:: in.a.mirror.dimly ::

In my book Coffeehouse Theology I spent a lot of time explaining how theology is developed in Christian community with an awareness of context under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, scripture, and tradition. While it matters a great deal to keep all of these pieces in view, the physical location where we form theology is a part of context that perhaps doesn’t receive the attention it deserves, especially in light of its influence.

When we speak about context we often focus on philosophy, pop culture, and shared values—the shared values and experiences that color our view of the world. The other part of context is a our physical location, whether in a city, in the country, in a wealthy neighborhood, or among the poor.

This was driven home for me over the past weekend while speaking in a church meeting at a prison. Whenever you speak about freedom, authority, or Roman soldiers oppressing the Israelites, inmates have a tendency to add their own interpretive spin that doesn’t always help them submit themselves to God, one another, and secular authority. By the same token, whether I speak among those who minister among the poor or those in the suburbs, there are different concerns to address and adjustments to make in application.

Having several different locations to think through my theology has pulled me out of my shell, forcing me to challenge my assumptions and opening up fresh meanings and applications for the biblical text.

While preparing to speak in a church in a relatively impoverished area this was driven home particularly strong when I thought about the way John the Baptist started his ministry in the wilderness, far away from the political and religious epicenters of his day. In fact, the one thing we notice in the Gospels about those with authority, whether in religion or government, they can twist, tame, and challenge the message of God’s coming Kingdom to fit their own agenda.

Jesus wasn’t even allowed to heal a man on the Sabbath according to them. When he did, the Gospel of Mark tells  us that the religious leaders plotted against him with the help of those affiliated with the government. That should be give us pause before we strive for religious power and authority.

By preparing to speak to people on the margins of our society I saw these familiar texts in new ways. I realized that I need to not only question my experiences, values, and philosophical assumptions, but also the very place where I’m forming that theology and the challenges of that particular location. In doing that we will find God speaking to us in fresh ways and opening our eyes to the riches found in scripture.