Space For God

Praxis at Ground Zero

Posted: 15/05/2007

Sunday night was an opportunity for everyone at Space For God to reflect upon Scared Sacred and the themes that could be extracted from the film. We examined the underlying reasons behind the oppression and violence inflicted by human beings on others. In particular, Steph made the rather astute observation that oppression and violence were primarily about control and ownership. That is, oppression and violence only occur because the oppressor believes that they have some inherent right of ownership over that which truly belongs to the oppressed. Furthermore, this system of abuse can only be perpetuated when the humanity of those who are oppressed is forgotten.

During the course of our conversation, we offered our thoughts about what we believe motivates people to find hope from the seemingly hopeless. Quite possibly, this is often a stubborn attempt to refuse to accept oppression and violence. That is, we have a choice about how we respond to the abusive behaviour of others. It was at this point that our opinions diverged. In particular, Rod referred to his travels to Rwanda, during which he saw a pervading atmosphere of flatness and despair. No choices were made because there was no power to make any choices. This is something that is definitely worth thinking about. It is all very good and well to talk about choice as people living in a society with almost too many options to choose from, but to what extent is our thinking on the subject a product of our sheltered Western mindset?

There is perhaps one thing that we could agree upon - that as people living in the Western world there are many choices we can make. One choice we can make is whether we wish to be part of the cycle of violence and oppression or whether we wish to offer restoration and redemption. Another choice we can make is whether we wish to be passive bystanders simply observing the corrupt powers that dehumanise so many or whether we wish to use our choice to take a stand and so empower others. It is my belief that as a community of Christians, we are called towards the latter option. This leads us onto our Bible passage for the week:

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
      And now I will show you the most excellent way. - 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

From this passage, I have two questions:

• How might the Church act as a model of restoration and redemption for the rest of the world?
• What does the Church need to do to most effectively act as a participant in the restoration and redemption of the wider world?

So, what do people think?

Got you thinking? Share your thoughts with the rest of us:

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