Dear friends:
In her recent book, Sarah Anderson, a republican and evangelical, says,
“We can no longer allow our reactions to lead us into one-sided conversations where we fail to see that our toxic reactivity only increases the other's darkness.” The Space Between Us
Regardless of where we fall on the political spectrum, we know what she means. Toxic reactivity too often characterizes our parenting, marital, and work relationships. In more recent years, it seems to have bled into our friendships as well, which is a shame, really, as we know it only increases the darkness. And, if anyone in this world needs more darkness, I haven’t met them.
This week’s scripture passage invites us to consider hopeful possibilities for our world and to work toward them. In particular, it highlights two potential reactions to cultural and religious difference and shows the impact of each.
It’s one of the Bible’s best stories, and I invite you to read it here. I’ve worked particularly hard on the sermon this week because the topic is so important. Join us, and invite a friend.
Also, we’ve made a few encouraging adjustments to our plan to return to in-person worship and other on-campus activities which you can read here.
Warmly,
