The organizing group, named by the congregation's president, Rick Holmes, established a process for Shiloh's Open and Affirming status, named workshop leaders and tailored an initial proposed ONA statement. The process was simple. Those who were interested were invited to attend Wednesday evening sessions at Boston's throughout April. On the first three Wednesdays, we presented issues that comprised the open and affirming stance and began working on proposed statements. On the fourth Wednesday, the working group narrowed the potential field of proposals to the top four. Those gathered voted. The highest single vote-getter was adopted as Shiloh's proposed ONA statement. The group edited the version selected.
As it turns out, the final proposal reflects much of that which was proposed by Shiloh's organizing group. The congregation will vote on the proposed statement at its specially called meeting this coming Sunday, May 1. Here is the final proposal:
Shiloh Church United Church of Christ welcomes and celebrates diversity.
We recognize that we do not have to be or believe alike in order to
accomplish God's will on earth.
Shiloh Church celebrates your journey, your gifts, your talents, and your
calling, and invites you to bring to the Lord's Table your energy and
your uniqueness, to join with ours in
"Living the Word by Serving the World"
YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!
On behalf of the organizing committee and the working group, I want to urge you to be at Sunday's congregational meeting. to vote on establishing this statement as Shiloh's official ONA Statement. Remember, too, that the congregation will be determining a financial path for the remainder of 2016.
See you there!
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Monday, April 25, 2016
Open and Affirming Statement
Whew! The process of adopting Open and Affirming status at Shiloh Church has been fascinating, fabulous and enriching. The great good news is that there has been almost no reluctance to the idea of registering as an Open and Affirming congregation in the United Church of Christ. The less great good news is that the process has been daunting. Imagine thirty people in a room, over four weeks, attempting to establish a statement for this congregation's Open and Affirming status. It has been a wild ride. More than thirty versions have been offered, whole or in part. Phrases and words have been parsed to the nth degree. This coming Wednesday, April 27, we will narrow to a single statement. That statement will then be offered to the entire community at its May 1 congregational meeting.
The other great good news is that it matters far more how Shiloh behaves as an open and affirming community of faith than it matters what we say about ourselves in a statement. The congregation could adopt the best statement ever uttered. Without being reflected in actions and behaviors, those would be only fancy words and pretty ideas. I am confident, then, that the statement is secondary to what Shiloh Church already does. We welcome people. We accept people as they are. We affirm one another, including those who are with us for the first time.
We have narrowed our consideration to four options. I have run the four by friends of mine. One is an attorney, who assures me that all four options reflect what we may intend. Another is a transgender person, who, while having a preference, sees merit to all four statements. Yet another is a person who opposes the Open and Affirming stance. He hated each of the proposed statements. Shiloh must be on the right track!
The process on Wednesday night will work simply enough. As persons arrive at Boston's Bistro and Pub, starting at 6:00 p.m., each will receive a copy of the four options. They will be asked to vote for one option. The option with the highest number of votes will be selected, edited and adopted to be brought before the congregation on May 1. Please arrive early in order to: 1. get a seat and 2. get food/beverage before our 6:00 start time.
Here are the four options and the process:
OPTION 2
YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!
OPTION 3
OPTION 4
The other great good news is that it matters far more how Shiloh behaves as an open and affirming community of faith than it matters what we say about ourselves in a statement. The congregation could adopt the best statement ever uttered. Without being reflected in actions and behaviors, those would be only fancy words and pretty ideas. I am confident, then, that the statement is secondary to what Shiloh Church already does. We welcome people. We accept people as they are. We affirm one another, including those who are with us for the first time.
We have narrowed our consideration to four options. I have run the four by friends of mine. One is an attorney, who assures me that all four options reflect what we may intend. Another is a transgender person, who, while having a preference, sees merit to all four statements. Yet another is a person who opposes the Open and Affirming stance. He hated each of the proposed statements. Shiloh must be on the right track!
The process on Wednesday night will work simply enough. As persons arrive at Boston's Bistro and Pub, starting at 6:00 p.m., each will receive a copy of the four options. They will be asked to vote for one option. The option with the highest number of votes will be selected, edited and adopted to be brought before the congregation on May 1. Please arrive early in order to: 1. get a seat and 2. get food/beverage before our 6:00 start time.
Here are the four options and the process:
Shiloh
Church United Church of Christ welcomes and celebrates diversity.
We recognize that we do not have to be or
believe exactly alike in order to accomplish God’s will on earth.
Shiloh
Church celebrates your journey, your gifts, your talents, and your
calling and invites you to bring to the
Lord's Table your energy and your uniqueness, to join with ours in
"Living the Word by Serving the World."
YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!
OPTION 2
Shiloh Church United Church of Christ is an open and affirming
community that loves and welcomes everyone, no matter where you are from, what
you’ve done, how you live, whom you love, what gender you express, how much
money you have, how you look or what you do.
YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!
OPTION 3
Shiloh
Church is a place where you will experience the love of Christ, where we, like
him, are accepting of all people (even those to whom the doors of the Church
have not always been open).
OPTION 4
Shiloh
Church United Church of Christ works unceasingly at reflecting the love of
Christ by welcoming and affirming everyone, however, wherever, whoever you may
be.
YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!
The Process:
1. Narrow to the
single best option.
Each person will vote on the best option, without editing. Only the single
highest vote count will be considered.
2. Edit the selected
option.
Whatever option is selected will be edited.
3. Selecting the
Statement.
The Open and Affirming Statement will then be sent to the congregation for
consideration at its specially called meeting on May 1.
4. Congregational
vote. The congregation will act to adopt the Open and Affirming Statement of Shiloh Church, amend it, or turn it down.
Monday, April 18, 2016
Open and Affirming
Shiloh Church is an interesting place to do ministry. If you read last week's "Shiloh Insider," you read that Shiloh is breaking new ground in a number of very important ways. The congregation is moving boldly forward in its witness to the radical acceptance and love of Christ Jesus, and to community action that articulates that love to all people. If you missed it, you can go back and read that post. It is free! It is entitled "Shiloh Breaking New Ground."
A shovel full of that new ground lies in becoming an Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ. As noted last week, Shiloh considered registering as ONA as early as 2002, but rejected the move. The leadership did not think that the statement was wide enough in scope to encompass Shiloh's radical welcome, as it was targeted to only particular populations. The leadership believed that such radical welcome should be extended to all people, no matter who, what, where from, how they may live, with whom, what challenges they may face, how they look, economic or political values, opinions or practises, shape, weight.... The list is never-ending.
Current Shiloh leadership decided that 2016 would be a right time for the congregation to reconsider the Open and Affirming status, especially since congregations are now challenged to write their own ONA Statement. So, Shiloh leadership began the process of designing a process and shaping a statement.
As most of you are likely aware, the process consisted of several steps: 1. Create an ONA Statement that reflects Shiloh's radical welcome; 2. Engage interested persons in intentional dialogue around the issues of welcome and hospitality; 3. Vote as a congregation on the ONA Statement and issue. Rick Holmes, Shiloh's president, established a working group. That group designed a process that included Bible@Boston's discussion sessions throughout April and a congregational vote on May 1. The group arranged for presentations and discussion of the proposed statement. It drafted a proposed statement.
Some may be surprised to find that the issue has not been debated. The ONA Statement certainly has, however. It seems as though radical hospitality and welcome are not issues at Shiloh, but how to state that welcome may be. The original proposed statement looked like this:
Shiloh Church United Church of Christ celebrates diversity.
We celebrate who you are as much as we celebrate who we are.
We recognize that we may not be or believe exactly alike.
To accomplish God's will on earth,
God relies on each of us to respond to God's call in our own ways.
We invite you to bring to the Lord's Table your talents, your gifts,
your energy, and your uniqueness, to join with ours in
"Living the Word by Serving the World."
ALL ARE WELCOME HERE!
The response has been interesting. Alongside some grammatical suggestions, the group has received no fewer then ten alternative versions of this statement. Those suggestions range from full-page litanies to one-sentence declarations. Several suggestions have been made as well. One such suggestion is that the original statement carries too strong a "we/you" tone and could be stated in a much more inviting manner. Another suggestion is that the congregation adopt a statement that lists, at very least, those of the LBGTQ communities. Yet another is that we phrase it ala Dr, Seuss. In the spirit of compromise, I was asked to take the suggestions and versions and attempt some consensus and communicate it here and on Shiloh's Facebook group. So here goes. This is my best attempt at a complete compromise of proposed statements and suggestions:
Shiloh Church United Church of Christ welcomes and affirms all persons,
whatever the gifts, talents, energies, capabilities, uniqueness and life-styles
persons bring to the Lord's Table.
Persons are valued and embraced at Shiloh Church,
where each joins with others in reflecting Christ by
"Living the Word by Serving the World."
I invite you to make comment on Shiloh's Facebook page, where we can work together in further shaping a statement that genuinely expresses Shiloh's openness, radical welcome and warm hospitality. We will continue dialogue around issues of welcome and acceptance this Wednesday, April 20, at Boston's Bistro and Pub, from 6-7:00 p.m. Amy and Linda DeCamp will present on issues of life-style acceptance, after which we will continue our discussion of the proposed ONA Statement(s). We will finalize the ONA Statement on April 27, again as part of Shiloh's Bible@Boston's program. I hope that you join us.The vote on becoming an ONA congregation will take place on May 1.
A shovel full of that new ground lies in becoming an Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ. As noted last week, Shiloh considered registering as ONA as early as 2002, but rejected the move. The leadership did not think that the statement was wide enough in scope to encompass Shiloh's radical welcome, as it was targeted to only particular populations. The leadership believed that such radical welcome should be extended to all people, no matter who, what, where from, how they may live, with whom, what challenges they may face, how they look, economic or political values, opinions or practises, shape, weight.... The list is never-ending.
Current Shiloh leadership decided that 2016 would be a right time for the congregation to reconsider the Open and Affirming status, especially since congregations are now challenged to write their own ONA Statement. So, Shiloh leadership began the process of designing a process and shaping a statement.
As most of you are likely aware, the process consisted of several steps: 1. Create an ONA Statement that reflects Shiloh's radical welcome; 2. Engage interested persons in intentional dialogue around the issues of welcome and hospitality; 3. Vote as a congregation on the ONA Statement and issue. Rick Holmes, Shiloh's president, established a working group. That group designed a process that included Bible@Boston's discussion sessions throughout April and a congregational vote on May 1. The group arranged for presentations and discussion of the proposed statement. It drafted a proposed statement.
Some may be surprised to find that the issue has not been debated. The ONA Statement certainly has, however. It seems as though radical hospitality and welcome are not issues at Shiloh, but how to state that welcome may be. The original proposed statement looked like this:
Shiloh Church United Church of Christ celebrates diversity.
We celebrate who you are as much as we celebrate who we are.
We recognize that we may not be or believe exactly alike.
To accomplish God's will on earth,
God relies on each of us to respond to God's call in our own ways.
We invite you to bring to the Lord's Table your talents, your gifts,
your energy, and your uniqueness, to join with ours in
"Living the Word by Serving the World."
ALL ARE WELCOME HERE!
The response has been interesting. Alongside some grammatical suggestions, the group has received no fewer then ten alternative versions of this statement. Those suggestions range from full-page litanies to one-sentence declarations. Several suggestions have been made as well. One such suggestion is that the original statement carries too strong a "we/you" tone and could be stated in a much more inviting manner. Another suggestion is that the congregation adopt a statement that lists, at very least, those of the LBGTQ communities. Yet another is that we phrase it ala Dr, Seuss. In the spirit of compromise, I was asked to take the suggestions and versions and attempt some consensus and communicate it here and on Shiloh's Facebook group. So here goes. This is my best attempt at a complete compromise of proposed statements and suggestions:
Shiloh Church United Church of Christ welcomes and affirms all persons,
whatever the gifts, talents, energies, capabilities, uniqueness and life-styles
persons bring to the Lord's Table.
Persons are valued and embraced at Shiloh Church,
where each joins with others in reflecting Christ by
"Living the Word by Serving the World."
I invite you to make comment on Shiloh's Facebook page, where we can work together in further shaping a statement that genuinely expresses Shiloh's openness, radical welcome and warm hospitality. We will continue dialogue around issues of welcome and acceptance this Wednesday, April 20, at Boston's Bistro and Pub, from 6-7:00 p.m. Amy and Linda DeCamp will present on issues of life-style acceptance, after which we will continue our discussion of the proposed ONA Statement(s). We will finalize the ONA Statement on April 27, again as part of Shiloh's Bible@Boston's program. I hope that you join us.The vote on becoming an ONA congregation will take place on May 1.
Monday, April 11, 2016
Shiloh Breaking New Ground
Shiloh Church is breaking new ground in accepting and affirming persons who have traditionally been excluded, rejected, subtly, and not so subtly, judged and criticized. Several recent events witness to the fact that Shiloh is charting some previously unexplored territory.
In March, Shiloh held its third annual Black History Celebration. Out of that series of events has come Shiloh's new Task Group for Racial Issues. This group, headed by Justin Sierschula, will recommend to the congregation and community direct actions, behaviors, programs and projects that improve racial relations in, to, and for the congregation, neighborhood and community. The initial meeting of this task group will take place on Monday evening, April 18, starting at 7:00 p.m. in the Shiloh Chapel. If you would like to participate in this group's work, contact Justin or Carl Robinson.
This past weekend, Shiloh conducted its sixth same-gender wedding. Dale and Jerry Engel were married here on April 9, in a wonderful ceremony and a great celebration. It should be noted that, of the six such weddings conducted, the average length of relationship has been over 25 years. These are people whose relationships have enhanced the meaning of marriage. It is much harder these days to get differently gendered couples to the altar, let alone the difficulty of keeping persons married. While there has been significant turn around in the statistics, still about 37% of first marriages end in divorce. The energy, enthusiasm and obvious joy that same gender couples have brought to the altar, since last year's Supreme Court decision to force States to legalize such marriage rights, has been palpable. I have officiated at each of these ceremonies and can tell you first hand that each same-sex married couple celebrates in a very different way than those who had been granted marriage rights all along. It is thrilling to see a revival of the joy of marriage!
Also this past weekend, Shiloh Church hosted a summit on transgender issues. This event broke new ground in two ways. Firstly, it broke new ground for the transgender community. Shiloh received a number of telephone calls from members of the transgender community who wondered if it was safe for them to discuss their issues in context of a church. Would they not be opening themselves to the kind of rejection and ridicule that they have historically faced in relationship with religious organizations? Secondly, the event broke new ground for the radical welcome and acceptance that might be exhibited by religious communities. The speakers, and the ensuing panel discussion, brought the crowd to new heights of openness and honesty about the transgender community. Can such a discussion take place in a religious context? Can we be so frank in the church? Sunday's event was a sign for both communities that we can indeed love, accept and affirm one another.
Wait, we are not yet done. Also on Shiloh's agenda this season is a discussion and determination about the congregation's Open and Affirming Status within the United Church of Christ. The congregation entertained the proposed status as early as 2002, but rejected it on the grounds that it was not a universally applicable statement. It did not welcome all persons. Shiloh's interpretation may have kept the congregation from opening itself to persons in the community who may have been seeking an ONA congregation, gone to the UCC national website, and seen that Shiloh was not so designated. Therefore, the leadership of Shiloh Church determined that it is time to revisit ONA standing.
The process will include four consecutive Wednesdays in April at Boston's Bistro and Pub, 6-7:00 p.m. The first session was held this past week, with JoAnne Orihood presenting on the theology of hospitality and Rick Holmes offering a proposed statement of welcome and affirmation. This Wednesday, we are thrilled to offer the insights of Jill and Karyn Sleppy, who will speak on openness to persons of a range of disabilities, limitation and challenges, both physical and mental, and how Shiloh might offer hospitality to these brothers and sisters. Rick Holmes will then continue our discussion of Shiloh's proposed ONA Statement. That statement currently reads:
Shiloh Church United Church of Christ celebrates diversity.
We celebrate who you are as much as we celebrate who we are.
We recognize that we may not be or believe exactly alike.
To accomplish God's will on earth...
God relies on each of us to respond to God's call in our own ways.
We invite you to bring to the Lord's table
your talents, your gifts, your energy and your uniqueness,
joining with ours, in "Living the Word by Serving the World."
YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!
Each of these avenues of ministry and mission breaks new ground in Shiloh's openness and the congregation's radical welcome to persons in our community. Join us in reflecting Christ's love by taking part in each of these initiatives. See you at Boston's!
In March, Shiloh held its third annual Black History Celebration. Out of that series of events has come Shiloh's new Task Group for Racial Issues. This group, headed by Justin Sierschula, will recommend to the congregation and community direct actions, behaviors, programs and projects that improve racial relations in, to, and for the congregation, neighborhood and community. The initial meeting of this task group will take place on Monday evening, April 18, starting at 7:00 p.m. in the Shiloh Chapel. If you would like to participate in this group's work, contact Justin or Carl Robinson.
This past weekend, Shiloh conducted its sixth same-gender wedding. Dale and Jerry Engel were married here on April 9, in a wonderful ceremony and a great celebration. It should be noted that, of the six such weddings conducted, the average length of relationship has been over 25 years. These are people whose relationships have enhanced the meaning of marriage. It is much harder these days to get differently gendered couples to the altar, let alone the difficulty of keeping persons married. While there has been significant turn around in the statistics, still about 37% of first marriages end in divorce. The energy, enthusiasm and obvious joy that same gender couples have brought to the altar, since last year's Supreme Court decision to force States to legalize such marriage rights, has been palpable. I have officiated at each of these ceremonies and can tell you first hand that each same-sex married couple celebrates in a very different way than those who had been granted marriage rights all along. It is thrilling to see a revival of the joy of marriage!
Also this past weekend, Shiloh Church hosted a summit on transgender issues. This event broke new ground in two ways. Firstly, it broke new ground for the transgender community. Shiloh received a number of telephone calls from members of the transgender community who wondered if it was safe for them to discuss their issues in context of a church. Would they not be opening themselves to the kind of rejection and ridicule that they have historically faced in relationship with religious organizations? Secondly, the event broke new ground for the radical welcome and acceptance that might be exhibited by religious communities. The speakers, and the ensuing panel discussion, brought the crowd to new heights of openness and honesty about the transgender community. Can such a discussion take place in a religious context? Can we be so frank in the church? Sunday's event was a sign for both communities that we can indeed love, accept and affirm one another.
Wait, we are not yet done. Also on Shiloh's agenda this season is a discussion and determination about the congregation's Open and Affirming Status within the United Church of Christ. The congregation entertained the proposed status as early as 2002, but rejected it on the grounds that it was not a universally applicable statement. It did not welcome all persons. Shiloh's interpretation may have kept the congregation from opening itself to persons in the community who may have been seeking an ONA congregation, gone to the UCC national website, and seen that Shiloh was not so designated. Therefore, the leadership of Shiloh Church determined that it is time to revisit ONA standing.
The process will include four consecutive Wednesdays in April at Boston's Bistro and Pub, 6-7:00 p.m. The first session was held this past week, with JoAnne Orihood presenting on the theology of hospitality and Rick Holmes offering a proposed statement of welcome and affirmation. This Wednesday, we are thrilled to offer the insights of Jill and Karyn Sleppy, who will speak on openness to persons of a range of disabilities, limitation and challenges, both physical and mental, and how Shiloh might offer hospitality to these brothers and sisters. Rick Holmes will then continue our discussion of Shiloh's proposed ONA Statement. That statement currently reads:
Shiloh Church United Church of Christ celebrates diversity.
We celebrate who you are as much as we celebrate who we are.
We recognize that we may not be or believe exactly alike.
To accomplish God's will on earth...
God relies on each of us to respond to God's call in our own ways.
We invite you to bring to the Lord's table
your talents, your gifts, your energy and your uniqueness,
joining with ours, in "Living the Word by Serving the World."
YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!
Each of these avenues of ministry and mission breaks new ground in Shiloh's openness and the congregation's radical welcome to persons in our community. Join us in reflecting Christ's love by taking part in each of these initiatives. See you at Boston's!
Tuesday, April 05, 2016
An Alternative Map
The Bible study group was incredulous. Now, other terms may well be used for the group's reaction, maybe terms like dumbfounded, shocked, frustrated, scandalized, or, my favorite, gobsmacked. The verbal reaction ranged from "huhhhh?" to "whaaa'aaaat?"
The context for the disturbed Bible study reaction was the simplicity of the Resurrection message of Representational Incarnation. (I know, it sounds complex. But it isn't at all. Bear with me a moment.)
Jesus' ability to fulfill that to which he was called was a combination - the details of how that combination works exactly depends upon which of the Gospels one is reading - of incarnation and the power of God's Spirit. The combination may be called Jesus' Incarnation. He is embodiment of God's will. For my spiritual friends, Jesus is perfectly reflective of the spiritual realities of the universe. In him, one perceives the absolute best of humankind, when and how empowered by the Spirit.
Jesus lived out this Incarnation in Galilee, where he was a teacher of alternative paths and a practitioner of the healing and egalitarian arts. He continued the work by going to Jerusalem, sacrificing himself for the sake of those who were rejected, excluded, poor, lame, infirm, menstruating, in bondage to the evil forces of empire and human institution. He died as a sacrifice, to the benefit of every living thing, past, present and future, of every kind, in every place, of every description. Jesus' Incarnation was articulated in sacrifice, giving up one's self for the sake of others.
It is in Jesus' sacrifice that all humanity is unified. It is in his Incarnation that all witness to the archetype of faithfulness...sacrifice self for the sake of others.
Jesus is raised from the dead. His Incarnation is not defeated in death. It lives on, even after his ascension. This Incarnation is representational, however. As often as persons go out of their way for others, sacrificing time, talent, energy, attention, effort, even money, they witness to the Incarnation, becoming themselves an embodiment of God's will. They become one with the Spirit of the universe. Our acts do not "bring Jesus." Instead, they "are Christ," an expression of Incarnation. They articulate Incarnation, according to the archetype of Crucifixion/Resurrection.
Jesus' Incarnation is wrapped up and delivered as often as a person sacrifices self for the sake of others. This is salvation, that we live together in a world where persons live in relationships that are formed incarnationally.
In short, humanity can, if it will, live in the idealized life-style that we have called "kingdom." If we pardon the language of the empire and the patristic nature of the term, representational incarnation is all about establishing kingdom on earth. The relationships, so established, represent the best of human nature and reflect, represent and embody Jesus' Incarnation.
It is that easy. Salvation comes when persons represent Christ in relationship with others, every other and all others. God's will on earth is fulfilled and persons become at one with the spiritual forces of the universe. Kingdom comes when our systems and our culture support, reflect, and express these relationships. The process is personal. Its affect and effect is foundational. Its outcome is cultural and universal.
The problem is that we have much to unlearn. Recapitulation is possible only insofar as we are willing to alter the religious, social, economic, political and relational systems under which we have lived. A new world is directly around that corner. It lies just over that precipice.
It is time to turn the corner. It is time to jump!
The context for the disturbed Bible study reaction was the simplicity of the Resurrection message of Representational Incarnation. (I know, it sounds complex. But it isn't at all. Bear with me a moment.)
Jesus' ability to fulfill that to which he was called was a combination - the details of how that combination works exactly depends upon which of the Gospels one is reading - of incarnation and the power of God's Spirit. The combination may be called Jesus' Incarnation. He is embodiment of God's will. For my spiritual friends, Jesus is perfectly reflective of the spiritual realities of the universe. In him, one perceives the absolute best of humankind, when and how empowered by the Spirit.
Jesus lived out this Incarnation in Galilee, where he was a teacher of alternative paths and a practitioner of the healing and egalitarian arts. He continued the work by going to Jerusalem, sacrificing himself for the sake of those who were rejected, excluded, poor, lame, infirm, menstruating, in bondage to the evil forces of empire and human institution. He died as a sacrifice, to the benefit of every living thing, past, present and future, of every kind, in every place, of every description. Jesus' Incarnation was articulated in sacrifice, giving up one's self for the sake of others.
It is in Jesus' sacrifice that all humanity is unified. It is in his Incarnation that all witness to the archetype of faithfulness...sacrifice self for the sake of others.
Jesus is raised from the dead. His Incarnation is not defeated in death. It lives on, even after his ascension. This Incarnation is representational, however. As often as persons go out of their way for others, sacrificing time, talent, energy, attention, effort, even money, they witness to the Incarnation, becoming themselves an embodiment of God's will. They become one with the Spirit of the universe. Our acts do not "bring Jesus." Instead, they "are Christ," an expression of Incarnation. They articulate Incarnation, according to the archetype of Crucifixion/Resurrection.
Jesus' Incarnation is wrapped up and delivered as often as a person sacrifices self for the sake of others. This is salvation, that we live together in a world where persons live in relationships that are formed incarnationally.
In short, humanity can, if it will, live in the idealized life-style that we have called "kingdom." If we pardon the language of the empire and the patristic nature of the term, representational incarnation is all about establishing kingdom on earth. The relationships, so established, represent the best of human nature and reflect, represent and embody Jesus' Incarnation.
It is that easy. Salvation comes when persons represent Christ in relationship with others, every other and all others. God's will on earth is fulfilled and persons become at one with the spiritual forces of the universe. Kingdom comes when our systems and our culture support, reflect, and express these relationships. The process is personal. Its affect and effect is foundational. Its outcome is cultural and universal.
The problem is that we have much to unlearn. Recapitulation is possible only insofar as we are willing to alter the religious, social, economic, political and relational systems under which we have lived. A new world is directly around that corner. It lies just over that precipice.
It is time to turn the corner. It is time to jump!
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