More than just plausibility…
Aug 30th, 2010 by ljkim
Almost every Filipino I know is Catholic, this was once true for my Irish friends too. Almost every Korean American I know went to a Presbyterian or Methodist church as a child. And almost every older African American woman I know goes to church as well. What does this mean for us? It means it’s easy for our unbelieving friends to see us going public with our faith, and assume it’s a part of our residual cultural identity (whether it is or not). As a result they might respect our faith, but feel, “that stuff is fine for you, but it has nothing to do with me.” It’s like celebrating Thanksgiving in Kenya… It’s fine as an American tradition, and can be respected elsewhere, but it doesn’t mean the same thing for non-Americans.
That’s how many people interpret faith… a personal tradition. But what they need to see is how real faith is emotionally and intellectually alive – and not just a tradition… They need to see that grace and redemption, forgiveness and seeing oneself as a sinner under grace…lives in your heart and mind right now, that you wrestle with these things, and rely upon them… Because only then can Christianity be plausible as something for everyone…
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