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Ellul makes a distinction between the true faith and
an institutionalized, world-encrusted religion.

..condemns the Churchianity religion as a faith subverted
by the world. ..

Theologians readily begin with the biblical witness or
revelation but then quickly leave it behind.
In a desire to reach the truth, they develop moral codes,
philosophical systems, and metaphysical constructs.

Although they have good intentions, their result destroys
the love and grace of the gospel.

Jacques Ellul is very careful about the charges that he
makes against Christianity. His arguments are subtle,
and Ellul is quick to acknowledge the hyperbole of those
who criticize the faith from the outside.
Nonetheless, he often finds a kernel of truth at the root
of those criticisms.

..what we today call Christianity is actually far removed from
the revelation of God.

The church thus perverted the gospel message, for instead of simply
doing away with pagan practice and belief, it reconstituted
the sacred, set up its own religious forms, and thus resacralized the world ..
_

Ellul draws a stark distinction between the faith Christ delivered once
and for all (Christianity)
and what it has become over time due to the influences of Greek Philosophy,
Roman Law and many other societal trends over time
and in the present age (Christendom.)

Christendom, Ellul states, has largely departed from, and indeed
may be diametrically opposite that which Christ originally taught
and modeled.

..The term Christian Anarchist is one that remains grossly misunderstood
by many. .. This is in many ways a return to early Christianity

and the early churches' recognition that relationship and a personal walk
with Christ was far more to be desired
and in fact was antithetical to a walk based upon obligation and external
social pressures toward conformity with an established norm.

At its heart it is a return to Christ's direct teaching
and strong aversion to the religion of the Pharisees of his day
who focused upon the external appearance and would have nothing to do
with the Kingdom Christ was to establish.

/ an enlightening perspective on church history not to condemn but to awaken --
although his words do pierce where most would take offense
like those of a prophet: Neither Catholics nor Protestants, liberals
nor conservatives, theologians nor mystics will be left acquitted.

.."I will simply recall that the subversion of Christianity has come
through its letting itself be penetrated and seduced and led
by the prince of this world." (Jacques Ellul)

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