Fifth Sunday of Easter
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Readings: Acts 11: 1-18 and John 13: 31-35
We live in a world of many divisions; peoples and nations divided by so many things: race, class, creed, politics and moral issues. Some feel the world is a more divided place now than ever before. Divisions are not just rife between nations but within nations; with one part of the community at odds with another, or one faction in a political party at variance with the centre or leadership. And we all know of divisions within families – temporary squabbles which reach some sort of reconciliation, or decades-long rifts. How many times, when visiting a family, perhaps for a funeral, have I been told that a brother or sister was fallen out with years ago and there is now no contact.
The Christian church, too, has not been short of divisions and controversies throughout her long history, and no less so in our own day. And the first big controversy was the difficult question of who might, and who might not, be a Christian. This was the background to the first reading from Acts this morning.
We should remember that all the first believers in Jesus were Jews, as was Jesus himself. He and his disciples regularly attended synagogues. I don’t suppose it crossed the minds of the disciples until well after the resurrection that their following of Jesus would result in a breakaway from their Jewish way of life.
So today’s account from Acts charts the first big test for the early Church about who could and who couldn’t be considered followers of Jesus, and what they had to do to be part of that fellowship. Peter had baptised some Gentiles – that is, non-Jews. He was called up to Jerusalem to explain his actions. It’s interesting to note that he was not criticised for baptising the Gentiles, but rather for breaking the law of Moses by sharing food with them. The matter of the Jewish food laws was closely bound-up with the problem of admitting Gentiles to the Church, as was the question of circumcision.
We still have deep divisions within the Anglican Communion over the issue of homosexuality; the acceptance of same-sex relationships, and over the consecration of women as bishops, which certainly isn’t happening in some of the more conservative provinces of the Communion. When I visited Ghana in 1987, the issue of polygamy tested the Church there, as men with more than one wife were asking for baptism; what should the policy be? Anglicans, coming from such diverse cultural backgrounds, finding these divisions difficult to reconcile. And between churches there are differences over doctrine, and the place of the bible, and its interpretation, and what happens at the Eucharist.
Within Anglicanism, we still have some saying they aren’t ‘in communion’ with others, because they think the liberals have gone too far; and some who won’t receive communion from women priests. People do have deeply views on these matters and act in all conscience, but it is always sad when some are so convinced that they are right, that they feel the need to exclude others.
But as we heard from Acts, conflict within the Church is nothing new. We shouldn’t be shocked when deeply held convictions and beliefs cause divisions and disagreements. But we should be shocked if there is an unwillingness to engage in dialogue about them; if people shut their hearts and minds to mutual understanding or reconciliation; if there is a refusal to think that there might just be another point of view.
But Peter’s experience in the reading today emphasizes what Jesus once told the disciples – ‘the Spirit of truth will lead you into all truth.’ In the story, after Peter had seen the vision, he felt a prompting from the Spirit to go and meet these Gentiles who had come to hear God’s word, and ‘not to make a distinction between them and us.’ When Peter reached the house of one of the converts, he heard how the Holy Spirit had already been at work in promising them that Peter would give them a message. Then, as Peter felt the power of the Spirit in the room, he asked himself ‘who was I that I could hinder God?’ This was the beginning of the Church realising that the message of salvation and repentance was for a much greater populace than just Jews.
There were further debates and discussions about the admission of Gentiles, most notably in Acts chapter 15, at what we call ‘the Council of Jerusalem.’ This was a civilised debate, listening to personal stories, hearing how the Spirit had led the Church in a new direction, and causing the leaders to come to an agreement about how Gentiles could be admitted; what rules were necessary for them to keep, and so on.
In the gospel for today Jesus gives that so-important instruction, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” It trips off the tongue quite easily, but we all know how loving in the Christian sense is sometimes extremely difficult. We don’t always find it easy to forgive others; we don’t always find it easy to understand others’ views; we perhaps just don’t find ourselves attracted to other people’s personalities. The gospel passage today begins noting that Judas had just left the company. Jesus didn’t exclude Judas; Judas walked away and excluded himself. We can’t be sure what turned Judas against Jesus, and presumably against the fellowship of the disciples as well, but it was a tragedy for all of them. Nevertheless, Jesus saw this development as one by which God’s glory would be revealed.
As I said earlier, it is sad when there are divisions within the Church or between churches, but it is sadder when there is an unwillingness to engage in any dialogue; if people shut their hearts and minds to the possibility of reconciliation, or if they refuse to see that there might be another point-of-view from theirs. I do believe the Church has something to show wider society about how civilised debate between people of different viewpoints can take place; about really listening to the other point-of-view, acknowledging the good that is coming from new initiatives, and arriving at a compromised view in which those of differing opinions gracefully acknowledge the insights of others.
And let us be glad when we see good debates and discussions in other forums. The Westminster debate over the Assisted Dying Bill last year was a model of good parliamentary discussion, and let us give thanks that we have a democracy that can produce that quality of debate.
We’ve been reflecting mainly on movements with the Church and religion, and a little about politics. But perhaps we can think about our own lives. Do we see people who do things differently as a threat, or as possible friends with traditions and life-styles to share with us? Are we ready to take steps of reconciliation with those estranged from us through some deep hurt – however caused?
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.” Now, somebody has made the comment that you can’t command somebody to love another. I would note that loving may not be the same as liking. We may not necessarily like someone, but we can still behave towards them with Christian love and charity. Jesus certainly makes it clear that we should try.