Bearing Faithful Witness

We proclaim that Christ came that there might be peace on earth, justice and right relationships between all people. Never again should anyone be fearful that Christians might persecute them or murder them "in the name of Christ." The message of Jesus is one of peace and reconciliation for the whole world he was sent to love.

• May we follow his way to peace and reconciliation for a suffering and hurting world.
• May we ponder the depth of his love and compassion for us.
• May we perceive his concern for the whole world.
• May we discern how we might participate with him today in making this a caring and compassionate world.

Much of what Christians have done in the name of Jesus has been done because of interpretations of certain portions of Christian scripture. When uncritical interpretations of Gospel texts are allowed to paint groups of people as appropriate objects of our hatred, then Christians might do, "in the name of Christ", something that Jesus would never do. Such leaps have been taken over and over again by generations of Christians throughout the ages.

Hatred of anyone is contrary to Jesus’ central message of loving God, and one’s neighbour as oneself. Any interpretation of any Christian scripture that purports to inspire Christians to hate anyone is in direct opposition to the teachings of the one we accept as Christ.

Christianity, as depicted in the New Testament, is a way of love for those who work for the coming of that great and wondrous day when there is peace, harmony, justice and compassion for everyone. To embrace Jesus as Lord, Saviour, Redeemer and Light of the World, and then to attempt to snuff out that light with hatred and persecution is not the Way of Christ.

We need to examine our New Testament scriptures that have led us to treat any group as other than our neighbours, other than Jesus’ brothers and sisters and other than our relatives within God’s household of faith. We need to do this in ways that allow us to discern their significance for us in our day and age. However we interpret them, to be faithful to Christ, we must never do what he would not.

We cannot change our ways until we recognize what we have done in the past and what we continue to do when we allow New Testament texts to inform us to perform acts of evil against our neighbours. No more can we blithely bear false witness against our fellow brothers and sisters within the Household of God. No more can we stand idly by while hate mongers displace the gospel with vile words and acts.

Texts need to be interpreted in ways that bring the Good News of a faithful and persistent God at work in Jesus of Nazareth who we proclaim as Christ to a world needing good news - not hateful, hurtful, spiteful, vengeful news. Jesus came that we might all have life - life in its fullness, life in relationship with God - the God of Abraham and Sarah, Moses and Miriam, Peter and Paul, Mary and Martha, you and me. This life is needed to help us right our relationships. The task of reconciliation is not an easy one, but until we recognize that the roots of are contained in the interpretation of certain New Testament texts, then we cannot even begin to find a better way.

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