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Chris Bantz and I talk about finding common ground based on the latest edition of The Embassy called Something in Common.
Here is an excerpt …
Over the past three editions of The Embassy, we have looked at what transformation from within is and how it can impact our culture, instead of our efforts to ‘change the world’. We have looked at how we can resist the impulse to draw ever shrinking circles for ourselves and instead take Two Steps Forward. And we have looked at a picture of our stance in culture - that of an Ambassador representing their home in another place. Armed with this belief that there is common ground to find, what might this look like, at least in part? How can we find that place from which we can connect and communicate? Because I am hoping to sketch a view of a Christian cultural stance, I have in mind an episode from the life of Paul in the culturally dissonant (to him) city of Athens found in Acts 17.
Paul and his companions were on one of his missionary journeys in the middle of the first century, establishing and visiting churches, mostly in present day Greece and Turkey.
Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
Acts 17:15
Here, Paul is left in Athens for a number of days, waiting for others to join him. In this chapter, a significant and lengthy message and other activities of Paul are recorded. We don’t have the time or space to look at them in depth, but I want to consider the first crucial move in this new place - a tipping point between finding common ground with connection and communication on the one side and missing it with alienation and disconnection on the other.
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.
Acts 17:16
Paul looked around him and he was greatly distressed. Some translations say he was deeply grieved. He saw these idols, representing not only a people disconnected from the true God, but a dishonoring of that true God. He was greatly distressed. Can you relate? Have you looked at the world, at the actions of others around you, at the lostness and dishonoring, and have you been greatly distressed in response? It is with this in view that we can run away from a chance at common ground - with all that is different so prominent, we, in our distress - miss our chance for common ground.
Read the whole piece (after listening to the whole episode!)
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