Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Commonwealth as True Community

So I've just finished reading The Hidden Wound by Wendell Berry. It's an essay on racism which he wrote in 1968-1969 with an afterward from 1988. Here's a quote from one of the last paragraphs of the afterward:
"A true and appropriate answer to our race problem, as to many others, would be a restoration of our communities- it being understood that a community, properly speaking, cannot exclude or mistreat any of its members. This is what we forgot during slavery and the industrialization that followed, and have never remembered. A proper community, we should remember also, is a commonwealth: a place, a resource, and an economy. It answers the needs practical as well as social and spiritual, of its members-among them the need to need one another. "

And I've been thinking a lot about those statements. (really I feel like it would do me good to read the book through again...) I can't help thinking that in the Way Jesus established there is this true community of which Berry speaks. If Jesus' followers actually lived out his Way, there would be true acceptance and no exclusion. As we are told by Paul in this often used verse: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28) And could we (people who love Jesus) meet needs practical and economic of our communities by living like the church described in the book of Acts? The people of that church, "all the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need." (Acts 2:44,45) I think so.

It sounds great on paper (or rather now floating in space on the internet, i guess). How can we restore our communities/realize true community in real life? I think it's going to require a chance of mindset and a change of lifestyle, not to mention a habit of prayer.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Must be why Berry chooses to reside in Kentucky, it being a Commonwealth and all.

Anyway. I think if the recognized leaders begin becoming transparent then you will see the rest of those gathered begin to follow. In reality, it can be talked about a whole lot, but unless someone actually begins to practice then it will remain an idea instead of reality. Eventually the Holy Spirit must be allowed to transform the minds and hearts of those who gather, but that always seems premised by a movement within the leader.

The risk, of course, is the livelihood of the pastors. If there lacks an ability to forgive, and a willingness to recognize everyone as washed in the blood of Christ then the leaders will be cast out.

Honestly, I am encouraged that the times seem to be hinting that there are a few leaders who are willingly doing this, and there are congregations willing to let them. Now the question is who will join them?

Anonymous said...

Awesome book. I read it a few weeks ago too...I miss you.