Monday, January 19, 2015 (The Confession of St. Peter)

THE WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY

Monday, January 19, 2015 (The Confession of St. Peter)

Acts 4:8-13

Some might deem it risky business to set the observance of The Confession of St. Peter during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, as some of the divisions between denominations have roots in differing understandings of texts relating to Peter. I would suggest that taking risks is more helpful than apathetically or over-cautiously avoiding challenging and problematic matters. Part of ecumenical and interfaith dialogue is to affirm and appreciate your neighbour, not simply because of your similarities, but recognizing your differences. 

St. Peter is the apostle covered in most detail in the Bible. He is not only frequently close to the action in the Gospel stories, but he is portrayed with great and sometimes embarrassing honesty. While he is part of Jesus’s inner circle, his shortcomings are made evident in stories like his sinking after he tries to join Jesus on the water, and his three-time denial of Jesus after his arrest. However, Peter is also named 'the rock' upon which the Church would be built (Matthew 13:18). This acknowledgement follows Peter’s confession that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 13:16). 

In our passage today, from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter and John are speaking before religious authorities. Peter boldly claims that the wondrous deeds they are working are all done in the name of Jesus. He alludes to Psalm 118 in referring to his crucified Lord as “the stone which you, the builders, rejected but which has become the cornerstone” (4:11). So in Matthew we have Peter being called a rock, while in Acts Peter points to Jesus as the cornerstone. This, I think, highlights the divine-human dynamic that is necessary in the life of the Church and in our lives as individual Christians. While various Christian traditions have differing views on ordained (and in turn, lay) ministry, our common scriptures speak of the priesthood of all believers that is “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people” (1 Peter 2:9). Whether lay or ordained; Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, or whatever; traditional or emerging; conservative, liberal or radical... the one priesthood in which we share is that of Christ. Our personal vocations, gifts, perspectives, and mission fields may differ, but our common cornerstone is Jesus, our Lord. Today we remember St. Peter’s fearlessness, and we also give thanks that God is able to use ordinary, imperfect people in the building up of the Kingdom. 

         I am fortunate to be a student at Trinity College, part of the Toronto School of Theology. Made up of seven federated colleges, it is an amazing place to grow and learn with others. The colleges represent the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, and United traditions, yet the students come from an even wider variety of denominations. Moreover, there are several affiliated colleges, such as Conrad Grebel University College (Anabaptist) and Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, to add to the ecumenical conversation. It is like a wonderful buffet, where one gets to choose the best dishes from many cuisines. For instance, many students take the preaching course from Emmanuel College, the United seminary. Christians from non-liturgical traditions that want to learn about and experience 'tradition' will take some classes at Trinity. Waterloo Lutheran has a wide variety of courses related to pastoral care. St. Michael's is home to the Henri Nouwen archives. Wycliffe is known for its training in mission and evangelism. Isn't it wonderful that Christians from many traditions can come together to study? The cross pollination that occurs during one's theological studies can and should lead to a more mature, comprehensive outlook in one's ministry. Simply sitting together in class, getting to known one another, is itself a significant step toward mutual interdependence and appreciation.

        May we grow closer to one another and to God in the acknowledgement of our shared faith, knowing that, like Peter, we all stumble from time to time.

- Matthew Kieswetter