I got my readings muddled up yesterday and thoought about today’s readings. (the PCUSA website is on US time, and therefore I’m technically “a day ahead” most mornings).

There are things that people are not allowed to talk about. They are areas of silence. The leaders and rules of Israel put the death of Jesus in that category. it had appened. Now we want everyone to forget that it happened.

They interpreted the preaching of Peter as an affront that was accusing them of murdering Jesus. (It was a judicial murder: the council were using the mob and the Roman authorities ast their instruments — which is one reason Pilate and Herod ended up allied. Neither trusted the Authorities in Jerusalem and the mob they manipulated)

Acts 5

When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, 28saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” 29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. 30The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.

via Daily Lectionary Readings — Devotions and Readings — Mission and Ministry — GAMC.

Peter would not shut up. For in the death of Jesus, in his blood and his resurrection, was the salvation for all of Israel, and all of the world. And the church should never shut up. We should never be reduced to that post-modern cone of silence.

For in this world, the following statements are deemed offensive, and must not be said:

1. Salvation for one’s soul, and blotting out of one’s wrongdoing, and healing of our pain, is only found through Jesus Christ. There is no other way.
2. Therefore all other religions are false.
3. That men and women complement each other and have seperate and mutually supportive roles. That marriage should be preserved, the celebate praised, and all other modes of living shamed and shunned.
4. That the child in the womb is the child of God, and human. That there is value in all human life. That no life is not worth living, and therefore that euthanasia and abortion are great evils.
5. That wars should occur only to defend the rule of law and justice in this world, when all other means of reconciliation are met (the just war doctrine) and that the current adventures into the middle east no longer meet these criteria.
6. That the West and their empire did more good than harm.
7. That there is no quota on genius. Some geniuses are women, but most are men. And most genius, as people, are ornergy, difficult, and often need “keepers” to survive.

Alte said a while ago that it may be that there might be a purpose behind these times.

I sometimes think the trying times are coming worldwide because God wants us to unite. I really don’t think he wants us constantly bickering over these things, when we’re going to be having so much important work to do. That doesn’t meant the differences don’t matter, but that it is possible to stay different and still unify against our common enemies.

I’m not sure about her comments.

But I am sure that there is far more in common between the beleivers in all four branches of Christianity (Orthoodx, Roman, Protestant and Anabaptist (one can argue where the Holiness and Pentecostals go) that without. And we are called to be one. These pressures make us stick to our beliefs. We need to support each other, and we should not be silent.