12 Pentecost 4 September 2011
Originally Presented on: September 4, 2011
- Examining approaches to conflict proposed in today's readings by Paul [in Romans 13:8-14] and Matthew [in Matthew 17:15-20]
- Sin is behavior which estranges/alienates [creating the grounds for conflict].
- Matthew, it seems attributing ideas from his community to Jesus, suggests starting with a private conversation.
- Indeed talking privately is a good, likely the only place to start. But what then?
- Escalation as Matthew suggests? Leading to exclusion as positions harden?
- The Anglican appeal to reason and tradition suggests following Paul's advice and thus to highly value much patience.
- Reason in both psycho-social and theological guises suggests the same.
- As to theology we can look to Martin Buber who in essence if not explicitly tells us to find the Christ in others.
- To be in dialog is to be open to the mystery of the other person ["our lives are hid in Christ"].
- Verbal communication is about more than information exchange: it affects the surrounding environment, for better or worse.
- Our minds are mutable; what you work with grows...so remain profoundly open to the other while quietly holding your own ground.
- To bind is to restrict ourselves and the other to an encumbering, perhaps painful, past.
- To loose is to grant freedom: at peace inside our own skin and glad of each other's presence.
- Be careful: what is bound on earth is bound in heaven. There is eternity in what you do: it sticks.