Immanentize the Eschaton

I don’t intend to discuss theology, but I was listening to the Orthodox Word podcast for 8/5/09 this morning. The Gospel reading was the parable of the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). I have heard this parable all my life, but what really caught my ear this time was when the householder said “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or is your eye evil because I am good?”

The worker was annoyed because the householder kept to the deal that was made. He wanted to tell the householder what to do with the householder’s property. In short, he felt he had a right to the householder’s property.

To me, the worker reflects the Statist in our time. The Statist believes he has a right to our property. He answers the householder’s questions “No, you are not allowed to do what you choose, because it does not belong to you. You hold it by our sufferance. It really belongs to us. We allow you to have it.” Everything he does reflects this belief.