2. CLENCHING
FIST
OR
OPEN HAND

3. IDENTITIES
ARE
FORMED BY
Stories.

4. SOME promote
violence.

5. SOME
PROMOTE
PEACE.

6. WHICH KIND
DO WE LIVE

7. We can discern at least 6 stories that
seem to “rule the world”:
Domination
Revolution
Purification/Scapegoating
Competition
Isolation
Victimization/Self-preservation
They are evident in the Gospels:

8. -Domination - Romans, Sadducees,
Herodians
-Revolution - Zealots
-Purification/Scapegoating - Pharisees*
-Competition - Wealthy Judeans
-Isolation - Essenes
-Victimization/Self-preservation -
Poor Galileans, sinners, lepers,
outcasts
*as depicted in Gospels

9. CLENCHING-FIST NARRATIVES
TYPICALLY DIRECT HUMAN
SOCIETIES:
1.THE DOMINATION STORY:
PEACE AND SECURITY
THROUGH BEING IN
CONTROL
“If only we were in charge!” (Empire)

10. 2. THE REVOLUTION STORY:
PEACE AND SECURITY
THROUGH VIOLENT
OVERTHROW OF
OPPRESSORS.
“If only THEY weren’t in
control!” (Revenge)

11. 3. THE PURIFICATION STORY:
PEACE AND SECURITY
THROUGH NAMING,
BLAMING, SHAMING, AND
EXCLUDING A DANGEROUS
MINORITY.
“If only THOSE PEOPLE would change -
or disappear.”(If only a minority would
change.) (Scapegoating/Genocide)

12. 4. THE COMPETITION STORY:
PEACE AND SECURITY
THROUGH MONEY &
POWER IN A COMPETITIVE
ECONOMY.
“If only we could buy, enjoy, and
stockpile what we desire.”
(Economic Advantage)

13. 5. THE ISOLATION STORY:
PEACE AND SECURITY
THROUGH SEPARATING
FROM THE CORRUPT,
DOOMED MAJORITY.
“If only we could be left alone to
be ourselves by ourselves.”
(Elite/elect remnant)

14. 6. THE VICTIMIZATION/SELF-
PRESERVATION STORY:
PRESERVING OURSELVES BY
PRESERVING THE MEMORY
OF INJUSTICE & SUFFERING.
“If only our oppressors would be brought to
justice.” (If only the majority would
change.)

15. We could call these “stories of the
clenching fist...”
Conflict narratives
Warrior narratives
Conflict narratives
Sword narratives

16. Domination: Us over them
Revolution: Us versus them
Purification: Us versus some of us
Competition: Us competing with
them.
Isolation: Us away from them
Victimization: Us in spite of them

17. DOMINATION PURIFICATION
COMPETITION
SELF-
PRESERVATION
REVOLUTION
ISOLATION

18. DOMINATION PURIFICATION
COMPETITION
SELF-
PRESERVATION
REVOLUTION
ISOLATION
CONFLICT!

19. Our religions can proclaim an
alternate story - one Jesus called:
the good news
of the kingdom* of God.
[*reign, commonwealth, dream, dance,
economy, ecosystem, movement, beloved
community, network, etc]

20. A story of the
open hand ...
Gardener narrative
Peacemaking narrative
Plowshare/Pruning hook narrative

21. The good news of the kingdom
of God
-called people to repentance
(paradigm shift/ radical
rethinking),
- a new way of life,
-a new identity

22. Clenching Fist Stories
Domination: Us over them
Revolution: Us versus them
Purification: Us versus some of us
Self-preservation: Us in spite of them
Isolation: Us away from them
Competition: Us competing with them.

23. An Open-Hand Narrative of
Creation/Liberation/Reconciliation
NOT Domination: Service, Neighborliness
NOT Revolution: Reconciliation
NOT Purification: Welcome/Hospitality/Inclusion
NOT Competition: Generosity, Self-Giving
NOT Self-preservation: Pursuit of common good
NOT Isolation: Incarnation ... Penetration ...
Identification

24. DOMINATION PURIFICATION
COMPETITION
SELF-
PRESERVATION
REVOLUTION
ISOLATION
NEW CREATION/ RECONCILIATION
LIBERATION

25. DOMINATION PURIFICATION
COMPETITION
SELF-
PRESERVATION
REVOLUTION
ISOLATION
NEW CREATION/ RECONCILIATION
LIBERATION

26. Hypocrisy:
Religions can intentionally or
accidentally baptize, support,
legitimize, and camouflage the
six clenched-fist stories.
They can cover up a wolf-ish
message in sheep’s language.

27. Will we defect from the stories of
the clenching fist?
Domination: Us over them.
Revolution: Us versus them.
Purification: Us versus some of us.
Self-preservation: Us in spite of them.
Isolation: Us away from them
Competition: Us competing with them.

28. Will we embody the story of the
open hand:
Service: Some of us for all of us.
Reconciliation: Us reconciling with them.
Inclusion: Us welcoming them to the table
Empowerment: Us working for the common good
with them.
Incarnation: Us as neighbors in solidarity with them
Sacrifice: Us risking and giving on behalf of them

29. 29
What doctrinal
rethinking will be
required?
What liturgical
reformulation will be
necessary?
What missional renewal
will be essential?

30. QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Ivan Illich (Austrian
former priest,
philosopher, social
critic, 1926-2002)

31. Neither revolution nor reformation
can ultimately change a society,
rather you must tell a new powerful
tale, one so persuasive that it sweeps
away the old myths and becomes the
preferred story …

32. … one so inclusive that it gathers all the
bits of our past and our present into a
coherent whole, one that even shines
some light into the future so that we can
take the next step…. If you want to
change a society, then you have to tell an
alternative story.
- attributed to Ivan Illich (Austrian former priest,
philosopher, social critic, 1926-2002)

33. 33