Sunday, April 06, 2008

FINDING THE RIGHT WAY OF SPEAKING

In my latest Wardman Wire column, I look at the style and tenor of church engagement with public life and the realm of politics - arguing that Flexing the faith muscle in an overbearing way ends up being profoundly counter-productive. Truthful strength is not measured by the ability to shout the loudest, to demand attention, to moralise, or to seek special treatment. It resides instead in lived integrity, honesty within as well as without, seeking faithfulness ahead of 'success', and a hopeful realism about the place of the Christian community in wider society. None of this is easy. Which is why we need intellectual rigour, prayerfulness and each other.

1 comment:

Ed Mahony said...

Interesting post.

And Our Lord never imposes Himself on us. He gives us inklings, clues, and so on, but doesn't impose: freewill.

Remember Our Lord when He appeared to the men on the road after the Resurrection. He didn't impose Himself. He walked with them along the road. They invited Him back for a meal (I think it goes). And then He revealed Himself to them.