On middle-class bondage
“There is an exact equilibrium to be found in life. The more security and guarantees we want against things, the less free we are. Tyrants are not to be feared today, but our own frantic need of security is. Freedom inevitably means insecurity and responsibility. But we seek above all to be responsible for nothing.” (Jacques Ellul, The Subversion of Christianity, 168.)
As you can see, I have been reading Ellul again. Actually I do find him a bit of an extremist, but I also find it totally impossible to dismiss him. What worries me about this comment above is that it seems to be so darn accurate. It describes life in the ‘naughties’ all too well. Our middle-class life is so marked by an obsession with safety and security. And when middle-classness is combined with rampant consumerism (an obsession with comfort and convenience) as it is in our day, we find ouselves in a particularly serious form of bondage. The problem is that we think we are so free!
I have an increasing sense that the only way back to true freedom is through embracing the challenge of discipleship.
Your thoughts?
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Very well said - are you a writer or something?
This is the sentiment that I have often tried to communicate regarding the “American Dream” which really, in short, is all about wanting it all. We want freedom and we want the government to take care of us, we want freedom and we want protection, we want freedom and we want stuff, we want freedom and we want security…what few people seem to realize is exactly what you point out here - you can’t have it all. What’s crazy to me is how few Christians “get it”.
It seems like we would be the ones pointing out how you can’t have it all and true freedom can only be found in Christ and living a Kingdom life of Christ likeness (or as you said, discipleship) - and yet, Christians have taken the same American dream mentality and put a Jesus stamp on it and marketed it as stewardship, or wisdom. Mustard Seed Versus McWorld by Tom Sine brought a lot of this to a head for me.
*note: I’m sure you all have your version of the “American dream”, maybe it should be renamed to be more global.
Do you think there is ever equilibrium in life?
I don’t view freedom and security as opposites, yet I must admit that they don’t seem to get along all that well.
My experience in the extremes of both lifestyles at points in my life mostly seem to end at the same vacuousness - that I was meant to live neither. The tension for me is how Jesus pointed to both the inevitability of lack of freedom and lack of security in life, yet appeared to abhor it and keep pushing back on it.
Simon, actually I think freedom is a very frightening thing for most human beings. Soren Kierkegaard, one of my heroes compares our experience of freedom to a kind of vertigo. We look into it and we reel back in fright. Because in freedom we are exposed to possibility and possibility threatens our sense of security. Martin Buber (one of my other heroes)calls us to live in a kind of ‘holy insecuty’ - he calls it living on the narrow ridge.
When you look at it this way, following Jesus is precisely this form of holy insecurity…life on a narrow ridge. Adhering to Jesus challenges just about anything we tend to invest security in. And as Makeesha sauggests, following him can hardly be called a secure experience.
I think it is challenging to consider how much your average Christian insists that church life be comfortable and convenient. How can the average guy on the street answer the call to discipleship when your most visible ‘called out’ ones are locked down in a holy huddle? Arguing over seat arrangements, ethical issues that don’t touch them and the superficial choise between two equally unispiring music styles. I think we need to satirize the unwritten ground rules that use respectability and cuteness as measures of spiritual growth. We do need to embrace a holy insecurity. We need to recognise the god of comfort and convenience for what it is - an idol - and act accordingly.
Fantastic Matt - absolutely! I think we also need to challenge the status quos that exist in our own respective cultures and examine whether or not we should be following them. For example, is the “stewardship” model of financial management really a godly and scriptural model for Christians? What about the concept of the tithe and savings accounts? What about investments? I don’t know, and maybe there isn’t a “right” answer. But I think we need to stop mindlessly following the systems around us - because wouldn’t it be fantastic if we proposed a way of whole life, holistic living that was more consistent with Christ’s value system? A way of living in that place of tension - that holy insecurity
Spot on! Hey, have you guys read Walsh and Keesemart’s book Collosians Remixed? Its a gem of a book that probes how deeply we are colonized by the consumerist empire. It proposes Collosians as an antidote to empire. (Makeesha, its a must for you. If you haven’t read it already.)
Thank you Alan, I will add it to my list - I wish I could find these books at our local used book stores - at least I can get them used through *cough sputter hack* Amazon
If only we could be innoculated against consumerism. I do think that there is something essentially human about the desire for equilibrium, security or whatever word we give it, and it is borne out in our biology as well as psychology. Equally, I think we also long for something more - the precarious place on the edge that drives humanity forward. Where we seem to get it wrong is that we tend to look for both needs to be met in the god of our age - consumerism. It is so subtle that we can find ourselves buying into it without realizing. I certainly see that in my own life.
I see what christina is saying when the Bible says we long for a sabbath rest (Hebrews). And who would be human is she/he did not acknowledge the reality of the=existential struggle. I just don’t think that this is the lot of those who follow Jesus, the disturber of our peace. Following him is just plain disturbing. I never seem to be able to settle down anywhere. I am profoundly disturbed. Darn it!!
Does anyone feel the same?
Who doesn’t love to lounge around and enjoy a little cup of tea and a good book? But, do you ever notice how too much lounging around turns into cabin fever?
I love the mountains… whenever I manage to get out into the high alpine and test my physical limits, brave the cold and the rain and snow. THEN, when I arrive home after a long weekend, and shower up and sink into my couch with a warm cup of tea and a good companion, it’s immensely more luxurious even if it’s only for an hour. In that hour, I could accomplish more relaxation than if I had spent the whole day on the couch.
I wonder if it’s not similar on the spiritual level.
Your thoughts?
I reckon it does follow through on a spiritual level Topher. There are times when I can feel utterly worn out from spiritual things (I must admit, often couched in the “doing” language of ministry) and time away from it is much like the luxurious lounge experience you describe. But I can’t stay on the lounge. It is like waves at the beach, sometimes big action, other times a gentle swell, but always yearning for the next set. Not in the sense of seeking out the “next big thing”, but the exhilaration and sense of being totally alive that one has being pounded by waves - a feeling of danger intermingled with playfulness and desire to be swept away by it. Sitting on the shore is nice for a time, but not enough.
I experience ’suburban creep’ all the time as I feel the spirit of the suburbs subverting and shaping my commitment to Christ as it creeps in on me.
I find it perpetually difficult to discern what is good common sense (eg home ownership - if you can do it) and what is lies and deception!
I think the danger comes when we lose all awareness of the struggle
hamo - I agree, well said (the danger comes when we lose all awareness of the struggle)
I recently taught on how we know we’re in a bad place when we no longer feel like we’re exiles. When we’re comfortable and everything makes sense and we think we’re doing great with God and living the Kingdom and there’s no tension. Being a Christian is a disturbing life (yes, I totally feel that way Alan), it’s filled with paradox of being at peace in the midst of extreme dis-ease. Of being disturbed and unsettled but also choosing to be content. It’s about sensing the brokenness of the world and how everything is just a bit “off” (NT Wright talks about this sense of “not rightness” in the world). It’s about living a life between the lines, a life in fluxe…and that life is not secure or comfortable. We’re in trouble when we stop walking the line and allow ourselves to land confortably on one side or the other.
this is something my wife and i have argued about a lot recently. i live in oz, am 24 and have recently finished 5yrs of study and a cadetship in construction/project management. it’s something i have worked hard towards but don’t feel too comfortable in (i.e. it’s pretty cut throat and consuming) whilst knowing that there is the need for followers of jesus in the industry (being salt and light etc.).
the dilemma lies in that if i follow this path i will have quite a comfortable life, as the career brings a substantial amount of money - should i feel guilty about that? who is going to live out christ in that environment if i wnt to bail out and live more simply?
throw in the fact that i also would like to pursue some more community based/social justice careers (does that make my current career less valid?) plus what my wife wants to do and you have one very confused person at the moment.
i mean how do i live as jesus would? keep doing what i’m doing knowing the comfort it will provide, but being an example where i am. or do i take the less comfortable option cos i feel guilty about being too confortable?
anyone have an epiphany (i’ll take any thoughts!!) for me? sorry if i’ve hi-jacked the post but i thought it kinda related.
Hey Dave, I am in a bit of a rush so this is a quick (somewhat off the cuff) comment …. the short answer is that your live with great difficulty and with a real capacity to handle ambiguity….on the narrow ridge, eyes on Jesus. And watch out for being incrementally sucked into the consumerist empire. It never happens in one big jump, but is a slow inexorable movement towards the potenially safe and stullifying numbness of the suburb (watch The Matrix again).
On a funnier note, I was with some friends today, one of which is breast feeding, we were talking about breast feeding and following Jesus as we were going through the suburbs. And she came up with a slogan “show me your suboobs!” Not sure what that has to do with anything, but I want to develop a T-Shirt with tht slogan. Anyone wanna buy?
hehe…that’s funny.
Dave - I agree with Alan. We always tell our college students/young adults that there isn’t a problem with having a good job and making good money…as long as you’re living in that place of tension. In fact, Christians should be in the world, working jobs, living a life of integrity in their career - being missional in their world. - but one must live in that place with thoughtful caution, always being attentive and aware.
very funny images spring to mind Alan. I’d like to see that t-shirt. As a brand new mother though, I am not sure I could bring myself to wear one just yet!
Christina - hehe…my youngest is 16 mo. and she’s still breastfeeding at night. I told my husband I’m going to get a shirt that says “baby drinks here” right across my chest and then has the hours of operation underneath with the words “not open 24 hours” in bold hehe.
Makeesha, finally some honest maternity wear suggestions! However, I don’t think my little girl (4 weeks and 3 days old) will pay much attention to hours of operation unfortunately!
[...] One thing invariably leads to another in blogdom. I am a regular visitor to the newly established blog by Alan Hirsch and have been following a thread about “middle class bondage”. I followed up the website of one of the commentors, and to cut a long story short, found myself on a site with an interesting discussion on singleness and sexuality. I thought it was worth mentioning here, not necessarily as a judgement on the validity of the comments or views represented on the site, but simply because someone out there is saying something about it. In churches singleness and sexuality is usually confined to gatekeeping adolescent passions. Little is said about people at other life stages grappling with associated issues. Think about it. Wander down the Christian life section of the Christian bookstore with me for a moment. There are books on fatherhood. Books on being a good husband. Leadership. Motherhood. Being a good wife. What about the person who has never married? Never had a child? Or so-called “single again?” It is almost as if masculinity, femininity and sexuality as areas of Christian concern are predominantly confined to marriage and parenthood. Singleness is not synonymous with asexuality – this is as true of the “forty-something” as it is of the young person. The census indicates that there are growing numbers of single person households, and the church is strangely silent, apart from organising the odd singles group intended as some kind of social matchmaking. This approach probably has its place, but underlying it is the thought that prolonged singleness is something to be remedied or fixed. I don’t profess to know the answers, but I guess that raising the issue is good place to start. [...]
good comments about sexuality and singleness - can you expound on how that relates to Alan’s original comment? I think I’m missing something.
Good point Makeesha! I made the post on another blog and linked to this blog only because following up (your blog actually) led me to the one on singleness and sexuality. Somehow my whole post ended up here - not intended! Sorry Alan - did not mean to hijack your post. This may be something to change in the template?
No apologies needed. I’m getting back to the T-Shirt stuff girls. Perhaps you can have “Baby Drinks Here” combined with a 7-11 logo.
Christina - I had a feeling, but didn’t want to assume, I’ve been strangely blind before hehe.
Alan - niiice hehe
Re the t-shirt - maybe a nice tap graphic with a drop of milk suspended. Perhaps the words “Don’t let me down” - (reminiscent of a similarly phrased Beatle song)… Maybe I go too far…
Makeesha - thanks for the tip inspiring my post!
funny!
first the spiritual?
christina wrote to topher that ideas “follow through on a spiritual level” - herein lies a clue to our fundamental blindness. my encounters with the christ lead me to conclude that ideas in the natural are an extension of what already exists in the spiritual… a simple thought with profound implications
freedom that christ offers exist in the spirit and follows through into the natural… in engagement with the spirit of the christ we can choose to live in that freedom and have it direct our path - what we do, buy, consume, where we live, what and who we seek to influence - or we can choose to continue to engage with the things in the material realm that bind us up - more possessions than we need, excess and comfort etc etc etc.
the way back to true freedom lies in a spritual laxative to release humanity from the ties to the material that have bound us up. freedom exists in understanding the reality of the spirit of the christ and his other-centredness - as he has already revealed himself to us. freedom is choosing to engage with his spirit and his goals rather than the bondage imposed by the self-centred focus of the material realm and its materialism
the process of church planting is then our response in the material realm to the church that already exists in the spirit, our need is to see the spiritual first. the church is not an organisation of humans, but a spirit ordained organism that we are already destined to be part of, we simply (oh if only it were so simple!) need to find our location in the vine. the church is defined in the spirit by jesus, the material response may be reflected by demography, style, doctrine, music etc - but these are responses not determinations
the apostolic sees in the spirit and begins to operate in the natural, the prophetic sees in the spirit and begins to speak in the natural, the evangelist sees where god has already redeemed in the spirit and assists others in recognising it in the natural, the pastor sees the sheep appointed in the spirit and gathers them in the natural, the teacher sees the truth in the spirit and teaches it in the natural
… a simple thought with profound implications
consider the possibility that all life, all conflicts, all issues begin with seeing the reality of them in the spiritual realm and then outworking them in the material realm…
thoughts from a celtic son
p.s. - mr hirsch: is the idea of selling breast feeding t-shirts with slogans an example of “being incrementally sucked into the consumerist empire…” just a thought!!
Dave B… I have some thoughts to add to your questions.
It seems to me that some Christians need to make money in order to support the poor, to support the work of Christian ministry, and to financially support missionaries / church planters etc. I see absolutely nothing wrong with using your gifts and training to make a lot of money… I see nothing wrong with helping to make buildings and infrastructure (the first Eden was a garden… the coming Kingdom described in Revelation is a city… God actually values these human endeavours)… it is essential to have followers of Christ in all parts of society to be salt and light… to be responsible and encouraging supervisors, to be examples of kindness and diligence… to let their light shine before men.
I love radical church planter types, but I wouldn’t want them to design roads, drains, bridges, buildings, or any structure I might want to stand in… I’d like to know an engineer has done all the detailed calculations that make me confident that structure won’t collapse. We all have different gifts and talents for a reason, they’re all valuable, and they’re all needed. (I’m married to an engineer… can you tell?)
So making money isn’t the problem if you’re willing to live simply and give generously. The problem is when you start to feel entitled to a bigger house, a newer car, a bigger television, a bigger pool… when you start feeding your soul with things rather than with God.
The other danger to one’s soul in your field is the hours one is expected to work… you won’t be well paid for nothing. In running major projects part time work is not a realistic possibility, so work can tend to over-run one’s life.
Luther (I think… it’s been a while!) spoke on the value and dignity of ordinary work… humans were made to work… it is doing the will of God… the sacred-secular divide Christians tend to make is an artificial divide. God is in the kitchen and in the garden and in the construction site just as much as He is in the church.
The real issue to me is one of vocation. What are you good at? What are your talents? What makes you feel alive? What gives you satisfaction? There are those who have a professional vocation in my opinion… and there are those who are called to particular professions. If engineering / project management suits the way you are made, it’s probably something you’re called to do. As my husband says: “suck it and see”.
“suck it and see”… perhaps another breastfeeding t-shirt? ;-). Good comment Janet - I don’t mean to detract from it by returning to an earlier theme in this thread!
Ha ha!
My brother in law is an engineer in one of the more lucrative fields… for many years this family gave away a fifth of their pre-tax income, and their household was always a centre of hospitality… because he earned an above average income my sister did not need to work and had an amazing ministry with emergency accomodation, fostering and with her neighborhood in general. So you don’t have to be a “church worker” to have a radical Christian ministry!
Call me old fashioned… but sometimes in a partnership one person’s earning capacity (often but not always the male partner) liberates the other partner in ministry too… I’d say this has been my experience. (Not that my husband works in a lucrative field!)
Go to any neighborhood anywhere in Australia and you’ll find lonely mums… a huge potential mission field all you breastfeeders out there!!!!
My husband and I have made the decision to each work part-time (probably not the most financially lucrative option) to enable us both to be involved in ministry and continue to pay the bills. It helps to be willing to live simply…
Christina, I think this is the ideal for many couples and I think more people will chose this in the future. (Has some tax advantages too). There are a few professions… and project management is one of these… where part time work virtually doesn’t exist because of the nature of the job. Different courses for different horses: it’s all about discernment of vocation at different life stages.
Hmm…two months behind on this thread…
Having closed off the tap three years ago (after nine years–that’s for three kids, now), I was howling with all the breastfeeding comments…ah, the good old days when a nice sip of sweet, warm milk was all they needed…and don’t get me started on maternity clothes!
It seems to me that there is a difference between equilibrium and security. The former is a state of balance between supply and consumption (and so many other variables), while the latter is a pipedream…perhaps the illusion of security says it better. There is always an unseen catastrophe waiting to burst the security bubble!
That’s why I agree with Celtic Son (what a surprise, that!) about freedom. What about equilibrium being a balance of freedom and security…or maybe supply and need–one’s own or another’s?
The key is where our security lies. If it is in the faithfulness of God, all is well. Then we can be free from worry about temporal things. If it is in any material thing/system, we’re fooling ourselves. Too many stories abound of those who thought they were finally secure only to lose it all…or, worse, their ability to make use of what they have hoarded!
And perhaps Paul would say that the one principle that is needed is contentment…truly knowing the difference between need and want (or, more perversely, deserve?). If you know this, then you can make tons of money (in good and godly ways), realize that everything belongs to God, and be willing to give freely (with justice and mercy and humility) according to the prompting of the Spirit.
The trick is to really know the difference. It is a hard lesson to learn in most middleclass neighborhoods around. It is, however, a powerful testament to the Gospel and a desperately needed bondage to be broken.
This is the context in which I believe God has asked me to approach organic/incarnational church planting. I can tell you that the clamoring of people eager to join me is about as loud as a nursing baby…
I don’t think you could get any more middle class than blogging. What would Jaques have to say about my space?
“But I get this feeling–
It’s a feeling that our emotions, while wonderful, are transpiring in a vacume, and I think it boils down to the fact that we’re middle class.
You see, when you’re middle class, you have to live with the fact that history will ignore you. You have to live with the fact that history will never champion your causes and that history will never feel sorry for you. It is the price that is paid for day-to-day comfort and silence. And because of this price, all happinesses are sterile; all sadnesses go unpitied.
And any small amounts of intense, flaring beauty… will be utterly forgotten, dissolved by time like a super-8 film left out in the rain, without a sound, and quickly replaced by thousands of silently growing trees.”
–– Douglas Coupland, Generation X; Tales of an Excelerated Culture
There is a lot of work to be done in the very large middle class, just as their is in every other class.
Fortunately, I do not care whether history ignores me, champions my causes or feels sorry for me. This is the circumstance where I find myself and this is where God has asked me to serve his Kingdom. And he does not ignore me and he is my champion — and he doesn’t need to feel sorry for me because I do not feel sorry for myself. Therefore, I can be happy and enjoy the beauty that is my day-to-day sacrifice of praise to God for his love and companionship.
No need to lump every member of the middle class into the same experience of life….