3.6 Induction into a people: Wrap-up
As old forms are undone, Jesus makes possible a “complete recasting of the way humans live together.”
What are the signs that something like this might be happening in your community?
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While ‘a group’ is a commonly used term, a sense of shared community very often eludes groups of all kinds. Some groups might look like communities but certainly do not reflect the “complete recasting of the way humans live together.” For a community to emerge from what is socially acceptable and to maintain itself over time, the community requires that group members contribute actively and cooperatively in shared, empathic communication.
Our church’s Sunday morning adult Bible study class brings nine to twelve of us together on a regular basis for discussion and reflection. Each Sunday this Lent we’ve been watching five to ten-minute videos focused on “racial justice” from ChurchNext.tv. We each respond to discussion questions with individual reflections. When each person finishes speaking, she then must call on another who is free to speak or pass. It’s a simple procedure that facilitates participation while respecting individual needs. We share personal thoughts, histories and intentions for future action. I shape my responses to include insights I’m learning here at Forgiving Victim eLearning.
These Sunday sessions are “a sign” for me of a recasting of the way humans live together. Our Sunday morning group is a community that gathers faithfully for an hour each week praying for the personal growth, understanding, and change required for a “complete recasting of the way humans live together.”