UniteBoston

Nurturing Relational Connections Across Boston's Christian Community

Practicing Faith: Examining Our Public Commitment to Faith in Action in the Covid Era.

The social unrest and racial reckoning of the past year have inspired many to consider how faith ought to be lived in a public arena in the Covid era. As social distancing requirements ease, we have an opportunity to examine how we publicly practice our faith to stand in solidarity with those whom society marginalizes. We are pleased to welcome Rev. J. Bryan Hehir, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Service, Archdiocese of Boston, and the Parker Gilbert Montgomery Professor emeritus of the Practice of Religion and Public Life at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government to lead the Workshop, which will be held in-person at Saint Cecilia Parish Hall and virtually on Zoom.

Click here to register.

For more information, please get in touch with Bill Sheehan at wsheehan@faith-justice.org

Transforming Hostility into Enemy-Embracing Love Sermon

Do you want to learn more about the theology behind Christian unity?

UniteBoston’s Executive Director Kelly Fassett preached at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary this past Wednesday. Her sermon was titled “Transforming Hostility into Enemy-Embracing Love.” Jesus redefined who we should associate with and modeled enemy-embracing love, even for the people that were nailing him to the cross. The sermon is centered on the scripture text Ephesians 2:11-22, which emphasizes Jesus’ reconciling peace, and the work of Christ that destroyed hostility between Jews and Gentiles.

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.  He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.” (Ephesians 2:14-17)

As Christians, how can people believe that we are reconciled to God, if we aren’t reconciled to one another? Kelly believes that there is one major component that is preventing unity and reconciliation: hostility. She highlights four steps we can take to uncover the hostility we may be holding towards other Christians by:

  1. Reflecting on which Christian groups we consider to be outside of the “true Christian church”
  2. Going with curiosity to learn from people and worship settings
  3. Reflecting and discerning which aspects of their faith that you want to adopt into your own Christian practice
  4. Speaking well of fellow Christians and treating them as if they were the living, breathing body of Christ

She states boldly that Christian unity is a process by which the church is brought to maturity (Eph 2:21-22, Eph 4:15-16). Our differences even among Christians seem to lead to intractable polarization and division – Listen to the sermon below to reflect, learn and grow together across the diversity of Christian belief and practice.

 

https://www.facebook.com/GordonConwell/videos/348460169333775/?t=2162

 


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