The causes and outcomes of the Cold War changed society in a variety of ways. Even though the war participants did not demonstrate their full engagement with the military staff, the relationships between the populations were determined by a fear of destruction and a lack of rationalism. [1] Liberty University presented a video about the Cold War, which creates a good opportunity to understand the connection between communism and capitalism and define the responsibility of Christians with regards to these two ideas. In this essay, the controversies between communism and capitalism will be discussed through the prism of Christianity and the legacy of Karl Marx and Jesus Christ.
After viewing the video “The Cold War in Context,” the role of Christians in analyzing the war and the concepts of capitalism and communism can be clarified. The first significant argument is that in the middle of the 20th century, significant religious transformations occurred as soon as Christians expanded their impact from North America and Europe to the whole globe. [2] The main idea was to underline the worth of Jesus Christ as a symbol of change that should happen not in society but the “heart of men.”[3] Christians represented their beliefs in God as a savior of human souls, not just the conditions under which people had to live. Regarding the Gospel, God gave all humans his only son for protection and the promotion of everlasting life. This position contradicts the major aspects of communism and capitalism that were depicted during the Cold War.
Capitalism and communism were introduced as economic terms, where the former was based on free-market forces, and the latter depended on the government. The second argument is that capitalism was defined as a perfect condition for people to live and develop according to God’s image, where all humans were equally created and gifted. [4] At the same time, it was wrong to believe that capitalism was positively determined by Christians because there were distinctions like gender inequality (Adam and Eve) or language differences (the Babylon pyramid), which could provoke such movements as feminism and multiculturalism. According to Boer, “capitalism itself is crumbling” due to the existing mixed infrastructure and social differences. [5] Therefore, it is possible to accept communism as one of the characteristics of the industrial revolution.
Communism was one of the strongest and most effective philosophies in the middle of the 20th century and during the Cold War. Its creator, Karl Marx, was concerned about materialism and believed that utopia “from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs” could work. [6] The promotion of classes was the source of sin, and the poor were considered innocent. However, as the final argument, in the Bible, all people are sinners who should live following God’s will and guidance to achieve salvation. Some people define communism as an ideal social system where it is possible to get everything, with no leaders or rich, and promote equality. Still, Christians can never neglect the power of God, which makes communism and Christianity irreconcilable.
In general, capitalism and communism ideas have a certain relation to Christianity because these theories allow identifying the role of God. On the one hand, capitalism was effective to show that people were born equal to develop their skills and achieve what they want. On the other hand, capitalism was an outcome of the existing drawbacks in the economic system. People cannot stay free all the time, and they need a leader to motivate, support, and protect them. Therefore, the responsibility of Christians regarding communism and capitalism during the Cold War is the necessity not to leave people alone after certain achievements were made.
Foonotes
- “The Cold War in Context,” iTunes video, 11:45, posted by Liberty University, Web.
- Michael Wilkinson, “The Prosperity Gospel and the Globalization of American Capitalism,” In Religious Activism in the Global Economy: Promoting, Reforming, or Resisting Neoliberal Globalization?, ed. by Sabine Dreher and Peter J. Smith (London: Rowman & Littlefield International, 2016), 57.
- “The Cold War in Context.”
- “The Cold War in Context.”
- Roland Boer, Red Theology: On the Christian Communist Tradition (Leiden: BRILL, 2019), 139.
- “The Cold War in Context.”
Bibliography
Boer, Roland. Red Theology: On the Christian Communist Tradition. Leiden: BRILL, 2019.
“The Cold War in Context.” iTunes video, 11:45. Posted by Liberty University, Web.
Wilkinson, Michael. “The Prosperity Gospel and the Globalization of American Capitalism.” In Religious Activism in the Global Economy: Promoting, Reforming, or Resisting Neoliberal Globalization?, edited by Sabine Dreher and Peter J. Smith, 57-72. London: Rowman & Littlefield International, 2016.