Anzac Day – A Juncture

Paul writes – I read an excellent essay several years ago and decided to re-visit it as the second of my Anzac readings for yesterday. Steve Taylor in writing his Oct 2001 article, Scars on the Australasian heart: Anzac Day as a contextual atonement image makes some very important, if not provocative, points in relation to why the atonement differs from the remembered realities of Anzac Day.

“…The gospel of John opens a window on a further dimension of the atonement, that of the death of Christ as exaltation.” He notes that theologian [Morna] Hooker “describe[s] John as a glory narrative rather than a passion narrative. In John, Jesus is no longer the victim but Zion’s King in control of his destiny.

It is at this juncture that a correlation between Anzac Day and the atonement seems to falter. The reality of Anzac Day was certainly not that of control of destiny. It was a catalogue of military errors and of a desperate struggle of survival.”

“Perhaps more importantly, the most obvious glorification of Anzac Day is war…

“…To then discuss the atonement in relation to Anzac Day raises a pacifist objection and the ethical issue of endorsing war. Historically the New Zealand church sanctified war. In fact [D.] McEldowney [in a 1991 book review] argues that the ‘Christian concept of sacrifice made the carnage [of war] possible as well as acceptable. The militaristic overtones of Anzac Day are in juxtaposition to the Christian God of peace…”

Steve concludes his essay:

“…In conclusion, Anzac Day is a symbol that is deeply embedded in the culture of Pakeha [A New Zealander of European descent] New Zealand. [There are] a number of connection points between the atonement and Anzac Day – voluntary sacrifice, the reconfiguring of a new community, the resurrection of hope among the ashes of death and the pastoral relevance of Christ as a victim. Anzac Day offers a[n] historical bridge over which dimensions of the atonement can be grasped by Pakeha culture…

A Christian engagement with Anzac Day could provide a missiological opportunity to re-imagine a more inclusive Pakeha identity built on a focus on the person of Christ. The corporate dimensions evoked by Anzac Day breathe freshness into the individualising tendencies of Wester culture with regard to the communication of the atonement…”

Comments

[Paul Fromont]

Now I’m not sure I’d completely go along with the sense that “…the most obvious glorification of Anzac Day is war…” Sure, the context is “war,” but the ‘glorification,’ if we can call it that, appears to me to be centred not on war per se, but on realities that Steve highlights earlier in his article: mateship, community (the sense and experience of belonging), the formation of communal and national identity, bravery, egalitarianism…

An important, now ritualised expression used are the words “lest we forget.” So, another central reality for Anzac Day is “remembering” – we remember; and as we re-member the stories the accompany Anzac Day we enter into the possibility of a “present” informed and shaped by the past. This seems to me to provide another useful “connection point” to the gospel (which includes Jesus’ death).

For me that connection point is centred on the question, “How do we re-member the highpoint of the unfolding Biblical drama – the gospel narrative – in such a way that our remembering, our entering into that narrative shapes, nourishes, and informs a contextualised and communal embodiment of “good news” in the present?”

[Merv]

Paul,
Yes! to contemporary contextual images of the good news of Christ - but Anzac Day? Recalling the senseless (voluntary?) sacrifice of young Anzacs in an invasion of Turkey?
A juxtaposition, perhaps, but there must be a better way to re-member Christ's story.
(OK - here goes. Eve van Grafthorst; Sir Peter Blake; the Rainbow Warrior saga; the Treaty of Waitangi)

shalom,

[Paul Fromont]

Thanks Merv. ANZAC day is deeply embedded in the NZ psyche and our identification. It therefore provides one opportunity through which we can explore the atonement.

ANZAC day provides an opportunity missiological conversation, for bridges to be built. Certainly ANZAC Day and Jesus' death are not synonomous.

But, importantly, as you well note, there are other contextualised Kiwi stories that we can use missiologically. And you demonstrate well the Gospel and culture interface that we need to inhabit as Jesus-followers.

Have a good week. Thanks again for the adding your voice to the conversation.