Advent, The Clash’s “London Calling” and Albert Camus

Revolt in the Face of Catastrophe

The Season of Advent reminds us of the moments when the “foundations are shaken”—such as the destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70, 9/11, Katrina, the pandemic, and so on—events that echo the absurd, destabilizing crises Camus described. These are moments when life feels unintelligible, and the natural response might be despair or resignation.

Camus’ idea of revolt calls us to reject nihilism in these moments. Instead of passively accepting chaos or trying to impose an artificial meaning (as Josephus did with his judgment theology), revolt insists on continuing to seek justice, hope, and purpose. Hope in God’s unrelenting faithfulness can be seen as an expression of spiritual revolt: a refusal to let catastrophe define the ultimate reality.

Similarly, The Clash’s “London Calling” embodies the spirit of revolt. The song does not ignore or minimize the crises it describes; it faces them head-on, naming them with clarity and urgency:

“The ice age is coming, the sun’s zooming in / Meltdown expected, the wheat is growing thin.”

Yet, in its defiant energy and driving rhythm, it implicitly asks, “What can we do?” This question mirrors Camus’ assertion that revolt must involve action—a refusal to accept absurdity passively. For Camus and The Clash, rebellion is not about escaping reality but confronting it with integrity, resilience, and hope.

Revolt and Human Responsibility

Human responsibility is the crux of Camus’ vision of revolt. He rejects the idea of waiting passively for divine intervention or apocalyptic resolution and emphasizes the need for human action to confront injustice and suffering. This is echoed in Advent’s reminder that human evil is often comprised of human choices and its call to live ethically and courageously in the here and now.

For Camus, revolt does not mean achieving ultimate answers but committing to the ongoing struggle for truth, justice, and meaning:

“To live is to act in defiance, to continue the fight against despair, to insist that there is something worth fighting for.”

This is reflected in Advent’s call to ethical living and “London Calling”’s critique of complacency:

“The engines stop running, but I have no fear / ’Cause London is drowning, and I live by the river.”

The song’s apocalyptic imagery warns that ignoring human responsibility risks being overwhelmed by the consequences of our inaction. It urges us to live courageously in the face of chaos, taking responsibility for the world we inhabit.

Imagination as a Form of Revolt

The homily’s third word—living God’s future today—aligns with Camus’ emphasis on the role of imagination in revolt. Camus believed that the human capacity to imagine new possibilities is central to resisting despair. In the language of Daniel and the “Son of Man” sayings, the homily invites us to imagine and live in the redemptive reality of God’s kingdom, even when the world seems irredeemable.

For Camus, this imaginative act is a form of rebellion against absurdity:

“The point is to live without resignation, to create meaning where there is none.”

In “London Calling,” the defiance of the refrain reflects this imaginative resistance:

“London is calling to the faraway towns. Now the war is declared, and the battle is coming down.”

The Clash’s insistence on confronting disaster with energy and purpose parallels the Advent call to envision redemption even amid brokenness. This imaginative act is a refusal to be defined by despair and a commitment to embodying the kingdom of God in the present.

Hope, Defiance, and Advent as Revolt

Advent itself is an act of revolt. Preparing for Christ’s coming, trusting in God’s promise of redemption, and living ethically in the present are all ways of saying “no” to despair and “yes” to hope, even in the face of unthinkable crises.

• In the homily, revolt is seen in the faith of those who trust that God will not abandon history, even after Jerusalem’s destruction or other catastrophic events. Living as though the kingdom of God is already here is an ethical challenge.

• In “London Calling,” revolt is found in The Clash’s defiance against societal and environmental decay. The song does not offer easy answers, but its urgency and energy refuse to accept complacency.

• In Camus’ philosophy, revolt is the continuous, deliberate choice to affirm meaning and value, even when the absurd threatens to overwhelm.

Living Advent as Revolt

Advent, Camus’ philosophy, and “London Calling” converge on the question, “How shall we live in the face of chaos?”

1. Revolt as Faith: Trusting in God’s ultimate redemption is an act of spiritual defiance against despair, much like the faith embodied in Jeremiah’s prophecy:

“Surely the day is coming…” (Jeremiah 33:14).

2. Revolt as Responsibility: Taking ownership of our choices, recognizing our capacity for good and evil, and living ethically now are the ethical heart of both the homily and Camus’ thought.

3. Revolt as Imagination: To live God’s future today, to envision redemption even in a broken world, is a profoundly revolutionary act—one that The Clash’s music, the Advent message, and Camus’ philosophy all call us to embrace.

The Ultimate Revolt

In this light, the Advent season becomes a time of waiting and active, hopeful rebellion against all that seeks to diminish life, hope, and love. As Camus writes:

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.”

This is the ultimate revolt: proclaiming that God’s kingdom is coming even when the world is drowning, and we are called to live in it now. The Clash’s “London Calling” reminds us to meet disaster with defiance, and Advent challenges us to embody hope in every action as we await the coming of Christ.