Today is the first day of a common Christian tradition called Advent. I know some anarchists have mixed feelings about traditions. Challenging or dismantling hierarchical structures are at the core of Anarchism. Many are allergic to church and state and their holidays because both have long occupied center stage in the struggle for power and influence.
For Christian anarchists, our driving force is our love for God and for one another. We may be anarchists, but we are Christians first. Anarchism is simply inherent in Christianity. Neither church nor state have a role in our tradition. Everything we say and do impacts someone else somewhere. We are not here to assert our freedom to do whatever we want. We are here to serve God and to serve one another.
We are, however, free to celebrate the coming of Christ any way we think will honor God and others. When we make traditions, it is mostly to remind ourselves of our identity; to whom we belong. Celebrating Advent is a way for us to do that. We are united in Christ. He is Immanuel which is the Hebrew word for God with us. Advent means that something or someone is about to come or arrive. God is coming to live among us in Christ.
There is a great deal of symbolism involved with the lighting of a candle. It can mean escape from darkness. Christ is the light of the world (John 8:12). It can mean a moment to reflect on, say, why are we here? Traditionally, the symbolism associated with the first candle is that of hope. God’s presence in the form of Christ will be good news that will bring great joy for all the people (Luke 2:10).
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