Whatever Christianity is, it is not a philosophy in the traditional sense of the word. Although Christians should be interested in ideas and truth, the Christian faith cannot be reduced to just another "idea" or "ideology". Christianity is ultimately about a community's witness to the very real and historical person of Jesus Christ. You may doubt Christ's authenticity, but you have to admit that Christianity is unique in this regard.
Practically, Christianity's concrete and non-philosophical nature can be quite frustrating. If you're anything like me, you find it easier to talk about love and justice than actually practice them. In the Christian faith, you think about love and justice... but you also have to practice them. This means you can't stay in the ivory tower. You have to come down to everyday life and exercise your faith in very practical ways.
This week, my wife and I had a guest over to our home. All day, on a theoretical level, I thought about the nature of hospitality, why Christians were called to do it and how ultimately God was hospitable with us.
But then my wife reminded me that I had to vacuum our dirty floor in order for our guest to feel welcomed. This, she reminded me, was an integral part of being hospitable.
Believe me! It was much easier for me to contemplate hospitality then to actually practice it.
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1 comment:
I like your picture...you look all grown up! :)
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