What are the Biblical roots of Christian communism?

Let us begin with the socio-economic situation, because Christianity, like most religions, is a response to economic injustice and oppression in this world. 

In the eastern Mediterranean, Rome’s imperialism was reshaping peasant agriculture, and the burdens of taxation and debt were growing, deeply affecting local economies, village communities, cultures and health — malaria, for example, was rife.

In this context, many Gospel parables and stories are revolutionary. They focus on feeding everyone, on healing from multiple diseases, on the devastation of chronic poverty. 

The solution was sharing, and common ownership, as described in Acts of the Apostles: “Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common … and it was distributed to each as any had need.” 

How did this “communist” tradition continue, and how was it suppressed and co-opted by the ruling classes?

As Christianity spread, it adapted to imperial power. The turning point was when Constantine made Christianity the imperial religion. The radical texts remained, but they were softened and spiritualised into admonitions for alms, family life and simple living.

But the communist impulse refused to die. It was Karl Kautsky who first identified this “underground” tradition, and he proposed that just as Constantine appropriated Christianity, the monastic tradition first arose — based on a rejection of wealth, power and privilege.

What examples of Christian communism have there been in the West?

Christian communism has had a fascinating history of 2,000 years. There have been two currents: a) communal life with all things in common; b) revolutionary uprisings, due to persecution and radical criticism of the status quo. 

The communal expression is found in the Franciscans, Beguines, the Moravian Brethren, the Levellers and Diggers in England, and the many US utopian communes, such as Pantisocracy and the communities inspired by Etienne Cabet. 

The revolutionary impulse appears first with the Dulcinians, who took up arms in the early 14th century. Later, it appears all over Europe, especially with the rise of early capitalism: Taborites in Bohemia, peasant revolutions in England and Europe, especially with Thomas Muntzer (1525) and the Anabaptist revolution in Munster (1534-1535). 

Keir Hardie and Tony Benn are two more recent examples of socialists who were shaped by Christian beliefs.

What examples of Christian communism have emerged in other parts of the world?

Russia has a long history, with sectarian groups (Old Believers, Doukhobors, Molokans and so on) and an older peasant Christian communism, with its slogan, “the land is God’s.” 

Tolstoy was a champion of this type, based on the village commune with land in common. 

During the Russian Revolution a unique form arose: “God-Building.” According to Anatoly Lunacharsky, Soviet People’s Commissar for Education and Culture, the gods of religion represented the ideals to which human beings were striving. 

Socialism could embody this approach in education, art, culture — and especially through revolution.

In modern times, the Christian churches of the DPRK have come to support the Korean effort to construct socialism. 

They are actively engaged in domestic social work and internationally work to overcome the deep anti-DPRK prejudice.

The Chinese tradition of Christian communism, which arose in the early 20th century, is the most interesting of all. 

One of its main theologians was Wu Yaozong, who spoke of two conversions: one to Christianity and one to Marxism-Leninism. 

Wu established the Three-Self Patriotic Movement Church, established in 1951 and supported by the government, which is now the largest Protestant organisation in the world, with more than 38 million members — and growing. 

Even the Vatican understands the natural links between the struggle for socialism and practical application of the Gospel. 

It recently pointed out that the Chinese state’s commitment to the common good has much more affinity with Catholic social teaching than the individualism of Western liberal democracies.  

So there seems to be quite a lot of evidence, throughout history and across the world, that Christianity and communism can be mutually supportive — although clearly there have also been times when they have been deeply opposed! What are the lessons for Western socialist politics, and political parties?

Churches, mosques, temples and meditation centres need to remember that religion is not all about a private spiritual life focused on another world. 

This world too, with its exploitation, injustice and inequality, is vitally important. As each tradition recognises, faith is collective and unitive, a fundamental part of our social natures.

That means working with others for the core aspirations of socialism. One example is to become part of the movement for cultural democracy, to liberate itself from the legitimation of exploitation and oppression and like other cultural activities become part of the struggle to transform the material world.

Finally, do you have any other thoughts for our readers, relevant to this Christmas season?

The nativity story is full of radical potential! Jesus is born to a poor family, perhaps in a stable or even on the street, and placed in a feeding trough after birth. Why? An innkeeping businessman turned them away, and then the family was harassed and hunted by the puppet king Herod. 

Think of the Magnificat, when Mary says: “He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.”

And for the great tradition of Boxing Day, we should remember that the communist slogan — “from each according to ability, to each according to need” — comes originally from the Book of Acts: “everything they owned was held in common … and it was distributed to each as any had need.”

Roland Boer has just written an ebook for the website Culture Matters on the subject of Christian communism, which is available free of charge at www.culturematters.org.uk.