Before moving on from the topic of “the powers,” I wanted to mention a bit from the work of William Stringfellow. Stringfellow is another on my list of authors that I really need to read soon. Though I’m relying on secondary resources, I feel the need to recognize Stringfellow’s work in this area.

Stringfellow saw all of “the powers” as serving the Power of Death. The Power of Death is personified in Satan. On his blog, Richard Beck quoted Stringfellow as saying:

Death, after all, is no abstract idea, nor merely a destination in time, nor just an occasional happening, nor only a reality for human beings, but, both biblically and empirically, death names a moral power claiming sovereignty over all people and all things in history. Apart from God, death is a living power greater–because death survives them all–than any other moral power in this world of whatever sort: human beings, nations, corporations, cultures, wealth, knowledge, fame or memory, language, the arts, race, religion.

Human institutions come to worship this Power of Death as they fight for their own survival. Every human organization quickly comes to count its own survival as one of its principal goals. In fact, the original aims of the group become secondary to its continuing existence.

This even happens with churches. You’ve probably heard it before. A congregation loses members and comes to the point where the collection barely covers the bills. They really aren’t doing anything except meeting on Sunday morning, yet refuse to “disband” and join nearby congregations.

It happens with nations. Whatever principles and ideals were held at first take second place behind the survival of the state. The end justifies the means. Whatever it takes to survive is justified.

I’m not sure that I’m ready to join Stringfellow in identifying it as a question of external powers, but I do know that the tendency exists. What do you think?