Greetings,
Have you noticed that our world is becoming increasingly polarized? We here in the United States see ever more evidence of the buildup of hard feelings and harsh rhetoric over the upcoming presidential elections. However, nowhere is this breaking up into opposing factions and groupings more evident today than in Europe. The European People’s Party is the largest political party in Europe and is composed of the heads of State and government of each Member State and is chaired by the President of the European Council.
Following a summit of the European People’s Party at the end of May, Reuters filed this report: “European Council President Donald Tusk has sounded the alarm, warning that Eurosceptic movements are gaining momentum in the EU because the dream of a federation-like union being pushed by EU leaders is out of touch with the views of ordinary Europeans. Addressing fellow EU leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker, Tusk took a shot at the idea, popular among EU conservatives, of creating a more federalized Europe. European leaders who pursue what Tusk called utopian “illusions” are not in tune with their own peoples,’ who do not share their “Euro-enthusiasm.”
“Obsessed with the idea of instant and total integration, we failed to notice that ordinary people, the citizens of Europe, do not share our Euro-enthusiasm. Disillusioned with the great visions of the future, they demand that we cope with the present reality better than we have been doing until now … Euroscepticism [has] become an alternative to those illusions. It is us who today are responsible for confronting reality with all kinds of utopias – a utopia of Europe without nation states, a utopia of Europe without conflicting interests and ambitions, a utopia of Europe imposing its own values on the external world,” the former Polish prime minister said.”
The choice of words by the EC president is interesting. As one writer pointed out, by definition a utopia is an imaginary place that exists only as an ideal — the word itself comes from the Greek “ou-topos,” meaning “nowhere.” Webster’s dictionary definition underscores the problem with European utopianism: “One that believes in the perfectibility of human society.” The fundamental skepticism that is expressed by Euroscepticism is universal. We can see it in most countries in its various forms – Brexit in the UK for example – and especially in the lead up to the U.S. elections in November. Society is now breaking down into factions under the weight of self-interest, fear and skepticism.
If we translate this back into the Church, it begs the question – how we are coping with the “great visions of the future” and “the present reality?” The present reality is very tough. Life is wearing and exhausting. Christ said it would be this way (see Matthew 10:34-39).
Consider the meaning of the Day of Pentecost from this perspective. We have been given a vision of utopia but unlike mankind struggling to incorporate that vision into the “perfectibility of human society”, we with God’s Holy Spirit can know and experience the connection between the vision and mankind. The availability of the Holy Spirit – underlined by the meaning of the day of Pentecost – enables a connection between us and that utopian vision. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).
Without the Holy Spirit there is no connection between the utopia man seeks and the reality of daily physical life. Skepticism is a natural result and leads to further the creation of factions and divisions. “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls” (Luke 11:17). God’s Holy Spirit provides for unity and oneness because it is the expression of the mind of God. We can see the reality of God’s kingdom and move to separate ourselves from the kingdoms of men such that the “kingdom reality” provided by the Holy Spirit is not divided against itself – the utopian vision of the kingdom and the present reality become a house in agreement.
“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (emphasis mine, Luke 12:29-32). During this Pentecost period spend some time appreciating the joy and peace that the Holy Spirit provides for us and let that Spirit overcome the influence of the polarization that we see all around us in this world.
Warm Regards,
Brian Orchard
