Word to the Wise
Thursday, May 2, 2013 - 5th Week of Easter - Thurs
[Acts 15:7-21 and John 15:9-11,914]"My brothers, you are well aware that from early days God made his choice among you that through my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the Gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by granting them the Holy Spirit just as he did us...." [Peter, at the "Council of Jerusalem."
How much can a movement change to accommodate new membership? What is the "essence" of the movement - i.e. the true heart and core - that cannot be changed without losing integrity and identity? This question is nothing new, as we can see from the account in the Acts of the Apostles today! The "us" in Peter's address refers to the believers who were Jews who had accepted Christ but continued to observe the Mosaic Law - a primary characteristic of Judaism and part of its fundamental theology The "them" in the address refers to converts from any of the many pagan cults that were part of the Mediterranean religious environment. The persecution in Jerusalem had led to Christian preachers going to other cities and encountering non-Jewish people who responded positively to the preaching. Peter and Paul had both confronted this challenge, although Peter was not as certain as Paul about this (as the terms "Petrine" and "Pauline" ministry in the church still refer!). Eventually the community in Jerusalem had to deal with the issue. Is the Mosaic Law at the essence of belief in Christ? The answer was "No..but" and certain features were still to be required. As it turned out , even those features disappeared because they did not bear on the fundamental basis of Christianity - the acceptance of Christ and awareness of the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. James admits that the "yoke" of the law had been a burden that many Jews were not able to bear anyhow!
The church continues to struggle with its self-understanding as the world around it changes. Yes, there are transcendent beliefs that are at the heart and integrity of our faith. This is why we have a "magisterium" to define and protect that integrity. However, external observances of our faith - some of which many consider absolutely essential - have changed over the centuries - most recently after the Second Vatican Council. How can our traditions help us move forward? The Council of Jerusalem and the Second Vatican Council both show us how we can answer that question. AMEN