Exclusion and Embrace: Distance and Belonging

Wolf helpfully illustrates his points on identity, distance and belonging by using the example of Abraham:

"If [Abraham] is to be a blessing he cannot stay; he must depart, cutting the ties that so profoundly defined him...

The courage to break his cultural and familial ties and abandon the gods of his ancestors (Joshua 24:2) out of allegiance to a God of all families and all cultures was the original Abrahamic revolution. Departure from his native soil, no less than the trust that God will give him an heir, made Abraham the ancestor of us all." (Wolf, Miroslav, Exclusion and Embrace, Abingdon Press, 1996: 38-39)

Wolf emphasises the importance of stepping out of "inherited culture" on the basis of faith in one God with one message that transcends human ethnicity and culture.

- Those who have been called to leave the familiar can find some comfort in this. (And I do!)
- Those who are called to stay among the familiar are challenged to break out of what defines them at the expense of the exclusion of others.
- Isn't "stepping out of inherited culture" the opposite of what some people call "incarnational ministry?"

Wolf is helpful but challenging reading. When I need a break from him the cover photo of a sculpture entitled, "Abraham's farewell to Ishmael" is very thought-provoking. Here is exclusion in action, but exclusion through which God works His sovereign purposes. However, the image of excluded Hagar turning her back on Sarah is very chilling. Exclusion AND Embrace all in the same artwork...

...but I guess that's why they put it on the cover of the book!

Mission - Facilitators and Inhibitors

I was privileged to be part of a team today discussing things that facilitate and inhibit mission. It's easy to put the blame on other people, processes or paperwork for being mission inhibitors. It's also easy to wait for others to be mission facilitators: when we have the right people, the right processes, the right level of spirituality/discipleship/commitment...

However, preparing for a funeral tomorrow I am drawn to Matthew 6:25-34 and verse 33 in particular: "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness."

The command to put the concerns of the Kingdom first doesn't depend on anyone else - it's a command from Jesus to all His disciples.

We should have facilitators to assist and encourage. We should resist inhibitors. But on the basis that you can choose your attitude even if you can't choose your circumstances, we can all keep our eyes on the prize...

I want to go on seeking the Kingdom.

Rediscovered themes of mission

Over on urbanarmy my good friend Gordon has a series of postings entitled, "Lost themes of mission". I've been revisiting some of those ideas over the Christmas period and have re-started reading Miroslav Wolf's, "Exclusion and Embrace: A theological exploration of identity, otherness and reconciliation" which is challenging and stretching my thinking considerably.

Inclusion is becoming one of my missional mantras for 2008. I'm not sure if inclusion ever was one of Gordon's lost themes of mission, but I'm moving on to the idea that the themes are not lost but rediscovered. There's a certain arrogance in claiming that we've rediscovered something as if everyone else has lost it, and that's not my intention. Rather, the point is that the church needs to keep rediscovering themes like inclusion: rediscovering in every age and in every context; rediscovering to maintain our focus; rediscovering how Jesus lived and taught the values of His Kingdom.

Sunday (6th Jan) is Epiphany Sunday. The coming of the magi (Matthew 2:1-12) reminds us about inclusion. He that is born King of the Jews is the King of the Gentiles too - the king of everyone. The gentile magi are included. They come from a pagan background and encounter God Incarnate for themselves, submitting their astrology to the authority of Scripture along the way, and bowing before the King of Kings at the conclusion of their journey.

God has revealed Himself to all people. Through Jesus we are all included.

Inclusion matters because if God has graciously included me then there is a real challenge for me to work for the inclusion of others. Part of that entails doing nothing that would make someone choose to exclude themselves.

Wolf asks a lot of hard questions about what it means to be included/excluded. Surely, no accident though that Matthew tops and tails his gospel with the inclusion of the gentiles at one end and the great commission at the other?

Inclusion. It was there all along. Rediscovered? For me, yes, but the next set of questions inevitably starts with, "Now what?"