This Wednesday Evening at The Table

From Trevor Williams, who will be sharing with us this week:

In our Canadian society these days we emphasize the importance of being tolerant and exhibiting polite company. There are certain topics we do not discuss in social contexts, and there are certainly ways we do not talk within varying social contexts. Rudeness and crudeness are off-limits. Although there are some valid historical reasons, or at the very least, some interesting questions which can account for the emphasis on tolerance within Canadian society, it is important to imagine the kinds of things that are lost when politeness is uncomfortably overdrawn and key issues are not brought forth for discussion. Would Jesus be a fine Canadian or would we consider him a social deviant?

In Matt. 10:16, when Jesus was instructing his disciples, he tells them that they are going out “like lambs into a pack of wolves. So be as wise as snakes and innocent as doves.” In this case, if these qualities of the snake and the dove are assumed to be possessed by Christ, and if the dove like innocence is reflective of Canadian culture, then how do we receive texts of Scripture where Jesus seems to be snake like; where is just plainly rude?The dove like qualities–the meek and gentle attributes that are lovely– are generally easily accepted elements of Christ. But what do we do about a passage like John 8:49-59, where Jesus seems like he is looking to pick a fight with the Pharisees? How does this passage offend and confuse my Canadian sensibilities of common public decency and politeness? What do I do when I am confronted with the intense snake-likeness of Christ?

These are the questions I will be drawing on Wed. evening.

I hope to see you all out there!