Saturday, November 15, 2014
James 2:1-13
This James passage causes us to think critically about how we might treat our various “neighbours” or even “strangers” found in our communities. The author of James rhetorically asks: if we claim to be acting upon the model of Jesus’ loving life example, are we being true to this way of acting and being in the world if we do not treat the poor as well as the rich with equal respect? In particular, some scholars believe that when James is criticizing the temptation to treat the rich with partiality and reverence at the expense of the poor and that this can also be understood as a critique of the dominance of the patron-client model which was prevalent Roman rule during the early years of the spread of the Christian faith. What can we learn from these insights if we apply them to today’s situation? Does the church not continue to grapple with this challenge? How might we better move in the direction of loving all our neighbours with the respectful love that we owe ourselves?
- Terry Rothwell
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