Take your pick. Hardline conservative, fundamentalist, literalist evangelicals have a very low opinion of me and maybe pray for my release from heresy and to be born again. Liberals, progressives, de/reconstructivists on the other hand cheer me on. I am one very tiny insignificant voice in the journey along the path set by Jesus to love your neighbour and engage in practical support of the poor, the marginalised and the excluded.
Soren Kierkegaard put it this way: There are two types of Christians: those who imitate Jesus and those who are just content to admire him. A sentiment echoed by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his concept of cheap and costly grace.
At times I become depressed by the failure of government to take action and remove systemic failings in our society that have the effect of ensuring the continuation of social injustice. I am depressed further by the lack of radical action by the churches to tackle government on the issues.
But then I cheer up and determine to press on, fortified by comments such as the following:
Don’t stop being a radical, liberal, progressive reconstructionist. In other words don’t stop being curious about people and faith, then you will continue to be the relevant voice of the church that you are.
And then I go back into my shell and wonder: why bother?
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