The way the leaders came against Jesus followed the usual scapegoating strategy. They used faith and a sense of righteousness, godliness or morality against him. They claimed he had broken the sabbath, while this wasn’t true. The sabbath was about freeing people from economic slavery…
Girard believed that the thing that was hidden to man since the beginning of our civilization was our propensity to build society on the sufferings of those we blame and cast out. And we build a story to justify it, which becomes the myth of our nation…
t has often been the case that the teachings of Jesus haven’t figured largely in our own emphasis. There are various reasons for this. The work of Christ on the cross, as essential as it is, has been at the forefront. And that is how it should be. His cross though highlights what Jesus taught. […]
he first word in the Lord’s Prayer is “our”. “Our Father in heaven…” That is, the prayer is not about our individual piety, but piety expressed in community, towards others. We are not decrying individual piety. That is necessary. But it’s not enough. Our personal holiness is only the first step towards God’s purpose for […]
lessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” For years we saw this as just a religious statement, like an encouragement, but with no real meaning. “Surely our inheritance is in heaven”, we thought, “not on earth.” Especially for the meek. The meek just get trodden down on earth and don’t inherit anything […]