be responsible and respectful in any comments posted. The responsibility for statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not the whitworthian.com. Readers are also encouraged to report questionable comments by e-mailing editor@whitworthian.com.