Early Church: 'Community' not Communism

How do we know that the first vehicle that the Apostles purchased together was a Honda? Because the Acts of the Apostles chapter two says, “They were all in one accord”.

Actually in the NAB translation it says, “When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together”. The NAB translation may be great for use in Catholic liturgy but it does not cooperate very well with dad jokes. 

Seriously, what does it mean when the first reading today says that the early church was a

“community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.” 

Does this mean as some believe that the early church was the same as communism or was promoting communist ideology? 

No, it was different from communism in the following ways...

• It was a free association and it was born out of the love in their hearts for the Lord.
• The Holy Spirit acted in and through them on an individual level for the sake of the unity of the whole.
• The early church was not a social construct it was a divine construct, not man-made but God-made.
• The Catholic Church is not a social contract but a covenant, the 'New Covenant' centered in Christ and his way of life.
• The Catholic Church is not imposed on the people by a human government against their wills but a free association based on a person's assent of faith and Baptism. Remember at this point in church history it was dangerous to be a member of the church. There was a huge social cost as Christians were thought of as a break away heretical sect from Judaism. This shows that membership was chosen for spiritual conviction not for welfare or material support. 

The Acts of the Apostles, chapter four, goes on to say,

"With great power the Apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the Apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need."

Based on this part of today's reading there are those who hold the view that communism was just Christianity in practice and Jesus was no different than Lenin or Mao when it came to politics and political theory.Nothing could be further from the truth. The 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church, also promulgated by Pope John Paul II, condemns socialism as an atheistic ideology. Paragraph 2425 states:

"The Church has rejected the totalitarian and atheistic ideologies associated in modern times with 'communism' or 'socialism.'

The church has historically been the greatest force on earth for the development of the third world and for the quality of life in the areas of hospitality, medicine and education. It gives to the individual poor person because in them she sees Christ in disguise and she wants to love them. Love cannot be forced; this is why the church has never imposed a tithe or a tax on its members. Everything given is a free will offering.

In communism the government tries to ‘equal the playing field’ through power and for power. The utopian dream that it sells can never be bought by Catholics because in Catholicism we understand the fallenness of the world in sin and the necessity of the cross. In the end we are realists not Marxists. Our vision is open to see the reality of the world both seen and unseen, both natural and supernatural. The communist vision only sees the materialistic reality so it is not open to the fullness of truth about society and about man. It sees humans as expendable tool producing animals while we see humans as made in the image and likeness of God. Marxism, Socialism and Communism are failed ideologies and political systems that seem to never fully die.

'Catholicism' without Christ

Even today’s iteration of communism called 'cultural Marxism' packaged as 'DEI' (diversity, equity and inclusion) can only ape the Church as a false imitation of Catholicism. They are repackaging the original product, stripping it of truth and grace and adding secular, non-religious terminology. It is a type of anti- church that they seek to force on the people. It is 'catholicism' without Christ and without grace.

When they promote the value of ‘Diversity’ they claim they are intentionally involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations etc. What they really want is the Catholic concept of universality: All people everywhere are invited to repentance and faith in Jesus and become part of the Body of Christ and new life in Communion with God.

When they promote the value of ‘Equity’ they claim they are ensuring a balanced and equal outcome for society by placing hierarchical value on certain extrinsic traits. i.e. ethnicity, gender, sexual orientations etc.. What they are trying to repackage is the Catholic teaching on human dignity where human beings are made in the image and likeness of God. Human life is intrinsically sacred and humans are called to be holy/God-like.

When they promote the value of ‘Inclusion’ they claim any ‘marginalized’ individual or group is welcomed, respected, supported, and may fully participate without repentance or faith. What they really need as human beings is a community centered on redemption and forgiveness where everyone is honest about having a sin problem. When we sin or live a sinful lifestyle we are in need of humility and repentance, change and forgiveness. In Catholicism the sacrament of Reconciliation restores our communion with the Church community and God.