Stringfellow’s Principalities and the Natures of Power

Like all theologians, William Stringfellow stressed some theological concepts and diminished others. Using political events as his theological canvas, he applied concepts of unredeemable principalities, a universal Fall, and the power of “death” to portray a permanent clash with divine powers, God’s Word, and the Christian’s ability to “live humanly.” Influenced by anti-Nazi resisters, engaged in civil rights and antiwar movements, and opposing the warmaking and law-breaking of Richard Nixon’s presidency, he used his theological framework to help Christians reconceptualize their work for social change amid contrasting kinds of power. His applied theology provides a unique framework for reimagining the natures of power, social ethics, and what it means to sustain hope in a continuously violent and unjust world.