THURSDAY, June 27 Acts 6:15—7:16. And God spoke in these terms, that Abraham’s descendants would be resident aliens in a country belonging to others. This line from Stephen’s speech to the elders before he is stoned to death is one that has resonated deeply for the people of Abraham’s faith. Stephen is describing the Israelites’ sojourn in Egypt, but later, during Israel’s captivity in Assyria, the prophets declare a radical religious shift: God’s house is not the temple or the holy city; God’s house is the people, and wherever the people are, God is present, whether in Jerusalem or Babylon. This changed the face of Judaism forever—and the faiths built on it afterwards. As theologian Stanley Hauerwas states in his book Resident Aliens, the church most truly exists as a colony—a community and culture within the culture around it—clear in its identity and mission, which will often make it countercultural. He writes: “Our world recognizes the subversive nature of the Christian faith and subverts us either by ignoring us or by giving us the freedom to be religious—as long as we keep religion a matter of personal choice.” Walking in that strange land of being publicly prophetic while not being politically entrenched is one of the church’s great challenges today. Try practicing it as a point of discipleship, and let’s see where it leads! (From Forward Day by Day)
Posted on: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 15:18:14 +0000
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