NORTHERN STYLE NEWSWATCH 6
A news item caught our attention in mid-October which, we felt, like good wine and rich fruit cake, could mature awhile whilst we considered how it would fit into what is unfolding so rapidly these days. Certainly in the western world there is an often unspoken concern at the rapid changes taking place in all aspects of the social, political and religious structures. This is to be expected, for as we know, once the pillars upholding the social fabric of countries begin one by one to be removed, then the whole structure will start to crumble. The opening verses of Psalm 11 come to mind at such a time as this: (Psalm 11:1-3)

"In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: `Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot at the shadows, at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?' "

To set the news item into this perspective we need to look at just how `the wicked bend their bows (and) set their arrows against the strings'. As disciples of the Lord Jesus we understand what is happening as `the Fourth Beast of Daniel' begins to emerge . . as we see the foreshadowing of the `One World Government'! In secular terms this is called globalization (now beginning to be described as `universalism) and we see it emerging in a tangible form in the European Union - the five which became twelve, which became fifteen, which are now preparing to meet to discuss `enlargement'. We reported on it in an earlier Newswatch when we read of the document `Declaration Dominus Jesus', which was issued from the office of the Roman Catholic Cardinal Ratzinger, and by which the Roman Catholic religious system had thrown off its `ecumenical robes' to reveal its unremitting efforts to become the universal religious power underpinning the universal political power.

A religious observer (now dead) commenting as long ago as the time of Vatican 2 wrote that what was emerging was:

" . . . a competition between the world's only three internationally-based power structures for truly global hegemony. "

(Although one of these three global powers has since disintegrated, becoming two, through the events in Russia in 1991, his observations are nevertheless very astute!) Leaving aside for a moment the religious systems, whether they are Roman Catholic or Orthodox, we do need to consider the implications of secular globalization. All too often we concentrate on the religious aspects without understanding that religion usually stands by quietly `in the wings' waiting for an opportune moment to ride in on the back of secular power (and, as we have said previously, legitimatizing the secular power).

We are not suggesting that there is a world-wide conspiracy by a group of powerful, wealthy people - such as the Trilateral Commission or the Club of Rome - but there is more sensibly understood to be whole plethora of international trading concerns who view the world as their market and use their monetory power to control the affairs of countries in their effort to increase their profit and capital base. Most global corporate concerns by their very nature corrode and destroy national boundaries, and following on behind them come the politicians with their questionable doctrine that nations who trade will never risk that trade by rising up in a war. It is but short step from there for ambitious politicians and powerful commercial interests to enter into `an understanding'. Politicians need the enormous cash resources of commercial conglomerates, which in turn need the protection of political power. Once this scenario is seen to be in place the religious institutions are ready to step onto the stage to legitimatize the ruling power, and we then have in place the most powerful forces known to man exercising a truly `global hegemony'! We saw this powerfully outworked in the hoped-for `1000 year Reich' of Nazi Germany. Powerful commercial concerns such as Krupp, Messerschmitt, Volkswagon, BMW and many others - all backed by equally powerful banking and financial concerns - supported Hitler in his demonic dream of world conquest, which he could not have outworked without their wealth! Once established, the Roman Catholic system stepped out of `the wings', once again seeking universal religious power.

For those who watch, we see these `players' once again `acting out the script', waiting only for the principal actor to appear. This is common knowledge and hardly worth a mention in a Newswatch. However, what we need to remember now are the historical precedents in order to move beyond what we see around us, lest we become complacent. Preceeding World War 1 (although it is now agreed that the conflict of 1939-45 was but a continuation of that war) was a period of peace and world-wide trade throughout Europe, which lasted for several decades (and this had not been experienced for a long time). At the height of this global trade expansion, and the resulting consequences of wealth and peace, stirring nationalistic feelings emerged as people began to feel threatened by a loss of identity. It led to the emergence of a despotic figure who promised to restore national pride and security through global domination! Powerful commercial interests, whose global trade was in danger, supported him. Equally powerful religious interests, whose influence was undermined in sovereign, independent countries, legitimatized the regime as all sought `global hegemony'.

Today we see that same pattern emerging as dissenting nationalistic voices are heard in many of the countries forming the European Union and anxiety is aroused concerning their long- term national `identity'. Many see this as a counter-force against global power ever emerging, but in doing so they miss the historical precedent. We have said on many previous occasions that we need not so much fear the European Union succeeding, but we should be concerned if it fails. Historically, out of the previous failure there emerged a despotic figure who, whilst offering restoration of national pride to a beleaguered people who felt threatened by powerful global interests, gained it for them by forceful, dictatorial, authoritarianism through war!

Now we turn to the news item which drew our attention in mid-October. A Study was issued, produced by a commission set up by the Runymede Trust. The report went by the title `The Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain' and recommended that the term `A Community of Communities' be used as a way of describing the United Kingdom. Unthinkingly, they sought to address the `population's anxiety' they had observed in a people in tension through the politician's efforts to move into a more integrated Europe at the expense of the Nation State. It is in such reports as these, now probably largely forgotten, that we see history repeating itself as we move towards a climatic war through the interplay of powerful global interests looking for a `national' leader to emerge who will have a `universal vision'. (Such is the contradictory confusion of worldly people.) However, it was the expression used in the Study - A Community of Communities - which caught our attention. Trusting that the Holy Spirit was leading us, we waited for the right time to set it out in a Newswatch against what is outworking on the national scene. And as we have already mentioned, there is the same `global' dimension at work within the Church in England (and, no doubt, elsewhere) - the forming of a large powerful movement to extend the authority of God (through the Church) over the world.

Using the parallel seen in the preceeding remarks, this is historically achieved through embracing other powerful institutions who also have global expectations, and we need not repeat how this historically outworks itself in worldly political-religious systems. We would therefore suggest that in the expression `A Community of Communities' there is a warning from the Lord of the Church - warning against the `globalization of the Church', which is unfortunately being seen in charismatic, pentecostal and other denominational churches across the land - and giving instead an urgent direction to prepare for coming persecution. We are reminded that we are intended to be `a community of communities' . . local autonomous churches . . set within the Everlasting Community of the Kingdom of God . . ready to be light and salt to a people who will be increasingly without hope as this world once again falls apart! The outworking of this is beginning to appear in the many and various small groups of disciples who are in dismay at what they see happening, who are turning together in prayer and Bible study to encourage each other, trusting that the Lord will visit His people again.

However, we do need to set this distress against an understanding of what is happening - which we have attempted to set out in this Newswatch. Revival has always come to the Church through individuals and small groups seeking a way out of the worldliness engulfing the Church - not separating themselves from the Body, but being separated for service to the Body: (Ephesians 1:15-18)

" For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints . . . "

5th December 2000

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