One More Thing…
The Seven Principles of Christian Nonconformity
#7 Activism
“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God” ~ Romans 12.2 (CSB)
“Each activity of daily life in which we stretch ourselves on behalf of others is a prayer in action” ~ Richard Foster
Following Jesus requires times of quiet and silence. But such spiritual disciplines are for the purpose of preparing us for the active work of loving God and our neighbor. Christianity is a way of life that challenges us to active engagement in the world. Passivity in the face of human suffering is not a Christian virtue.
Two theologians of the Western (Latin) Church – St Augustine (354-430) and St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) developed and expanded on a concept for Christian activism they called “Ordo amoris” – the ordering of love. They envisioned the Christian duty to active love organized as a set of concentric circles. Beginning with love for God, our love then is actively offered in decreasing availability outward to family, people in proximity, people in our local community, people in our nation, and then finally (if we are extraordinarily faithful and have time and energy), the rest of the world.
It’s a nice concept – except Jesus isn’t buying it. The “Ordo amoris” of the gospels is much simpler:
• Love God (well, duh).
• Love One Another (demonstrated by washing each other’s feet in the church).
• Love Your Neighbor (which includes Samaritans – the race you’ve had a blood feud with for centuries).
And the application of our Ordo amoris is not in concentric circles, but in interlocking relationships. Can’t love a Samaritan? Then the Bible is very clear you can’t claim you love God. The Benedictine movement has rules that whoever shows up at the monastery door, no matter the time, and no matter how inconvenient, they are to be received as Jesus. Love isn’t a transaction proffered on the basis of a proximity test. For a Christian, love is the active state of being to anyone. Everyone. Beginning with whomever is right in front of us, and always including the widow, the orphan, the newcomer, the poor. No exceptions.
That’s activism – true evangelical faith.
That’s Christian nonconformity – the Anabaptist approach to generous service.
That’s following Jesus daily in life – the life of discipleship.
So, let’s go, church (and love everyone God puts in front of us, without exception).
Pastor Jeff
jeff@bgmc.net
P.S. Through the month of March, join me for a coffee at the Broad Street Grind on Friday afternoon, 3:30pm-4:45pm, or join me for breakfast at the A&N Diner on Monday morning, 7:30am-8:45am. These meet-ups are designed to create a space for you to talk about whatever is on your mind, and for me to listen. Also, as of next week, I’m going on a writing hiatus from this blog post, so that Jen Hunsberger, our very able Communications Assistant, can produce a series of profiles on our church staff. Lord willing, my byline will back in this space in late May. -- jw