Entries from November 1, 2006 - December 1, 2006
"The Devil Told Me the Same Thing" -- A Reëxamination of Gifts
Marshall Massey
in Bible, Mechanics of Christianity
|
7 Comments
This is an astonishing point of view, especially when one considers that Paul’s lists ranked miracle-working and healing alongside prophecy as among the “best gifts”. Ordinary people living according to Christ’s commandments, walking in Christ’s footsteps, taking up his Cross, and thereby receiving the power to work miracles, heal the sick and prophesy! Wow.
This whole idea of kharismata drives home the fact that, for Peter and Paul, Christianity was not just about “accepting Christ as your personal savior”. Far less was it only about the liberal social gospel of political and economic justice for the poor, or the Christian Right’s agenda of stopping abortion, homosexuals and socialists, or the Quaker worshiper’s hope of having a nice deep meeting for worship.
Christianity was also, and above all that, about walking the path, and thereby opening a door through which Christ himself could re-manifest in the world.
Confucius for Quakers: 4
Marshall Massey
in Mechanics of Quakerism, Confucius, Quakerism & Other Religions, Blogwitness
|
3 Comments
When we think of evangelical outreach, we normally think of a message that needs to be spoken. But what Confucius was saying … raises the interesting question of whether actions might not be a better way to express the Good News than words.
If even one person manifests the body of Christ … that will be a bit of the Good News made flesh: people will be drawn to it, and will want to be in community with that person and with Christ. As with Paul and Silas’s jailer, their conversions will not be far off.