Comments on: Black Readings of the Second Testament: Philemon and living in a Different City http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/ Postmodern theory that is not seeking to simply appropriate the experience of "otherness" in order to enhance its discourse or to be radically chic should not separate the "politics of difference" from the politics of racism. - bell Hooks Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:26:26 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: bess http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-10641 bess Sat, 12 May 2007 17:57:21 +0000 http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-10641 To God the Father, by all glory. It is good to see someone who is of great intellect and influence to make the genuine effort to preach a 'pure' Gospel. Whether or not you may 'submit' to the Messiah (Jesus the Christ) as your personal Lord and Savior, I don't yet know; but what I do now know, is you, as did C.S.Lewis, make a great argument for Christ. Even as a child, I did not settle with the ideal that the Apostle Paul, was and advocate of slavery or hater of women. This commentary if you will on the Book of Philemon is powerful. It challenges the individual to see beyond class, culture, and personal rights as determined by the society in which that one would live. Your disclosure about Philemon leaves nothing covered. Those who hate, those who are bigots, those who are racists will do so knowing that they so it outside (extremeties) the love of Christ, who has set every man who enters into His body (the ecclesia) free, and free indeed. Paul understood that Onesimus was his brother and not his "junior brother." The Gospel of Christ according to Paul, did not and does not promote kidnapping and forced enslavement, certainly not. This Gospel is compelling to bring us to be as Paul, a bond-servant, one who make the personal choice to submit and serve as an act of love and respect for the one being served. To God the Father, by all glory. It is good to see someone who is of great intellect and influence to make the genuine effort to preach a ‘pure’ Gospel.

Whether or not you may ’submit’ to the Messiah (Jesus the Christ) as your personal Lord and Savior, I don’t yet know; but what I do now know, is you, as did C.S.Lewis, make a great argument for Christ.

Even as a child, I did not settle with the ideal that the Apostle Paul, was and advocate of slavery or hater of women. This commentary if you will on the Book of Philemon is powerful. It challenges the individual to see beyond class, culture, and personal rights as determined by the society in which that one would live. Your disclosure about Philemon leaves nothing covered. Those who hate, those who are bigots, those who are racists will do so knowing that they so it outside (extremeties) the love of Christ, who has set every man who enters into His body (the ecclesia) free, and free indeed.
Paul understood that Onesimus was his brother and not his “junior brother.” The Gospel of Christ according to Paul, did not and does not promote kidnapping and forced enslavement, certainly not. This Gospel is compelling to bring us to be as Paul, a bond-servant, one who make the personal choice to submit and serve as an act of love and respect for the one being served.

]]> By: Steven Burleson http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6603 Steven Burleson Thu, 22 Mar 2007 23:17:03 +0000 http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6603 I enjoyed what you had to say Anthony! Thanks for being so hospitable to me at the Cohort meeting this month! See you in April. -Steven I enjoyed what you had to say Anthony! Thanks for being so hospitable to me at the Cohort meeting this month! See you in April.

-Steven

]]> By: postmodernegro http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6602 postmodernegro Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:38:18 +0000 http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6602 Steve, I agree that the ekklesia should give display 'inter-culturally' of Gods redemptive work in the world. In this case it would be along ethnic-racial lines. However, in North America black Christians had to create spaces both in response to white supremacy and as an affirmation of their own humanity or imago dei-ness. We both agree that intercultural is a part of the 'telos' or goal but before we have that conversation we have to discuss how white supremacy and other sinful realities continue to cause exclusion, segregation, and marginalization in the church and world. White supremacy, for the most part, was a major impetus for the social reality called the black church. North American Christianity has White supremacy as a part of its ecclesial DNA. Until we begin to recognize this beyond a surface reading then the hope of having a glimpse of true 'intercultural' worship will remain a distant hope. shalom Steve,

I agree that the ekklesia should give display ‘inter-culturally’ of Gods redemptive work in the world. In this case it would be along ethnic-racial lines. However, in North America black Christians had to create spaces both in response to white supremacy and as an affirmation of their own humanity or imago dei-ness. We both agree that intercultural is a part of the ‘telos’ or goal but before we have that conversation we have to discuss how white supremacy and other sinful realities continue to cause exclusion, segregation, and marginalization in the church and world. White supremacy, for the most part, was a major impetus for the social reality called the black church. North American Christianity has White supremacy as a part of its ecclesial DNA. Until we begin to recognize this beyond a surface reading then the hope of having a glimpse of true ‘intercultural’ worship will remain a distant hope.

shalom

]]> By: steve http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6601 steve Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:14:47 +0000 http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6601 I really like your conception of the church as an alternative community, but I wonder if a truly intercultural would not be a better expression of this alternative than a black church. Of course, I know that a lot of supposedly "intercultural" churches have only white folks as leaders...But I still think, like Yoder, that a church that demonstrates the reconciliation of peoples would be a clear alternative to the world. Thank you for your very interesting blog, Steve Robitaille, Montreal, QC, Canada I really like your conception of the church as an alternative community, but I wonder if a truly intercultural would not be a better expression of this alternative than a black church. Of course, I know that a lot of supposedly “intercultural” churches have only white folks as leaders…But I still think, like Yoder, that a church that demonstrates the reconciliation of peoples would be a clear alternative to the world.
Thank you for your very interesting blog,
Steve Robitaille, Montreal, QC, Canada

]]> By: Random Things on My Brain http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6598 Random Things on My Brain Tue, 20 Mar 2007 03:54:27 +0000 http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6598 [...] Smith is blogging again—Black Readings of the Second Testament: Philemon and living in a Different City. Thank [...] [...] Smith is blogging again—Black Readings of the Second Testament: Philemon and living in a Different City. Thank [...]

]]> By: dwayne jenkins http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6597 dwayne jenkins Sun, 18 Mar 2007 20:28:50 +0000 http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6597 maybe you should blog less and work more. Then, you could get your family out of the hood and away from ghetto birds. maybe you should blog less and work more. Then, you could get your family out of the hood and away from ghetto birds.

]]> By: jazztheologian http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6595 jazztheologian Thu, 15 Mar 2007 07:16:53 +0000 http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6595 Welcome back! Welcome back!

]]> By: tripp http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6592 tripp Mon, 12 Mar 2007 21:20:49 +0000 http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6592 Alright. Anthony is back in the blogging saddle. Really enjoyed the post. I would love to hear how you envision this ecclesial identity being developed in the local congregation. Rock on Alright. Anthony is back in the blogging saddle. Really enjoyed the post. I would love to hear how you envision this ecclesial identity being developed in the local congregation. Rock on

]]> By: Julie http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6591 Julie Mon, 12 Mar 2007 17:12:04 +0000 http://postmodernegro.wordpress.com/2007/03/12/black-readings-of-the-second-testament-philemon-and-living-in-a-different-city/#comment-6591 I enjoyed reading your thoughts today. I wondered as I read about Paul's missions to plant Different Cities within the pagan Roman Culture, if perhaps... today's Christians shouldn't strive to do the same thing. Christianity has always been about spiritual fruit, investing more of our time, talents and treasures into making disciples rather than changing our political or legal culture. My other thought was around the issue of culture. I have been discussing the writings of the early church father's with a Messianic Christian, an Orthodox Christian and a Roman Catholic. I myself am Protestant and attend an Evangelical Free Church. I have thought about culture a lot in the context of this discussion. It seems that the "Christian culture" means more than just customs, liturgical calendars and diets. It seems that the culture of these Different Cities was more wrapped in what the people thought about Jesus, mankind... Anyway, thanks for stimulating my thinking. I have subscribed to your blog on bloglines. I enjoyed reading your thoughts today. I wondered as I read about Paul’s missions to plant Different Cities within the pagan Roman Culture, if perhaps… today’s Christians shouldn’t strive to do the same thing. Christianity has always been about spiritual fruit, investing more of our time, talents and treasures into making disciples rather than changing our political or legal culture.

My other thought was around the issue of culture. I have been discussing the writings of the early church father’s with a Messianic Christian, an Orthodox Christian and a Roman Catholic. I myself am Protestant and attend an Evangelical Free Church. I have thought about culture a lot in the context of this discussion. It seems that the “Christian culture” means more than just customs, liturgical calendars and diets. It seems that the culture of these Different Cities was more wrapped in what the people thought about Jesus, mankind…

Anyway, thanks for stimulating my thinking. I have subscribed to your blog on bloglines.

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