Interesting Connections

Two items caught my eye today, and each suggests in a different way that mission—defined as spreading the Good News—often lies in venues we don’t expect.

First, consider the story in the New York Times about the Archbishop of Canterbury’s meeting with the Pope Benedict. The subject under discussion: a runup to the seventh annual Building Bridges seminar in Rome, an ongoing dialogue between Christian and Muslim clerics. Could it be that it is the Muslims who will help forge a better understanding between Anglicans and Catholics by helping them refocus on what they all have in common with Abraham’s other two faiths? You can read the article here.

Second, consider the announcement of a collection of newspaper columns written by Bethlehem (PA) Bishop Paul Marshall. Defining his purpose, Bishop Marshall says, "I have from the first spent most of my time each month attempting to reach those who think Christianity is irrelevant or anti-intellectual, and those who have been burned by rigorist religion." In other words, let’s not get ourselves excited over the fine points of denominational theology, but focus instead on those who really don’t know us very well, if at all. You can read the announcement here.

To be sure, both of these are “big picture” stories, but they can be applied locally. Perhaps the best way to find a path forward with the person at the other end of your pew is to get him to help you reach the person who has never darkened the door, or who left in a huff some years back.