Our Story - The Resurrection of the Body
The Resurrection of the Body - and the Ethics of Liberation
"The Resurrection of the Body - and the Ethics of Liberation" by Rev Jonathan is a provocative exploration of Church of Burn's radical practices. The essay invites readers to reimagine their relationship with money, not just intellectually but also emotionally, spiritually, and existentially.
Woven through the essay is a deep engagement with the performances of Sarah Kershaw, who has been central to Church of Burn since joining in 2019. Through its overtly sexual nature, Sarah's performance of the "Union of Oppositions in Ecstasy" has brought to the forefront the concept of a Libidinal Economy—a radical rethinking of the links between sex and money. Rev Jonathan posits an intriguing analogy between society's moral frameworks for these two domains, suggesting that just as societal views on sexuality have evolved—from repression to a more liberated understanding—there is potential for a similar transformation in how we exist with money.
Drawing on the ideas of Norman O Brown, Rev Jonathan critiques how Capital has impoverished human experience by reducing it to economic abstractions, capturing our sensuality, creativity, and our very lives. In return, it offers us a commodified form of life—a simulation, an abstraction from life itself. We eat the meat but no longer kill the beast. Church of Burn reclaims those sensual, sacred, and spiritual dimensions. Our ability to embrace, assimilate, and live with loss defines us. We become who we are through our experience of loss more than through the accumulation of material things..
The essay also takes a polemical turn, challenging readers to confront their deep-seated assumptions. It argues that true sovereignty is found only in the present moment, unbound by future-oriented goals or the utilitarian logics that dominate modern thinking. The essay invites readers to engage in a deeper exploration of what constitutes true freedom, authenticity, and fulfillment.
"The Resurrection of the Body - and the Ethics of Liberation" is an invitation to step into a new space—one where money loses its grip on our imagination and where we can reconsider what we value most. Through its analytical and polemical stances, and its celebration of radical performance, the essay provokes a re-evaluation of societal norms, igniting a potential for transformative change beyond the constraints of utility and profit. This is an opportunity to challenge the status quo, confront the uncomfortable, and explore a new kind of liberation.