We present two claims: (1) Attachment is a universal thread that holds the fabric of life together and (2) Anabaptist theology theorizes Christian community and relationship with God in ways that identify attachment for human flourishing and social peace. We posit that attachment is an emerging scientific and theological paradigm, inherent in academic disciplines investigating life.
Attachment gained recognition 50 years ago, when psychologists John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth hypothesized that attachment patterns explain interpersonal relationships between humans. Since then attachment theory has slowly emerged as one paradigm in psychotherapy. Sociology, counseling, education, nursing, and other disciplines such as feminist bioethics and the ethics of care have described attachment as a foundational issue that is needed for health. We believe that theoretical work on attachment is important and central in disciplines ranging from biology to theology.
The simplest form of biological life, the cell, survives by attaching to other cells to form complex tissues and interacting systems of organs essential to the continuation of life. Requisite for health and wellbeing, the human organism requires meaningful attachments as a basis of survival and as a pathway to meaningful communication with others. Biological attachment links are being discovered in physiological, neuroendocrine, and brain imaging studies from both humans and animal models. A view of biological anthropology suggests that the evolutionary emergence of human rule-governed behavior was made possible by the formation of attachments, e.g. maternal-child, pair-bonding, tribal formations, etc, which provided the milieu for the emergence of human culture.
Anabaptists trace their theological lineage to the Radical Reformers in 16th century Europe. From that historical movement, which was neither Catholic nor Protestant, men and women emerged who sought to follow Jesus of Nazareth by faithfully obeying his teachings. For Anabaptists, the way of Jesus is a way of peace and non-violence. In a society characterized by war, violence, and oppression, the followers of Jesus demonstrate suffering love, promote justice, and live righteous lives.
Evidence from early Anabaptist martyrdom suggests that a union with Jesus (attachment to Jesus and commitment to the way of Jesus) enabled followers of the Anabaptist movement to participate in a radical community of believers (attachment to fellow humans) even when facing persecution and death. As Anabaptists we have not fully articulated or reflected how our historic theology may informs our contemporary understanding of, not only a spiritual attachment, but an attachment that is multidisciplinary, holistic, and comprehensive.
In conclusion we describe a view of attachment as a recurring multi-disciplinary theme and propose that trans-disciplinary conversations will contribute greatly to our understanding of what it means to be human together on this earth. We believe that attachment with its physical, chemical, biological, psychological, sociological, and theological dimensions is the key that ultimately unlocks the closed circle rationality of our universe and opens up the possibility of experiencing wholeness within our existence.