The nation tries to sort out the consequences of the recent election results just as the church enters a new church year. November 27 is the firs Sunday in Advent and the church begins Year A of their three year lectionary. You might wonder how these two events are linked.
Here is my suggestion. This long political campaign was, by most accounts, one of the most divisive campaigns in recent history. It has surfaced many divisions in our society and left many people either uncomfortable or frightened about both their and the country’s future. It is important for believers to be reminded that they have a different story to tell. Their faith story takes life’s events, including the political events extremely seriously but at the same time they believe that God, not chance events are in charge.Therefore, we tell a story of hope that can giv us courge to respond to what is happening in our lives.
I believe that Matthew is an excellent telling of that story that shows us how Christians can respond to the divisions in our society with creativity and hope. My book, Good News for a Fractured Society, suggests how Matthew believes Christ and Christians can respond to the divisions between the powerful and powerless, gender divisions, the tension between Christians and other faiths, and the separation that exist between the rich and the poor.
I invite you to consider it as a resource for study either by yourself or with other friends who car3 about what is happening in our society. It is available both on my web page and on Amazon. Also I will soon have a twelve lesson online course available. Watch this blog or Facebook for an announcement for its availability.
