HELLO!

A reminder, this is the livestream link to yesterday’s Easter service: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCVdlV6KCWo

Today these Bible verses came to mind: Paul said, “Athenians, I see how extremely spiritual you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’” Acts 17:22-23

By the time of Luke's (the author of Acts) writing, Athens was no longer the centre of the world. That was obviously Rome. Still, Athens' vast history of intellectual and architectural vigor made it a destination place, and the perfect location for the confrontation of the message of Jesus and the message of the Greek philosophers. Paul wanders about the city distressed about the idols he sees (Acts 17:16). Greek philosophers perceive Paul "a proclaimer of foreign divinities" (Acts 17:18). They call him a "babbler," more literally a "seed picker." They use the image of a bird pecking the ground for random seeds, gulping some while discarding others. "Gossip" or "busybody" might be other possible translations.

Paul applauds the deep religious convictions of the Athenians. Then he picks out one idol he saw was erected to "an unknown god" (Acts 17:23). Paul seizes on this idol and proclaims this unknown god is in reality the only known God who made everything (Acts 17:23-25). This God made all people in such a way they would "grope" to find God and no other, even though God is "not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27). He goes on to quote "one of your own poets" having said, "For we too are his offspring."

There can be no real dialogue with those with whom we do not agree unless we can imagine we have as much to learn from our partners as we have to teach them. I have no doubt Paul was certain he was right, they were wrong. And, I am with Paul, Jesus is means to know God, a pathway to deeper truth, a liberator who offers an incarnation of everlasting love. But…surely to learn, to model beloved community, to demonstrate humility (none of us are perfect or all-knowing) we need to acknowledge others know things worthy of our consideration. We can listen to them.

I share all of this in light of the many times persons will approach me with “this is the best hymn” and “that is the kind of sermon we need to hear” and “this is the best book to use for a faith study”, as if…of the millions of people who share our planet, your way is THE way, the limited experience and education you have has somehow brought to life what is the timeless truth everyone has been searching for. Really? It’s not that your preference is not important, it is. But likewise, so is the preference of the person sitting next to you in church. And because I am listening to you, and them, I occasionally smirk when you or others proclaim your certainty with such force of will. We are truly all in this together.

Peace, Kevin