Strong Words
An inappropriate comment at an inappropriate moment has had major repercussions for a number of people over the last few weeks. Lord Young was given the push for remarking that 'we'd never had it so good'. The Bishop of Willesden's Facebook comments have precipitated his withdrawal from public ministry for the time being. Meanwhile, in Japan, justice minister Minoru Yanagida was forced to step down for joking that he only had to remember two phrases in parliament when stuck for an answer. Careless words cost jobs.
Indeed, in today's cultural climate, saying what is deemed to be the wrong thing seems almost to have become less tolerable than doing the wrong thing. Casting back a few months, the memorable failure of Gordon Brown's election campaign came from his offhand comments about Gillian Duffy; nothing to do with his activities in office. Despite popular wisdom, it seems words still speak louder than actions.
Perhaps, to a degree, Christians should be encouraged that even in an image-obsessed culture, words are still deemed powerful. Yet should it surprise us that words are often more provocative than actions? From the very birth of the church, we see that people are happy enough with Christians, until they open their mouths. In Acts 4, when Peter and John are arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin, the one thing they are told not to do is speak the name of Jesus. The words of the apostles are considerably more controversial and disruptive than the acts of the apostles.
The reminder that words are still potent in our culture should confirm that proclaiming the lordship of Christ, speaking the name of Jesus remain crucial, if costly, acts in our connecting with culture. The quote, 'Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary,' somewhat dubiously attributed to St Francis of Assisi, has been much circulated in recent years. However, no matter what the circumstances, the call to speak the name of Jesus remains. No matter the good will generated by good deeds, proclaiming the name of Jesus remains a provocative, 'inappropriate' act. It is necessary that we do not confuse our ministry with our testimony. Our ministry should make our testimony more eloquent, not irrelevant.
Ben Care
Comments
Well done in addressing the woolly and much disseminated quote of St Francis! In Christ's statement "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16) the point is that people should know who to praise when they see the good deeds.
I appreciate the positive meaning of the "Francis of Assisi" quote - that we should live the gospel. But I think it has also been used by people who are shy about proclaiming the name of Jesus, to justify what they (don't) do. And I'm not convinced that is a good thing.
In a pluralist, post-christian culture like The Netherlands, just doing good deeds won't do. We must proclaim Christ. That does not mean, however, that it should be done in an "in your face" triumphant way. St. Peter encourages us to be ready to tell people who ask about our underlying motives. As Christians we can live in a way that encourages positive inquiry and even longing.
Date:
2010-11-27 08:01:14
Author:
Arnold van Heusden